County Employees Pension Plan

Plan Overview

The 1973 Legislature brought the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties under the board's administration. The 1965 County Employees Retirement Act covered county employees not already covered by retirement plans. By 1987, all counties, except for Douglas and Lancaster, were required to belong to the County Retirement System.

The Cash Balance benefit was added by passage of LB687 on April 18, 2002. As of January 1, 2003, members who begin participation in the County Retirement Plan participate in Cash Balance.

Participants in either benefit:

  • Contribute 4.5% pre-tax to the plan. The County contributes 150% of employees' contributions.
  • May retire as early as age 55.
  • Are vested after three years of plan participation (36 months of contributions).

Defined Contribution participants:

  • Invest their Employer and Employee contributions in multiple investment fund options. To view the investment funds current rates of return, click HERE or utilize the Online Account Access (see below). Returns are generally available and posted approximately 30 days after the end of each quarter.

Cash Balance participants:

  • Receive an "interest credit rate" (rate of return) based on the Federal Mid-term rate plus 1.5%. To view the current Cash Balance rate of return, click HERE.
  • Are guaranteed a minimum annual rate of return of 5%.

Recommended Reading for Members

New Member Information Packet (pdf)

Member Handbook (pdf)

Required Minimum Distribution Packet (pdf)
This packet provides information and warnings regarding Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs).

Online Account Access

Retirement plan participants may monitor and make changes to their account using the Online Account Access and their username and password.

For instructions on creating an online account, click HERE.

Educational Videos for Members

Retirement Seminar Video Series

The following four videos were created to serve as an alternative to the in-person NPERS County Preretirement Seminars. These seminars are designed to give county plan members nearing retirement an overview of their retirement plan, the Social Security and Medicare programs. and the fundamentals of estate planning


A General Guide to Receiving Funds for an Alternate Payee

  1. If the plan member is not yet 50 years of age and is still working:

    - You are not yet eligible for a distribution.

  2. If the plan member separates from service at any age; passes age 50 and is still working; retires at age 55; or dies before you have received any payment of your award:

    - You will be eligible to:

    • Receive a lump sum payment to yourself.
    • Complete a rollover to another qualified plan.
    • Receive monthly annuity payments.
    • Receive systematic withdrawal payments (for Defined Contribution participants only). Systematic withdrawals may be made on a monthly, quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis and must be a minimum withdrawal of $100.00.

Alternate payees are not subject to the 10 percent federal tax penalty for premature distributions that is assessed to plan members who cease work before age 55 and withdraw their funds before age 59 1/2.

If an alternate payee dies prior to receiving any payment of his or her interest in the member's benefit under a qualified domestic relations order, such interest reverts to the member. Alternate payees may wish to consider receiving their award, as described above, upon meeting eligibility requirements.

Member Resources