Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This section answers common questions about the City of New Orleans Employees' Retirement System (NOMERS). Whether you're planning for retirement, curious about your contributions, or need information about benefits, you'll find answers to frequently asked questions about:

  • Retirement eligibility requirements and options
  • Contribution rules and policies
  • Beneficiary changes and rollovers
  • The Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP)
  • Service credit and separation benefits

Personal Finance

The minimum eligibility requirements for a service retirement are as follows:
  • Five (5) years of service and sixty-five (65) years of age
  • Ten (10) years of service and sixty (60) years of age (A 3% reduction in the benefit allowance is assessed for each year under the age of sixty-two (62)
  • Thirty (30) years of service at any age (no reduction if under age 62)
  • “Rule of 80” – Age plus years of service equals eighty (No reduction if under the age of sixty-two (62))
    • Example – Age 55 with 25 years of service qualifies for “Rule of 80”.
    • NOTE: Members electing “Rule of 80” retirements must apply all sick leave for retirement credit and are not eligible to participate in DROP.

Separation Retirement:

  • A member who terminates with at least five (5) but less than ten (10) years of service at termination may collect a pension at age sixty-five (65) with no reduction.
  • A member who terminates with at least ten (10) years of service at termination may collect a pension at age sixty (60). The member will incur a 3% reduction in the monthly allowance for each year under age sixty-two (62).

No. The plan does not offer members any loan provisions against their contributions. Members do not have access to their contribution balance while employed.

No. The plan sets the contribution rate for both the employee and the employer each year. The employee contribution rate is fixed and rarely changes. The current employee contribution rate is 6%.

No. You must be terminated from your employment with the city to receive a refund of your contributions.

Yes. A member may rollover their contributions into an IRA, an employer’s 401(k) plan or another qualified plan upon termination from employment with the city. Members are not required to make an immediate decision to take a refund. Members may request a refund (direct receipt of contributions, rollover or transfer to another Louisiana retirement system) or he/she may allow the funds to remain on deposit. 

Yes. The retirement system will accept rollovers from 401(a) plans, 403(b) plans, 457(b) plans, or IRA containing government account funds only for payment needed to pay for the applicable creditable service.

Yes. An active employee or a former employee with funds still on deposit with the retirement system may change their beneficiary. Retired members who have selected an option that provides for a lifetime benefit for a beneficiary may not change their beneficiary. The beneficiary designation form may be found in the Forms section of the retirement system website.

Yes. An active employee or a former employee with funds still on deposit with the retirement system may change their beneficiary. Retired members who have selected an option that provides for a lifetime benefit for a beneficiary may not change their beneficiary. The beneficiary designation form may be found in the Forms section of the retirement system website.

No. You can stay in DROP for up to five (5) years, but you are not required to stay in DROP for any specific period of time.