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Utah · URS · Methods & sources

How we estimate Utah URS pensions

Every number on the Utah pages comes from Utah Retirement Systems (URS) publications (its 2026-27 Highlights booklets, Comparing Tier 2 Plans, its Tier 1 guidebook and reemployment brochure, and its actuarial valuation) or Utah Code. Here's what the calculator does, and what it leaves out.

  1. 1

    Find your tier

    Tier 1 Noncontributory if you first started full-time with a URS employer before July 1, 2011; otherwise Tier 2, Hybrid or DC as you choose. The DC Plan has no pension to estimate.

    Tier 1 Highlights (2026-27), p. 2; Tier 2 Highlights (2026-27), p. 4; Utah Code 49-22-201; Tier 2 Highlights (2026-27), pp. 1, 6; Comparing Tier 2 Plans (2026-27), p. 13; Utah Code 49-22-201(2)(b)-(d)
  2. 2

    Count your service

    The years you enter, plus one year for each year from today to your retirement date (none if you've stopped working). Retirement dates are the 1st or 16th.

    Tier 1 Highlights (2026-27), pp. 16-17; Tier 1 Retirement Guidebook (Sept. 2026), pp. 5-6; Utah Code 49-13-401(2), 49-22-304(2)
  3. 3

    Check eligibility

    Tier 1: 65 with 4 years, 62 with 10, 60 with 20, any age with 25 (reduced) or 30. Tier 2: 65 with 4, 62 with 10, 60 with 20, any age with 35. Actual service within a tenth of a year counts.

    Tier 1 Highlights (2026-27), p. 15, Retirement Qualifications; Utah Code 49-13-401(1)(c); Tier 2 Highlights (2026-27), pp. 2, 15, Retirement Qualifications; Utah Code 49-22-304(1)(c); Utah Code 49-13-402(2)(c)(ii)
  4. 4

    Apply the formula

    2% (Tier 1) or 1.5% (Tier 2) × years × your final average salary ÷ 12. We use the salary you enter.

    Tier 1 Highlights (2026-27), p. 15; Utah Code 49-13-402(2); Tier 2 Highlights (2026-27), p. 15; Comparing Tier 2 Plans (2026-27), pp. 5, 11; Utah Code 49-22-305(2)
  5. 5

    Reduce for early retirement

    Multiply by URS's factor for your age, from its actuarial valuation, interpolated by month between birthdays. No reduction at 65 or with 30 (Tier 1) or 35 (Tier 2) years.

    URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025), App. 2, p. 97, item 10.b; URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025), App. 2, p. 117, item 10.b
  6. 6

    Show the options

    Option One in dollars. Options Two to Six and the benefit after a partial lump sum only in words, because URS publishes no factors.

    Utah Code 49-13-402(3), 49-22-305(3); URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025), App. 2, pp. 99-100, 119, item 15; Tier 1 Highlights (2026-27), p. 20; Utah Code 49-11-1001

In short: the calculator finds your tier, applies the formula (2% in Tier 1, 1.5% in the Tier 2 Hybrid), checks eligibility, and uses URS's actuarial early-retirement factors. Try URS's own example.

What the calculator doesn't cover

How we check the math

The calculator runs on a small engine that reads every rule from one data file, with a source for each. Automated tests check it against URS's worked example, and check both factor tables line by line against the text of URS's actuarial valuation. URS's booklets have only one worked example, so most of our tests check the rules themselves: tier dates, eligibility ages and table edges. The tests run every time the site is built.

How we check the math (Utah URS)
ExampleURS showsOur engine
Tier 2 Hybrid: 35 years on $40,000Comparing Tier 2 Plans (2026-27), p. 5$1,750 a month$1,750.00 a monthMatch
Tier 2 Hybrid: the same, a yearComparing Tier 2 Plans (2026-27), p. 5$21,000$21,000Match
Tier 1 factor table, ages 45 to 64URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025), App. 2, p. 97, item 10.b20 factorsall matchMatch
Tier 2 factor table, ages 60 to 64URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025), App. 2, p. 117, item 10.b5 factorsall matchMatch

URS gives no age or dates for its example. With 35 years the benefit is full at any age, so we use a member hired on July 1, 2011 who retires in 2046 at 61. The other examples on our pages are labeled as our engine's, not URS's.

Things to check with URS

The sources don't settle these points. Each is labeled "Check with URS" where it shows up on the site.

Check with URS

Reduction between birthdays. The factor tables are by whole age. The statutes reduce 'for each year of retirement' before 65. Our calculator interpolates linearly by completed months of age between table ages (e.g. 62 and 6 months under Tier 1 = 92.5%).

We interpolate the published factors by months of age.

What would settle it: A URS estimate or Board rule showing the factor for an age between birthdays.

Check with URS

Retiring with 25 years before age 45. The Tier 1 factor table stops at age 45. A member could reach 25 years before 45. Below 45 our calculator shows no amount.

No estimate below age 45.

What would settle it: URS's full Noncontributory actuarial reduction table.

Check with URS

Early retirement factors. The factors come from the actuarial valuation as of Jan. 1, 2025 (updated Nov. 20, 2025), not from a member booklet. URS may revise them after a later experience study.

The factors in the Jan. 1, 2025 actuarial valuation.

What would settle it: A newer valuation or a URS-generated estimate.

Check with URS

Within a tenth of a year. Utah Code 49-13-402(2)(c)(ii) and 49-22-305(2)(c)(ii): actual (not purchased) service within 1/10 of a year of the requirement counts as meeting it. Our calculator applies this to every age/service threshold (eligibility and the 30- or 35-year unreduced test) but uses actual service in the formula.

Actual service within 0.1 year of a threshold meets it; the formula uses your real years.

What would settle it: A URS rule or estimate for a member 0.05 years short of a threshold.

Check with URS

Survivor option amounts. Options Two to Six are actuarial reductions of Option One; no source publishes the factors.

We show Option One only; the other options are described, not priced.

What would settle it: URS's option factor tables or a URS estimate.

Check with URS

PLSO reduced benefit. The PLSO permanently reduces the monthly benefit by the actuarial value of the lump sum; URS doesn't publish the reduction.

We show the lump sum (12 or 24 x the monthly benefit) but not the reduced monthly amount.

What would settle it: A URS estimate with the PLSO.

Check with URS

Salary increase limit. A year's salary is limited if it exceeds the previous year's by more than 10% plus a CPI cost-of-living adjustment (exceptions for transfers and promotions). Our calculator's optional cap treats it as previous x (1 + 10% + CPI%).

Previous year's salary x (1.10 + CPI) when you give a CPI; otherwise no cap.

What would settle it: URS's salary-cap rule or a worked example.

Check with URS

Short careers. Tier 2's statute averages the full period when you have under five years. Tier 1's statute is silent for under three years; our calculator averages whatever years are given.

The average of the years you enter.

What would settle it: A URS rule for Tier 1 members with fewer than three years of salary.

Check with URS

Counting the 60 and 90 days. Sources say 'within 60 days' and 'after 90 days' of the retirement date without saying how the days are counted. Our calculator treats day 60 (or 90) after the retirement date as the first allowed day.

Retirement date + 60 days (or + 90 days).

What would settle it: URS's RTRT-50 restrictions form or Board Resolution 2019-05.

Check with URS

Earnings limit year. $21,000 is the CPI-adjusted limit printed in Sept. 2026; the calendar year it applies to isn't stated and it changes yearly.

$21,000 or half your final average salary, whichever is less.

What would settle it: URS's current-year limit.

Check with URS

The extra 3%. The Tier 1 booklet says an additional 3% 'may be added' with service on Jan. 1, 1989. Our calculator adds 3% to the reduced Option One amount when you say you qualify; the order of operations isn't published.

Option One after reduction x 1.03, only if you tick the box.

What would settle it: A URS estimate for a pre-1989 member.

Check with URS

Banked COLA. CPI above the cap is banked for later years. Our calculator never lets a negative CPI reduce the bank or the benefit, and pays the bank down in the first year the CPI is below the cap.

Simple COLA on the original benefit, capped, with excess CPI banked.

What would settle it: URS's COLA calculation rule or COLA history.

Check with URS

Social Security coverage. No URS source says whether your job is covered by Social Security. Utah Code 67-11-1 states a policy of extending coverage to state and local employees, and URS compensation counts pay subject to Social Security deductions, but coverage is set by agreement for each employer.

We don't change the URS estimate for Social Security.

What would settle it: Your pay stub (Social Security/OASDI withholding) or your employer.

Check with URS

Spouse benefit amount. The career benefit is a share of the member's 'full allowance', an Option Three allowance without actuarial reduction; the Option Three factor isn't published.

We show the share (full, 2/3 or 1/3), not a dollar amount.

What would settle it: A URS survivor estimate.

Check with URS

Health insurance after retirement. URS sources say retiree health depends on your employer's benefit package; no URS subsidy is described.

No health subsidy in the estimate.

What would settle it: Your school district's retiree benefits policy.

Check with URS

Future service. Earliest and full-benefit dates assume one year of service per year worked from the date you enter.

One year of service per year of work.

What would settle it: Your URS annual statement and a URS estimate.

Where sources disagreed

Sources

We cite the page number printed in each URS booklet (the reemployment brochure has none, so we cite its PDF page) and the section number in Utah Code. Last reviewed Nov. 12, 2026.

Found a mistake?Email [email protected] with the page, what you entered, and what URS told you. We fix confirmed errors and note the change.
The official numbersOnly URS can tell you your actual benefit. Ask URS for a benefit estimate, or call 800-695-4877.

Source: URS Tier 1 Noncontributory and Tier 2 Public Employees Retirement System Highlights, 2026-27, effective July 1, 2026, Tier 1 pp. 2, 15, 16-17, 20; Tier 2 pp. 1, 2, 4, 6, 15. Also: Comparing Tier 2 Plans (2026-27); Tier 1 Retirement Guidebook (Sept. 2026); URS Actuarial Valuation (Jan. 1, 2025); Utah Code §§ 49-11-1001, 49-13-401, 49-13-402, 49-22-201, 49-22-304, 49-22-305. Last reviewed .