Service credit -- or allowable service -- is the credit you earn each day of legislative service. The more service you have and the higher your annual pay, the higher your monthly retirement benefit.

Retirement benefits are based on a full term in office unless your employment ends before your term is completed.

  • A full term in office for a representative is two years.

  • A full term in office for a senator is four years. Exception: a term that starts following the national census is two years.

If elected to office mid-term for the first time before July 1, 1995, you receive full-term service credit for the calculation of the monthly benefit only.  Full-term service credit is not given for the 6-year vesting requirement.