Retirement Application Documents

Your application for IPERS Monthly Retirement Benefits is not complete until you provide the necessary supplemental documents.

After you submit your Application for IPERS Monthly Retirement Benefits, you must provide one or more documents. Your application is not complete until IPERS receives all of the documents. You can upload your documents at the Apply for Retirement page in My Account. Or, if you are unable to complete and upload the required documents, you may mail or fax them to IPERS. Each required document is available in the Forms section of My Account. Please contact IPERS with any questions.

Required documents

ALL applicants must submit proof of their birth date. The uploaded documents must include your name and the day, month and year of your birth.

You may submit one of the following:

  • Birth certificate
  • Infant baptismal certificate
  • United States Passport
  • Iowa driver’s license or Iowa non-driver ID card
  • REAL ID-marked, state-issued driver’s license or ID card

OR, you may submit two of the following:

  • United States census record
  • Military record or ID card
  • Naturalization record
  • Marriage license showing your age in years, months and days on the date of issuance
  • Life insurance policy
  • Record in a school’s administrative office
  • Official form from the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, such as the green card
  • Non-Iowa driver’s or non-driver ID card
  • Adoption papers
  • Any other document or record that is at least 10 years old and includes your name and certification from the custodian verifying the day, month and year of birth disclosed in the record.

IPERS may require these documents

  1. Are you a U.S. citizen or resident alien?
    No: You must upload Form W-8BEN.
  2. Are you requesting a quote for the cost of purchasing service? (If you are considering purchasing service, you must submit an Application for Service Purchase on or before the date of your first benefit payment. Completing the Application for Service Purchase does not obligate you to purchase service. Once you receive the quote, you will have six months to purchase service.)
    Yes: You must upload an Application for Service Purchase.
  3. Did you choose Retirement Benefit Payment Option 4 or 6?
    Yes: You must upload proof of your contingent annuitant's date of birth. (Acceptable forms or proof of date of birth are listed above.)
  4. Have you worked for more than one IPERS-covered employer in the last calendar year?
    Yes: You must upload the Employer Verification of Employment form for each IPERS-covered employer you’ve worked for in the last calendar year. (For example, if you worked for two IPERS-covered employers in the last calendar year, you must upload two versions of the Employer Verification of Employment form, one for each employer.) 
    No: You must upload the Employer Verification of Employment form for the employer you worked for in the last calendar year.
  5. Have you ever worked for a community college or state university in Iowa?
    Yes: You must upload the Employer Verification of Employment form for each community college or state university you’ve worked for in Iowa, no matter when you worked there.
  6. Has it been at least one year since you worked for an IPERS-covered employer AND have you NEVER worked for a community college or state university in Iowa?
    Yes: You do not need to upload the Employer Verification of Employment form
  7. Are you married?
    Yes: You must upload the Spousal Affidavit.