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Employers Manual
Survivor Benefits
Important Considerations Regarding Survivor
Benefits
When Defined Benefit Plan members combine STRS Ohio service credit with
OPERS or SERS credit, they cannot earn more than one year of service
credit per fiscal year in one, two or all three public systems combined.
Service credit in OPERS or SERS is combined with STRS Ohio service credit
to determine total years of credit.
There are provisions for STRS Ohio members to purchase additional service credit to increase survivor, disability and retirement benefits. The member should discuss the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing additional credit with an STRS Ohio benefits counselor.
A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 3% is granted each year once a member retires. The COLA is paid in the first anniversary month of the retirement benefit, which also establishes the date for future increases. Future increases are calculated on the original benefit and are not compounded over the previous year. The COLA is added to the regular monthly benefit.
