Withholding Elections & Forms

SCERS retirees may withhold federal and/or California state income tax from their monthly retirement benefit. While tax withholding is optional, many retirees choose it to help avoid a large tax bill at the end of the year.

This section explains how to change your existing withholding elections. 

How Withholding Works

When you retired, you submitted the SCERS Tax Withholding Form (Form 6190) to indicate how you wanted taxes withheld from your monthly benefit. That form:

  • Covers both federal and California income tax
  • Allows you to adjust withholding based on filing status, residency, dependents, or additional amounts
  • Allows you to increase, decrease, or waive withholding  

Updating Your Withholding Elections

You can submit a new Form 6190 at any time. To make changes:

  • Download Form 6190 from the SCERS website or request a copy
  • Complete and sign the form
  • Submit it:
    • By mail or in person, or
    • Securely via DocuSign (by request)

Most changes take effect within one to two pay cycles.

Getting Help

SCERS cannot provide tax advice. For assistance calculating or estimating your ideal withholding amount, consider:

  • Using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator on the IRS website
  • Reviewing IRS Publication 575
  • Consulting a qualified tax preparer