Retirement Plans
Shelby County is committed to helping you plan for retirement and achieve your savings goals.
Pension Plans
Shelby County Government currently sponsors four pension plans. The plan you participate in will depend on when you were hired:
Plan A: For employees hired on or after December 1, 1978, or who elected to transfer from Plan B
Plan B: For employees hired before December 1, 1978, who did not elect to transfer to Plan A
Plan C: For employees hired on or after March 1, 2005, or who elected to transfer from Plan A
Plan D: For employees hired on or after July 1, 2011
These plans are all “defined benefit” plans, meaning they provide a pre-determined, fixed benefit. How your benefit is calculated will depend on the plan you participate in as well as things like your years of Credited Service and your Final Average Earnings.
Note: You are required to contribute a certain percentage of your earnings each pay period to the pension plan that you participate in. Shelby County will make additional contributions each year, based on the yearly actuarial valuation requirements.
Deferred Compensation Plan
This plan provides you with another way to save for retirement—on a tax-deferred basis. It’s a 457(b) plan, which is a “defined contribution” plan, meaning that your benefit will be determined based on how much money you contribute to the plan.
If you participate, you choose how much to contribute per pay period, up to IRS limits.
Contribution Limits
In 2025, you can contribute up to $23,500.
If you’re age 50-59 or 64 and older by December 31, you can make an additional $7,500 in catch-up contributions.
If you’re age 60-63 by December 31, you can make an additional $11,250 in catch-up contributions.
For more information about the Deferred Compensation Plan, visit empowermyretirement.com or contact your local Empower Representative, Alese Pewitt, at (901) 500-5075.
New and current participants need to register when visiting the Empower site for the first time before they can log in or enroll.