Retirement Annuity and Insurance Eligibility for Certified Law Enforcement and Custodial Officers

This retirement information is based on current ERS laws and rules. 

Certified law enforcement and custodial officers who work at certain Texas state agencies contribute to both a regular ERS retirement account (the ERS Trust Fund) and the Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer (LECO) Supplemental Retirement Fund. LECO membership begins on their start date in a LECO-contributing position. Because of their contributions to the LECO Supplemental Fund and the especially demanding work they do, law enforcement and custodial officers who reach LECO retirement eligibility get an increased lifetime annuity payment and can retire earlier than many state agency employees who don’t contribute to the LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund. 

If you previously worked at a state agency, left employment and withdrew your ERS retirement account balance, you no longer have those years of service credit in your account.

Important notice about insurance: Health and other insurance benefits for employees and retirees are subject to change based on available funding from the state. The Texas Legislature determines the level of funding for such benefits and has no continuing obligation to provide those benefits beyond each fiscal year.

LECO-contributing employees in Group 1 have four ways to become eligible for the state’s retirement annuity, but only one allows for a lifetime annuity supplement from the LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund, in addition to the lifetime annuity from the regular ERS Trust Fund. If you do not meet the requirements for the LECO annuity supplement when you retire, you will get the balance in your LECO account as a one-time payment. The one-time payment will include 2% interest, but not any contributions from the state.

  Eligibility A Eligibility B Eligibility C Eligibility D
Service Credit 5 years of any service credit 10 years of LECO service credit 10 years of any service credit 20 years of LECO service credit
Minimum Age 60 years 55 years 60 years Any
Lifetime Annuity from ERS Trust Fund Yes Yes Yes Yes

Payment permanently reduced for  retirement before age 50; reduction based on age at retirement
Lifetime Annuity from LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund No No No Yes

Payment permanently reduced for retirement before age 50; reduction based on age at retirement
Health Insurance No Yes Yes, starting at age 65 Yes
Optional Insurance No Yes Yes Yes

LECO-contributing employees in Group 2 have three ways to become eligible for the state’s retirement annuity, but only one allows for a lifetime annuity supplement from the LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund, in addition to the lifetime annuity from the regular ERS Trust Fund. If you do not meet the requirements for the LECO annuity supplement when you retire, you will get the balance in your LECO account as a one-time payment. The one-time payment will include 2% interest, but not any contributions from the state.

 Eligibility AEligibility BEligibility C
Service Credit10 years of LECO service credit10 years of any service credit 20 years of LECO service credit 
Minimum Age55 years65 yearsAny
Lifetime Annuity from ERS Trust FundYes

Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 60 at retirement, 25% maximum reduction 		Yes Yes

Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 55 at retirement, 25% maximum reduction
Lifetime Annuity from LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund No No Yes


Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 55 at retirement, 25%  maximum reduction
Health InsuranceYesYes Yes
Optional InsuranceYesYesYes

LECO-contributing employees in Group 3 have three ways to become eligible for the state’s retirement annuity, but only one allows for a lifetime annuity supplement from the LECO Supplemental Retirement Fund, in addition to the lifetime annuity from the regular ERS Trust Fund. If you do not meet the requirements for the LECO annuity supplement when you retire, you will get the balance in your LECO account as a one-time payment. The one-time payment will include 2% interest, but not any contributions from the state.

 Eligibility AEligibility BEligibility C
Service Credit10 years of LECO service credit10 years of any service credit20 years of LECO service credit
Minimum Age55 year65 yearsAny
Lifetime Annuity from ERS Trust FundYes

Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 62 at retirement, no maximum reduction		YesYes

Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 57 at retirement, no maximum reduction 
Lifetime Annuity from LECO Supplemental Retirement FundNoNoYes

Payment permanently reduced 5% for each year under age 57 at retirement, no maximum reduction 
Health InsuranceYesYesYes
Optional InsuranceYesYesYes

LECO-contributing employees in Group 4 have four ways to become eligible for the state’s retirement annuity, but only one allows for a lifetime annuity supplement from the LECO account, in addition to the lifetime annuity from the regular account. If you do not meet the requirements for the LECO annuity supplement when you retire, you will get the balance in your LECO account as a one-time payment. The one-time payment will include interest and any gain sharing in your LECO account, but not the state’s match.

 Eligibility AEligibility BEligibility CEligibility D
Service Credit5 years of any service credit10 years of LECO service credit10 years of any service credit20 years of LECO service credit
Minimum Age65 years55 years65 yearsAny age
Lifetime Annuity from ERS Trust FundYesYesYesYes
Lifetime Annuity from LECO Supplement Retirement FundNoNoNoYes
Health InsuranceNoYesYesYes
Optional InsuranceNoYesYesYes

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