Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association
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Office Hours

Monday through Friday, 
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
The office is closed between 12 Noon and 12:30 p.m. for lunch.

The CCCERA office is located at;
1355 Willow Way
Suite 221
Concord, CA 94520
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Financial

Contribution Rates

Overview

Contribution Rates

Funds to pay CCCERA benefits are derived from member and employer contributions as well as investment earnings on those contributions. Contribution rates change every year on July 1. The contributions are made up of two components:

Normal Cost

The normal cost is the annual contribution rate that, if paid annually from a member’s first year of membership through the year of retirement, would accumulate to the amount necessary to fully fund the member’s retirement-related benefits. Accumulation includes annual crediting of interest at the assumed investment earning rate.

The normal cost is included in the calculation of the member and employer rates. The member contribution rate is determined in accordance with the appropriate statute, and the remainder of the normal cost is included in the employer contribution rate.

If the normal cost were contributed every year, and all actuarial assumptions were met, the retirement plan would always be 100 percent funded. 

Contribution to the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability

To the extent the normal cost contributions have not accumulated to the amount necessary to fully fund the retirement benefits that have already been granted, there exists an Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability (UAAL). The UAAL is a debt owed to CCCERA for benefits that CCCERA is obliged to pay, and is only paid by the employer..

The UAAL contribution is made up of interest and principal. The interest portion is simply interest on the UAAL at the actuarial assumed rate of return. This is interest that CCCERA would be expected to earn if the plan were 100 percent funded. The principal portion of the UAAL contribution is determined in accordance with the Board’s Actuarial Funding Policy.

Note: Once CCCERA determines the member and employer contribution rates, the employer may require the member to pay all or part of the employer contribution rate (Gov. Code Section 31631), and for legacy members (General Tiers 1 and 3, and Safety Tier A and C) the employer may pay a portion of the member contribution rate (Gov. Code Section 31581.1).

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Member Contribution Rate Calculator

Your member contribution rate is determined by your tier, your employer, and for legacy members, your age at entry into the system. By entering your information in below, the calculator can determine your member contribution rate. 

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Contribution Rates Effective July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026

At its September 11, 2024 meeting, the Retirement Board reviewed the actuary’s valuation report for the year ending December 31, 2023, and accepted the recommended employer and member contribution rates, which will become effective on July 1, 2025. 

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Contribution Rates Effective July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025

At its August 9, 2023 meeting, the Retirement Board reviewed the actuary’s valuation report for the year ending December 31, 2022, and accepted the recommended employer and member contribution rates, which will become effective on July 1, 2024. 

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Contribution Rates Effective July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024

At its August 10, 2022 meeting, the Retirement Board reviewed the actuary’s valuation report for the year ending December 31, 2021, and accepted the recommended employer and member contribution rates, which will become effective on July 1, 2023. 

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Member Contribution Rate Calculator

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Why Contribution Rates Rise And Fall

The 1937 Act (Gov. Code Section 31453) requires retirement systems to review the financial security of the fund. These studies research the number of retirements, salary increases, marriages, deaths, and the performance of investments. Based on these factors, actuaries make recommendations to the Board of Retirement on employer and employee contribution rates. The retirement board votes to accept the actuarial recommendations as suggested, revise the recommendations, or defer them for later implementation.

Disclaimer

CCCERA makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to the materials found at this site. It is intended for general information purposes only. In addition, CCCERA cannot and does not represent that the information on this website is current. While CCCERA has made every reasonable effort to offer the most current information possible, inadvertent errors can occur.

CCCERA is governed by California law as well as the Internal Revenue Code and various rules and regulations, all of which are complex and subject to change. In the event of any conflict between these governing authorities and the information on this website, the governing authorities have precedence. Site users are strongly encouraged to consult with a CCCERA representative about specific issues and not rely on the general information contained in this website.

The information provided is not intended to serve as legal advice or as legal opinion. By using this site, the site user agrees to release and hold CCCERA, and its agents and representatives, harmless from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action of any kind or nature whatsoever now and in the future arising out of or in connection with the use of this site or the information provided herein.