Georgia Code Title 47. Retirement and Pensions § 47-2-110

(a)(1)(A) Upon written application to the board of trustees, any member in service who has reached 60 years of age or who has 30 years of creditable service may retire on a service retirement allowance, provided that he or she has at least five years of creditable service; provided, further, that if he or she became a member after July 1, 1968, he or she has at least ten years of creditable service. The effective date of retirement shall be the first of the month in which the application is received by the board of trustees, provided that no retirement application will, in any case, be effective earlier than the first of the month following the final month of the applicant's employment. Applications for retirement shall not be accepted more than 90 days in advance of the effective date of retirement. Separation from service pending approval of the retirement application shall not affect eligibility for a retirement allowance. The provisions of this subsection regarding the effective date of retirement shall apply to all persons making application for retirement on or after March 15, 1979, and to all persons who have made application prior to March 15, 1979, but to whom payments from the retirement system have not commenced as of that date. Each employer shall certify to the board of trustees the date on which the employee's employment is or will be severed.

(B) If the employee has not reached normal retirement age on the effective date of retirement, the employer shall certify that no agreement exists to allow the employee to return to service, including service as or for an independent contractor. Any return to employment or rendering of any paid service by such employee, including service as or for an independent contractor, for any employer within two consecutive calendar months of the effective date of retirement shall render the severance invalid, nullifying the application for retirement.