Lawrence Retirement Board
Proudly Serving the Municipal
Employees and Retirees of the
City of Lawrence
We are located at Riverwalk
354 Merrimack St. - Entry C - 3rd Fl
Lawrence, MA 01843
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Phone - 978 620-3570
Email: grizzo@cityoflawrence.com​
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Hours - Monday-Thursday 7:00-3:00
Friday 7:00-12:00
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Welcome
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The City of Lawrence Retirement Board Members and Office Staff are ready to assist you with any questions you may have regarding your retirement system. As always we would like to encourage our members and retirees to contact the office with any questions or concerns that may arise. This web site was created so that our members and retirees would have yet another tool to find information regarding their municipal pension. We hope you find our site informative and easy to navigate. We are happy to have you as a visitor and encourage you to come back often!
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This information is not intended as a substitute for the Massachusetts General Laws nor will its interpretation prevail should a conflict arise between its contents and MGL Chapter 32. Rules governing retirement benefits are subject to change periodically either by statute of the Massachusetts Legislature or by regulation of the Lawrence Retirement Board.
Our Board is governed by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, PERAC. Their mission is to provide regulatory oversight and guidance for the effective, equitable, and ethical operation of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ public pension systems.
* Alerts: Special Hours:
Holiday Hours:
Closed - January 19th, 2026 - MLK
Closed - February 16th, 2026 - Presidents Day
PUBLIC NOTICE-COLA HEARING
FISCAL YEAR 2026
January 22, 2026
To all units of the City of Lawrence Retirement System
Notice of COLA Hearing
Date: February 24, 2026
Purpose
Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 32, Section 103 (i), please
accept this memorandum as formal notice that on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at 8:30a.m., the Lawrence Retirement Board will conduct a public meeting at 354 Merrimack St. to discuss whether it will elect to grant a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), not to exceed 3% in the aggregate (up to the first $14,000 of the retirement allowance), to the Lawrence Retirement System’s retirees and survivors.
Conditional Effective Date:
If approved, allowances will increase effective July 1st, 2026. Also, this will be
applicable to all those who retired on or before June 30th, 2025.
Events & Updates
All monthly meetings are held in our conference room located at 354 Merrimack St., Entry C, 3rd Floor, Lawrence Ma 01843
Current Agenda
Upcoming Board Meetings:
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Wednesday, January 28, 2025 @ 8:30 a.m.
Attention Active Members:
Notice for all retirement active members who qualify as a veteran
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Attention Retirees:
Effective 1/1/2025, we will no longer be mailing direct deposit memorandums each month. You will be able to sign up for our portal to access your monthly payment info. Please see tab above titled "MY PORTAL". You will still receive a stub via mail if there is a change made to your account. Examples: When you receive a COLA in July and if your health insurance changes.
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Bi-Annual verifications for pensions paid in 2026 will be sent out the first week of January, 2027 - Please note, you will have two option for return. Either have your verification notarized or bring it in person, with an ID for us to verify. Failure to return your form will result in your pension being stopped.
Cost of Living Increase (COLA)
Please note: if you retired prior to June 30th, 2024 you will see an increase in your July 31st, 2025, pension check. The cost of living was granted at a rate of 3% on the first $14,000 of earnings. Maximum COLA is $35 per month.
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Exciting News: Information on the Repeal of the Social Security Windfall Act (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) CLICK HERE
The Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC) open enrollment will be April 2 - May 1, 2025 for changes effective July 1, 2025.
As a GIC member, Annual Enrollment is your opportunity to review benefit options and better understand the upcoming plan year changes to make coverage updates for benefits effective July 1, 2025.
Please Note: GIC RATE CHANGES EFFECTIVE YOUR JUNE PENSION CHECK -We have been told by the UNIT that the GIC rates are going up quite a bit.
To enroll in GIC MYGICLink Click HERE
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2025-2026 Benefit Guide Altus Dental
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Cost of Living Increase (COLA) Base Increase
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Update: 10/4/22 - We are happy to announce that the Lawrence City Council unanimously approved the boards recommendation to increase the COLA base from 12K to 14K effective July 2023.
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The City of Lawrence Retirement Board Members and Office Staff are always on hand and ready to assist you with any questions you may have regarding your retirement system. As always we would like to encourage our members and retirees to contact the office with any questions or concerns that may arise.
Our board fund is currently managed by the Pension Reserves Investment Management Board - PRIM
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