Updated October 30, 2026. Quick answer: In the Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho Base Plan, a general member can retire with a full, unreduced benefit at service retirement age, which is 65, and most members are vested at 60 months of service. A member can retire early from age 55 with at least 60 months of service, and the benefit is unreduced if age plus years of service equals 90 (80 for police officers and firefighters).
Service retirement age
“Service retirement age is the age at which you may retire with a full, unreduced benefit.” It adds that the age is “which is age 65 if you are a General Member, and age 60 if you are a Public Safety Officer”.
Vesting
“Most members are vested when they acquire 60 months of service; however, elected and some appointed officials may be vested after 5 months.”
Retiring early
“You may retire early (before reaching service retirement age) if you: 1. Meet the minimum age requirement, AND 2. Have at least 60 months of service.” “The minimum retirement age for general members is 55. You may retire the first day of the month following the month you turn 55”.
The Rule of 90
“You may receive an unreduced retirement benefit if your years of service plus your age equals 90 (General Members) or 80 (Police Officer/Firefighters).”
How the cut is set
“The percentage of the reduction is based on the smaller of: 1) The number of years you are away from service retirement age on the date of retirement, OR 2) How many points you are from reaching Rule of 80/90”. The handbook’s own example: “If you retire 2 years (or points) early, your benefit will be reduced 6.00%, and you will receive 94.00% of your calculated service retirement benefit.” “Benefits will be calculated or estimated using the reduction percentage in state law at the time of your last contribution.”
What the pension is based on
“Your Base Plan retirement benefit is based on your Highest Average Monthly Salary” and “your total Months of Service”.
What the documents do not say
The per-year reduction percentages and the benefit multiplier appear only in PDF tables in the handbook, so this page states neither and gives no worked example. The handbook is marked Handbook Revision July 2019, with contribution rates shown as of July 1, 2019, and the early retirement brochure says it is based on 2014 law, so either may not reflect current law. Police and firefighter and mixed-service rules are only partly covered here: the brochure gives a minimum retirement age of 50 for police officers and firefighters and between 50 and 55 for mixed service, and the handbook tells elected and appointed officials to contact PERSI about service requirements; beyond those lines they are not covered. No Idaho statute text was read.
Common mistakes
- Reading 90 as an age. It is age plus years of service, and the member still needs 60 months of service.
- Retiring at 55 and expecting no cut. Only the Rule of 90 (or reaching 65) removes it.
- Applying the general member ages to police officers and firefighters, who reach service retirement age at 60.
Related: Idaho PERSI retirement decisions, the Idaho PERSI COLA for 2027, how public pension decisions work, and whether Idaho taxes pensions.
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Answer againSources
- Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, PERSI Membership Handbook: www.persi.idaho.gov
- Public Employee Retirement System of Idaho, Early Retirement brochure: www.persi.idaho.gov
- 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.