View all educational videos on the KCERA Video Library on YouTube.

KCERA's six part Lifecycle of a Member Video Series

This six-part video series was part of a series of presentations at KCERA's Board of Retirement meetings.

This video discusses two fictional KCERA members as they start their KCERA membership. From being hired and getting enrolled into KCERA, to any corrections that are needed in their membership.

 

In this episode, we’ll follow Pat as he goes through a divorce, and we’ll show you how that life event can affect a KCERA pension, what “community property” means for both the member and former spouse, and how our legal, member services, and finance teams work together to protect everyone’s interests and keep. Member benefits on track.

in Part Three, we’re going to focus on one way a member can increase their pension: purchasing prior service credit. We’ll walk through what types of service are eligible to be purchased—like extra help, per diem, prior public service, and military time—how the process works- from the member’s first estimate in the portal through final payment, and what this means for members nearing retirement. Our goal is to make this complex topic clear and practical for both general and safety members.

In this video, we focus on Kelly’s story. Because of some medical , she may not be able to do her regular job anymore. We’ll explain, in plain language:

• How disability retirement is different from workers’ compensation
• What it means to be permanently unable to do your usual job
•  The main steps in the disability process, from your first call to our office all the way through a final decision.

Our goal is to help you understand what to expect if you—or someone you work with—ever needs to explore disability retirement. This presentation was part of a KCERA Board of Retirement meeting.

Welcome to Part 5 of our six-part ‘Life Cycle of a Member’ series. In this video, we’ll walk through what happens when you’re ready to retire and start your monthly benefit. We’ll use our two example members, Kelly and Pat, to show you how your retirement application is reviewed, how your final benefit is calculated, and how we get you set up on monthly payroll with the right taxes and deductions. Our goal is to give you a clear picture of what happens behind the scenes so you know what to expect and can feel confident when it’s your turn to retire. This presentation was part of a KCERA Board of Retirement meeting.

Welcome to the final video in our six part ‘Lifecycle of a Member’ series. Over the past episodes, we’ve walked through our fictional members Pat and Kelly's journey with KCERA:

• Getting enrolled
• How marriage and divorce affect your benefits
• Purchasing service credit
• Disability retirement,
• Starting your regular retirement.

In this last video, we’ll talk about something sensitive but important: what happens to a members KCERA benefits when they pass away. Our goal is to help members understand what support is available to your loved ones, how beneficiary designations work, and the steps KCERA takes to handle death benefits with care and compassion. Let’s walk through this together, in clear, simple terms. This presentation was part of a KCERA Board of Retirement meeting.

Retirement Planning Seminar

KCERA hosts semiannual Retirement Planning Seminars for members interested in retiring within the next three years. Please use the Contact Us page to sign up for KCERA’s next seminar when it is announced.

REcorded in 2025, this Seminar will get you ready for the transition to Retirement! Hear from Kern County Health Benefits, Pacific Group Agencies (PGA), Retired Employees of Kern County (REOKC), and Kern County Employees' Retirement Association (KCERA).

 

New Employee Orientation

As part of the county’s “new hire” process, Health Benefits provides you with a welcome packet, which includes an informative booklet about KCERA and its valuable retirement benefits. In addition to the booklet, KCERA mails all new employees a ‘Welcome Letter’. This letter will provide you with your personal KCERA member key so that you can register for your Member Portal. The Portal is a valuable tool that will allow you access to your KCERA record. You can watch an online presentation of KCERA’s portion of the New Employee Orientation by clicking on the following link.

If you have questions not answered by the online presentation, please consult the Member Handbook or contact the KCERA office.

Other Educational Videos

Click here to views KCERA’s mid-career seminar that will help you plan a path to retirement and give you helpful tips as you prepare.