Updated October 30, 2026. Quick answer: San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA) retirees are eligible for an annual COLA of up to 3% based on the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward CPI, rounded to the nearest half percent, with CPI above the maximum going into a COLA bank. For 2026 the 2.18% CPI change gave a 2.0% COLA, applied to the May 1 payment, with 3.0% for members who retired on or before April 1, 2023 and 2.5% for members who retired after April 1, 2023 and on or before April 1, 2024, both from carry-over balances. The 2027 COLA is not published.
The rule on the SJCERA page
The SJCERA COLA page says: “Retired SJCERA members are eligible for an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) up to a maximum of 3 percent based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward area.” “The new COLA amount is applied to the May 1 retirement benefit payment.” On the bank: “any increase in the CPI above the maximum is placed in your COLA bank and can be applied in a future year if the CPI change for that year is less than the maximum.”
The 2026 COLA
The Board of Retirement agenda packet for February 13, 2026 says: “must be adjusted by a COLA equivalent to the CPI percentage change rounded to the nearest one-half of one percent, up to a maximum of 3%.” “the 2.18% CPI change, rounded to the nearest half-percent, results in a 2.0% COLA.” “Members who retired on or before April 1, 2023 should receive an increase in benefits of 3.0%, based on their accumulated carry-over balances.” “Members who retired after April 1, 2023 but on or before April 1, 2024 should receive an increase in benefits of 2.5%, based on their accumulated carry-over balances.” “Members who retired after April 1, 2024 should receive an increase in benefits of 2.0%.”
The vote
The minutes of that meeting record: “The Board voted unanimously (7-0) to approve Consent items (Motion: Duffy; Second: Weydert)”. They do not repeat the percentage.
What the documents do not say
The statute text is not archived and is cited as the agenda names it. The exhibit table of percentages by retirement date was not coordinate-checked, so only the figures in running text are used. Safety and general member differences are not stated.
Where 2027 stands
The 2027 SJCERA COLA is not published: the Board adopted the 2026 COLA at its meeting in February, and no agenda for a 2027 COLA item was archived.
Common mistakes
- Expecting every retiree to get the same percentage. The agenda gives different results by retirement date because of carry-over balances.
- Reading the 2.18% CPI change as the COLA. It is rounded to the nearest half percent, here 2.0%.
- Expecting the increase in April. The page says the new amount is applied to the May 1 payment.
Related: SJCERA retirement decisions, how public pension decisions work, and whether California taxes pensions.
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Answer againSources
- SJCERA, Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA): sjcera.org
- SJCERA, Board of Retirement agenda packet, February 13, 2026 (item 6.2.1 and Cheiron COLA letter dated Feb 3, 2026): www.sjcera.org
- SJCERA, Minutes of the Board Meeting of February 13, 2026: www.sjcera.org
- Related official page (not quoted): IRS Tax Topic 410, Pensions and annuities: www.irs.gov
- Related official page (not quoted): IRS Tax Topic 411, Pensions: the General Rule and the Simplified Method: www.irs.gov
Read from the primary documents linked above on October 30, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a preparer or the IRS itself is the right place to confirm anything consequential.