---
title: O.C.G.A. § 47-25-81. Amount of benefit.
collection: code
id: 47-25-81
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 47-25-81 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-25-81
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-25-81.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-25-81/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t47-(v35)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=9ec6d528_0#page=250
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/47-25.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: RETIREMENT AND PENSIONS / MAGISTRATES RETIREMENT FUND / BENEFITS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 47-25-81. Amount of benefit.

(a) Any member who is approved for retirement benefits as provided in Code Section 47-25-80 shall be paid a monthly sum equal to 4 percent of his or her average final monthly compensation for each year served by the member up to, but not exceeding, a total of 20 years; provided, however, that the final annual compensation used for calculating a benefit under this Code section shall not exceed $42,781.22 or the amount fixed in the following schedule according to county population, whichever amount is higher:

Population Maximum Average Final Monthly Compensation 500,000 or more .............................................. $ 7,247.87 400,000 — 499,999 ................................................. 6,975.70 300,000 — 399,999 ................................................. 6,703.53 250,000 — 299,999 ................................................. 6,072.65 200,000 — 249,999 ................................................. 5,594.17 150,000 — 199,999 ................................................. 5,132.49 100,000 — 149,999 ................................................. 4,797.70 75,000 — 99,999 ................................................. 4,490.76 50,000 — 74,999 ................................................. 4,183.47 39,000 — 49,999 ................................................. 3,732.53 29,000 — 38,999 ................................................. 3,512.80 20,000 — 28,999 ................................................. 3,293.34 11,890 — 19,999 ................................................. 3,073.88 6,000 — 11,889 ................................................. 2,713.53 0 — 5,999 ................................................. 1,975.98

(b) The board of commissioners is authorized to adopt from time to time a method or methods of providing for increases in the maximum final monthly compensation used for calculating a benefit as provided in this Code section. Such method or methods shall be based upon:

(1) The recommendation of the actuary of the board of commissioners;

(2) The maintenance of the actuarial soundness of the fund in accordance with the standards provided in Code Section 47-20-10 or such higher standards as may be adopted by the board; and

(3) Such other factors as the board deems relevant; provided, however, that any such increase shall be uniform and shall apply equally to all members of this retirement system.

No time for which dues have not been paid in accordance with Code Section 47-25-41 shall be considered in determining the number of years of service.

## History

Code 1981, § 47-25-81, enacted by Ga. L. 2006, p. 246, § 1/SB 244; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1207, § 66/SB 436; Ga. L. 2014, p. 701, § 4/HB 292.

## Amendments

The 2014 amendment, effective July 1, 2014, designated the existing provisions of the first paragraph of this Code section as subsections (a) and (b); in subsection (a), substituted “$42,781.22 or the amount fixed in the following schedule according to county population, whichever amount is higher” for “$33,772.20; provided, further, that the”, and added the population table.