Members
Our members work tirelessly to make every Missouri community a great place to live. LAGERS is dedicated to delivering peace of mind to our public servants by providing protected retirement, disability and survivor benefits. We work hard to ensure your hard-earned money is secure so you can concentrate on serving your community. Below you will find information no matter what your career stage. Select your career stage to learn more about your LAGERS benefit.
As a new LAGERS member, there are a few things you should know about your benefit including vesting, eligibility, and how your benefit works.
Whether you are thinking about a career change or looking forward to your future, it’s a good idea to take inventory of all your retirement benefits throughout your career to help ensure you’re on track for reaching your financial goals.
So, you’re nearing retirement, but you may still have some questions about your benefit, the application process and payment options. This is perfectly normal. Many pre-retirees are unsure about how to go about actually retiring. Navigating the retirement process can seem daunting, but knowing the answers to your lingering questions will help.
Have you already applied for your retirement benefit? Wondering now what?
Did you know your benefit is subject to state and federal taxes?
Did you know you could draw your benefit and still go back to work?
What do you do if you or your beneficiary passes away?
Do you know what time of the month you should expect your monthly benefit?
You may not work in a LAGERS covered position until the day you retire; however, you may still be eligible for benefits based on the time you spent serving your community.
Member News
March Board Report
The LAGERS Board of Trustees convened for their quarterly board meeting on Friday, March 20, 2026, at the LAGERS office in Jefferson City. Board Chair Joan Leary called the meeting to order. System Operations Hearing Officer Roster Approved to Expedite Disability Process As part of the recent changes to LAGERS’ disability process (16 CSR 20-3.020), the board unanimously approved a new roster of hearing officers to be used when a formal disability hearing is requested. Hearing officers from the roster will be automatically appointed on a rotating basis. This new, automatic appointment process will help expedite the disability hearing proceedings. Previously, when a member requested a hearing, a hearing officer could not be appointed until the board’s next regularly scheduled quarterly meeting. Investment Report LAGERS’ Chief Investment Officer Scott Day presented the system’s quarterly market update and investment performance report, noting the portfolio is performing as expected. LAGERS’ investment performance as of 12/31/2025 is as follows: One-year: 9.8%Five-year: 7% Actuary’s Report Board Adopts Slight Adjustments to Actuarial Assumptions Following a presentation of preliminary findings at their December meeting, the board reviewed LAGERS’ actuarial experience study and adopted the following actuarial assumptions: Investment assumption: 7% (no change)Wage inflation assumption: 3% (increase from 2.75%)COLA increase assumption: 2% (no change) Adjustments to demographic assumptions, including merit and longevity, withdrawal rates, and retirement and disability rates, as recommended by LAGERS’ actuary, were also unanimously approved. The actuarial experience study reviews how the plan’s recent demographic and economic experience compares to the assumptions used in the annual valuation. This process ensures that key assumptions, such as retirement patterns, mortality rates, and salary growth, accurately reflect observed trends, ultimately ensuring LAGERS’ funding remains strong. The adopted changes will be incorporated into the actuarial valuations prepared as of Feb. 28, 2026, and may create a slight upward effect on some employer contribution rates. Management Report FY 2026 Budget On Track Chief Financial Officer, Melissa Rackers, reviewed the system’s annual budget, noting it is on track within its major spending categories. Staff Reports Healthy Legacy Plan Program In 2016, the General Assembly approved legislation allowing LAGERS to administer prior non-LAGERS retirement plans for participating employers. LAGERS currently administers 10 legacy plans, with LAGERS’ board serving as trustee for each plan. When LAGERS assumes administration of a legacy plan, the plan’s provisions are frozen and continue to be administered separately according to the terms already in effect at the time of transfer. Currently, four of LAGERS’ 10 legacy plans are fully funded, with the other six plans paying their remaining liabilities on a 15-year schedule. All legacy plans are current in their payments. Quiet Legislative Session for Pensions LAGERS’ government affairs team gave an informational update on the 2026 legislative session, noting LAGERS does not have any initiatives this session. Top themes among the nearly 3,000 bills filed this session include: tax reform, shrinking revenues, and an upcoming election cycle with less than 1% of bills directly impacting public pension plans. Direct legislation of note includes HB 2884, limiting political contributions by pension systems. LAGERS’ current board-adopted policy already prohibits political expenditures. Membership Stats Highlight Long-Term Membership LAGERS Chief […]
Board of Trustees to Convene for Quarterly Meeting This Friday
March 16, 2026
The LAGERS Board of Trustees is scheduled to convene for their quarterly meeting this Friday, March 20, 2026 beginning at 8 a.m.
Focus Over Forecasts
March 8, 2026
Throughout the past year, the LAGERS investment portfolio maintained its disciplined focus on long-term objectives, deliberately looking beyond short-term disruptions.
