Universal Buy-In

Eligibility

Any contributing member of the State Employees' Retirement System Defined Benefit (DB) Plan can purchase up to 5 years of universal buy-in (UBI) service. It is called universal because it may be purchased without being linked to any previous employment.

Conditions 

• This service cannot be used to satisfy vesting requirements.
• UBI credit replaces medical leave of absence, fee branch manager, and Vista/Peace Corps service credit purchase options that were eliminated from law as of Aug. 1, 1998. 
• You may purchase up to 5 years of UBI service; however, this amount is offset by any previous medical leave of absence, Vista/Peace Corps, and/or fee branch manager service purchases you have made. For example, if you already purchased 2 years of medical leave of absence service, you could purchase up to a total of 3 years of universal buy-in credit.
• You cannot purchase more than 10 years total from any combination of universal buy-in, parental leave, or other governmental service.
• You must be a contributing member of the DB Plan to initiate a purchase.

Cost

Your cost for each year purchased is an actuarial percentage that is based on your age and earned years of service multiplied by your highest previous fiscal year (Oct. 1 through Sept. 30) wages earned as a State of Michigan employee. That percentage, or actuarial rate, is found in the Actuarial Cost Table. You may purchase any fraction of a year increment. The Michigan Office of Retirement Services (ORS) will calculate the cost for you upon request.  

Application

Request a member billing statement as described in How to Purchase.