Universal Buy-In (UBI)

Eligibility

Any member of the State Employees' Retirement System can purchase up to five years of universal buy-in (UBI) service. It is called universal because it may be purchased without being linked to any previous employment.

Conditions 

• This service cannot be used to satisfy vesting requirements.
• UBI credit replaces medical leave of absence, fee branch manager, and Vista/Peace Corps service credit purchase options that were eliminated from law as of August 1, 1998. 
• You may purchase up to five years of UBI service; however this amount is offset by any previous medical leave of absence, Vista/Peace Corps, and/or fee branch manager service purchases you have made. For example, if you already purchased two years of medical leave of absence service, you could purchase up to a total of three years of universal buy-in credit.
• You cannot purchase more than ten years total from any combination of universal buy-in, parental leave, or other governmental service.

Cost

You may purchase any fraction of a year increment. Your cost for each year purchased will be a percentage of your previous highest fiscal year (October 1 through September 30) income earned as a state of Michigan employee. That percentage, or actuarial rate, is found in the Actuarial Cost Table .

Application

Request a Member Billing Statement as described in How to Purchase Service Credit .