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Standard TRS Retirement

The following was included in TCTA's 2020-21 Survival Guide, the ultimate reference tool for Texas educators, and is current as of September 2020 but is subject to change.

Generally, a TRS member may retire with the standard benefit at:

age 65 with five or more years of service credit; or
with at least five years of service, any combination of age and years of service credit totaling at least 80 (the “Rule of 80”).

Exceptions:

A member who enters TRS membership after Aug. 31, 2007, and who had at least five years of service credit as of Aug. 31, 2014, must also meet a minimum age of 60 for full retirement benefits.
A member who did not have at least five years of service credit as of Aug. 31, 2014, must meet a minimum age of 62 for full retirement benefits.

Members described by these provisions can still retire upon meeting the Rule of 80, but will have benefits reduced by 5% for each year under age 60 or 62, as appropriate.

A TRS member who entered the system prior to Aug. 31, 2007, and had at least five years of service credit as of Aug. 31, 2014, does not have to meet a minimum age requirement to retire with full benefits.

Provisions regarding “entering the system” consider a person who withdrew TRS funds, then subsequently returned to school employment, to have entered on the date of re-entry rather than the original date of membership. The TRS Benefits Handbook has full details on retirement eligibility.