One of your most valuable retirement planning tools is the Retirement Benefit Estimate (RBE) calculator on My LACERA. Using your personal employment data, the RBE calculator allows you to input potential retirement dates, service credit amounts, and retirement options to see how it will affect your monthly amount.
By using the RBE frequently throughout your career you can make sure your projected retirement income is in line with your desired retirement date and financial goals and take early steps, such as purchasing service credit, to help you get there. (The earlier you buy service credit, the less it will cost!)
There are other factors to be aware of that may affect your retirement allowance or decision about when to retire. Be sure to read up on maximum benefit returns, required minimum distributions, reductions based on prior Social Security-covered employment, and pre-retirement divorce to see how they may apply to your situation.