Retirement Services Division - Hartford, CT

Division Overview

The Retirement Services Division is a major operational unit within the Office of the State Comptroller of Connecticut. Headquartered in the State Office Building at 165 Capitol Avenue, this division is responsible for the administration and processing of retirement benefits for thousands of state and municipal employees. The division ensures that public servants receive the pension and health benefits they have earned through their service, operating under the authority of the Connecticut General Statutes and various collective bargaining agreements.

Systems Administered

The division manages several large-scale retirement systems, serving a diverse population of current and retired public sector workers:

• State Employees Retirement System (SERS): The primary pension plan for state employees, covering tens of thousands of active and retired members.
• Connecticut Municipal Employees Retirement System (CMERS): A cooperative pension system for employees of participating municipalities, boards of education, and housing authorities across the state.
• Probate Judges and Employees Retirement System (PJERS): Specialized administration for the probate court workforce.
• Alternate Retirement Program (ARP): Management of defined contribution plans for eligible higher education employees.

Member Services

The Retirement Services Division provides critical support throughout an employee's career and into retirement:

• Benefit Calculations: Analyzing service credit, salary history, and tier specifications to accurately calculate monthly pension payments.
• Counseling: Offering retirement counseling sessions and workshops to help employees understand their options, including survivor benefits and payment plans.
• Disability Retirement: Processing applications for service-connected and non-service-connected disability pensions, a complex process involving medical reviews.
• Retiree Payroll: Managing the monthly disbursement of pension checks and direct deposits, as well as tax withholdings and cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs).

Office Access

The division operates out of the secure State Office Building. Visitors generally need an appointment for counseling services, although many inquiries can be handled via phone or the Core-CT online portal. As a government facility, strict security protocols are in place, including ID verification and metal detector screening at the entrance. The building is centrally located near the State Capitol and is well-served by public transportation.