Leaving the Plan
If you stop participating in LAPP, whether due to a career change or moving to a job that does not include LAPP membership, you have choices available for what to do with your LAPP benefits.
What you choose will depend on a number of factors, such as your age, career plans, financial situation, retirement goals, whether you have a break in service and if you are currently making pension contributions to LAPP. Your choices will range from leaving your money in the plan, transferring to another pension plan, or, if you are age 55 or over, starting your retirement. As a LAPP member, your LAPP pension could be your biggest financial asset and your largest source of retirement income. You may want an independent financial advisor to help you make your decisions.
Explore the Member Termination Toolkit resources to help you understand your next steps.
Things to consider before you leave your LAPP employer
Leaves of Absence
- If you are already making payments towards a leave of absence when you leave your LAPP employer, you will have 90 days to finish paying for the buyback. If you do not complete the payment, the amount of service attached to that leave of absence will be prorated to what you have paid for to date. If you have had a leave of absence in the year that you leave your LAPP employer, you will have 30 days from your LAPP termination date to apply to purchase the attached service.
Prior Service Purchases
- If you are considering buying prior service, such as probationary service, you must let LAPP know before you leave your job with your LAPP employer. If you are already making payments towards buying prior service, you will have 90 days to finish paying for that buyback.
Look for the description below that best describes your personal situation, and the available options will be laid out for you.
