Teachers Retirement System of Georgia member's guide, 2012 October

Teachers Retirement System of Georgia
member's guide

Welcome to the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia

The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) is pleased to provide you with this Member's Guide. It is an important part of our commitment to provide you with valuable information about your retirement benefits. Please read this guide thoroughly and keep it with your other benefit materials. The Member's Guide was developed to help you make informed decisions about your future, as well as answer any questions you may have throughout your membership.
TRS was established in 1943 by an act of the Georgia General Assembly to provide retirement security to those citizens of Georgia who choose to dedicate their lives to educating the children of Georgia. It is the largest public retirement system in Georgia. Its purpose is to administer the fund to provide its members and their beneficiaries with benefits at retirement, or upon disability or death. TRS is a governmental defined benefit plan. This means that your retirement benefit is determined by a formula and is not directly related to the contributions made to TRS, nor to the investment return on the contributions. The amount of the benefit is determined by a formula which takes into account your length of service and your highest consecutive 24 months of membership salary. Upon becoming eligible and upon termination of employment, you

may retire and receive a lifetime monthly benefit from TRS.
Since TRS represents an important source of security to you and your family, it is your obligation to review this information carefully to understand your rights and responsibilities in becoming eligible for benefits. Because TRS administers a defined benefit plan established by State law, benefit changes, such as early retirement incentives and formula increases, must be enacted by the State Legislature.
The information in this Member's Guide is based on the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Title 47 (Chapters 1, 3 and 20). This guide is not intended as a substitute for the laws of Georgia governing TRS nor will its interpretation prevail should a conflict arise between its contents and Title 47. Furthermore, the information summarized here is subject to change periodically either by statute of the Georgia Legislature or by regulation of the TRS Board of Trustees. Do not rely solely upon the information provided in this Member's Guide to make any decision regarding your retirement, but contact TRS directly with any questions you may have about your benefits and retirement.

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Your Online Account and Contacting TRS
The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia is proud to serve its members and we want to make preparing for retirement as easy and convenient as possible. Please take advantage of the secure online features we have available for you when you register online for a TRS account. You may access and update your information anytime!
Access your current TRS account information. Calculate benefit estimates. Calculate cost calculations for withdrawn and airtime service. Apply for retirement. Register for workshop and counseling events. View and print your annual membership statement. Update beneficiary information. Educate yourself with pages of valuable information. Download forms and publications.
Logging on or registering for a TRS online account is easy. Just visit www.trsga.com, click on the Account Login button and click on the Active Member, Retiree, or Employer link. You will then either login to your account or sign up for a new one. It's that simple.
If you need to contact us for anything, you may reach us in a variety of ways.
WEB www.TRSGA.com
PHONE (404) 352-6500 or (800) 352-0650
FAX (404) 352-4885
OFFICE Teachers Retirement System of Georgia
Two Northside 75, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30318-7901
CALL CENTER HOURS Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. EST
OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. EST

Table of Contents
Members ..................................................................................................................................................................4 Contributions............................................................................................................................................................4 Contribution Limitation ...........................................................................................................................................4 Eligibility for Retirement Benefits...........................................................................................................................5 Retirement Benefit Formula ....................................................................................................................................5 Creditable Service ....................................................................................................................................................6
Payment of Service Purchases ..............................................................................................................................6 Air Time................................................................................................................................................................6 ERS Withdrawn Service .......................................................................................................................................6 Maternity Leave ....................................................................................................................................................7 Membership Service .............................................................................................................................................7 Military Service ....................................................................................................................................................7 Out-of-State Service..............................................................................................................................................8 Private School Employment .................................................................................................................................8 PSERS ..................................................................................................................................................................9 Study Leave ..........................................................................................................................................................9 TRS Withdrawn Service .......................................................................................................................................9 Visiting Scholar ... ................................................................................................................................................9 Workers Compensation Disability......................................................................................................................10 Membership Status.................................................................................................................................................10 Leaves of Absence .................................................................................................................................................10 Vesting ...................................................................................................................................................................10 40 Years of Service ................................................................................................................................................10 Survivor's Benefits ................................................................................................................................................11 Beneficiary Updates...............................................................................................................................................11 Plans of Retirement................................................................................................................................................11 Plan A: Maximum Plan.......................................................................................................................................12 Plan B: Survivorship Plans .................................................................................................................................13 Primary and Secondary Beneficiaries at Retirement ..........................................................................................14 Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designation.............................................................................15 Retirement ..............................................................................................................................................................15 Unused Sick Leave .............................................................................................................................................15 Effective Date of Retirement ..............................................................................................................................16 How to Apply for Service Retirement ................................................................................................................16 How to Apply for Disability Retirement ............................................................................................................18 When Are Benefits Paid......................................................................................................................................20 State Health Benefit Plan and Dental Coverage .................................................................................................20 Federal and State Income Taxes .........................................................................................................................21 Cost-of-Living Adjustments ...............................................................................................................................21 Social Security Offset .........................................................................................................................................22 Working After Retirement .....................................................................................................................................22 Termination--Withdrawing Your Funds...............................................................................................................24 Your Annual Member Statement ...........................................................................................................................25 Glossary of Terms..................................................................................................................................................26 Appendix A: Plans of Retirement ..........................................................................................................................29 Appendix B: Unused Sick Leave Credit Conversion Chart...................................................................................30 Appendix C: Working After Retirement................................................................................................................31 Directions to the TRS Office .................................................................................................................................32
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Members
All employees who are employed half-time or more in covered positions of the state's public school systems, regional libraries, county libraries, and regional educational service agencies are required to be members of the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRS) as a condition of employment. Likewise, employees in covered positions of the University System of Georgia are required to be members of TRS unless eligible for participation in an optional retirement plan administered by the University System's Board of Regents. Covered positions include teachers, administrators, supervisors, clerks, teacher aides, secretaries, paraprofessionals, public school nurses and employees of the Agricultural Extension Service.
Other persons eligible for TRS membership include certain employees of the Department of Education, the Technical College System of Georgia and managers/supervisors employed with a public school system in the lunchroom, maintenance, warehouse and transportation departments.
Public school personnel who are not eligible for membership in TRS are maintenance and custodial employees, school bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. Temporary and emergency employees are also ineligible for membership. Substitute teachers are considered temporary employees and are not eligible for membership in TRS.
Any vested member of TRS who becomes an employee of an employer normally covered by the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) may elect to remain a member of TRS. Likewise, any vested member of ERS who becomes an employee of an employer normally covered by TRS may elect to remain a member of ERS. In each case a written election must be made to the Board of Trustees of the respective retirement system within 60 days of such employment and is irrevocable once the election is made. Members and their employers will be required to make the appropriate contributions to the respective retirement system.

Certain eligible employees who are at least age 60 at the time they become employed in a covered position may decline TRS membership by notifying the Board of Trustees in writing within 90 days after becoming an employee.
Contributions
All members contribute 6.00% (effective July 1, 2012) of earnable compensation to TRS by payroll deduction on a pre-tax basis. Earnable compensation is defined as the full regular compensation payable to a member for his full normal working time. Earnable compensation does not include salary for secondary jobs such as night school. In addition to your contributions, your employer contributes 11.41% (effective July 1, 2012) to TRS. The employer contribution helps fund TRS for current and future retirement benefits and is not part of any individual member's account.
In accordance with Georgia law, your TRS account cannot be levied, garnished or attached, and you may not assign payment of your benefits to another person or entity. The only exception is the payment of eligible benefits to your designated beneficiaries at the time of your death.
Neither your contributions nor interest as an active member or your monthly benefit as a retiree can be divided through a divorce decree or a Qualified Domestic Relations Order.
Contribution Limitation
For members whose current date of membership is on or after July 1, 1996, the maximum earnable compensation for which TRS contributions can be reported or which can be used to calculate retirement benefits is limited by Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. Please refer to our website for the current salary limitation.

Eligibility for Retirement Benefits
Service Retirement You are eligible for monthly retirement benefits
by one of the following:
Completion of 30 years of creditable service regardless of age;
Completion of at least 10 years of creditable service and attainment of age 60; or
Completion of at least 25 years of creditable service. If you retire under this provision your benefit will be permanently reduced by the lesser of 1/12th of 7% for each month you are below age 60, or 7% for each year or fraction of a year by which you have less than 30 years of creditable service.
Disability Retirement You are eligible to apply for monthly benefits un-
der the disability provisions of the law if you are an active member, have at least 10 years of creditable service and are permanently disabled.
Retirement Benefit Formula
Service Retirement Your benefits from TRS are calculated by using
the percentage of salary formula. Simply stated:
Your years of creditable service established with TRS, including partial years
x 2%
x Your average monthly salary for the two highest
consecutive years of membership service =
Your initial monthly benefit (under Plan A Maximum)
The maximum number of years of creditable service allowed is 40.
Except as noted in this section, any 9 or more months of service within a fiscal year would constitute a full year of service credit. Also, salary earned for any 9 or more months of service within a fiscal

year would constitute a full year of salary for purposes of calculating retirement benefits.
Academic faculty members employed by the University System under a semester system are awarded a 1/8th year of service credit for each month of membership service. The salary earned during any 8 or more months will also constitute a full year of salary.
Additional information on your monthly retirement benefit is included in the Plans of Retirement section of this booklet.
Disability Retirement
Disability retirement benefits are also calculated using the percentage of salary formula 2% multiplied by the total years of creditable service times the average monthly salary for the highest consecutive 2 years of membership service. The resulting product is the monthly disability retirement benefit under Plan A Maximum plan. There is no age requirement for disability retirement.
Average Salary Limitation
Georgia law limits the amount of salary increases that can be used to calculate retirement benefits for TRS members whose current date of membership is on or after July 1, 1984. The salary limitation is determined yearly and is based on the appropriations granted for salary increases by the Georgia General Assembly, plus 2.5%. Please contact our office or visit our website to obtain the current salary limitations.
When applying the salary limitation, TRS determines the member's highest consecutive 2 years of salary based on membership service and a base year. The base year is the year prior to the first of the 2 years of salary that will be used in the benefit calculation. TRS compares the 1st year of the salary to the base year salary. If the increase between the base year salary and the reported salary for the 1st year is more than the law allows, the salary used for computing your retirement is adjusted to the allowable limit. Once adjusted, the 2nd year of salary is then compared to the 1st year of salary and adjusted if necessary to comply with Georgia law. If your salary increases are within the limits, no adjustment to the salaries used to compute your benefit is necessary.

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Minimum Retirement Benefit Retired members are guaranteed a minimum re-
tirement benefit of $17 per month for each year of creditable service, to a maximum of 40 years, under the Maximum Plan of retirement.
Creditable Service
Since it is ultimately creditable service that you must establish in order to retire, you should be familiar with the following types of creditable service available.
If you are eligible to establish service credit for any service type listed in this section, please contact TRS to determine the exact cost associated with the

time purchased and your service credit will be adjusted accordingly.
ERS Withdrawn Service If you were previously a member of the Employ-
ees' Retirement System of Georgia (ERS) and withdrew your funds, you may establish this service with TRS. You are eligible to purchase your ERS withdrawn service after you have completed the required number of years of active TRS membership. If you have withdrawn:
1, 2 or 3 previous accounts you must complete 3 years of active membership;
4 previous accounts you must complete 5 years of active membership; or

service(s) you are interested in purchasing toward your retirement. To be eligible to establish any of the types of service described in this section, you must have an active TRS account. To be considered an active member, you must have contributed to TRS for at least 1 year in the last 5 years.
All service credit must be established and paid for prior to retirement. Beneficiaries of deceased members cannot establish additional service credit. It is the member's responsibility to establish all credit toward retirement.
Payment of Service Purchases You may pay for eligible service purchases with a
personal check, money order, or with a direct rollover from another eligible retirement plan.
TRS can accept a rollover from the following plans as defined in the Internal Revenue Code: a qualified retirement plan [401(a), 403(a), or 401(k)]; a tax sheltered annuity 403(b); a governmental 457 plan; or a traditional or rollover IRA. TRS cannot accept a rollover from a Roth IRA.
Service may be purchased all at once or in 1-year

5 or more previous accounts you must complete 10 years of active membership.
The cost to purchase ERS withdrawn service is the total amount of employee contributions you would have paid had you been a member of TRS, plus interest. In calculating interest charged for more than 3 withdrawals from ERS, the regular rate for repayment of all withdrawn accounts is increased by an additional 2% for each withdrawal exceeding 3.
If you have not withdrawn your contributions from ERS, you may transfer your service credit to TRS. ERS members and TRS members pay different employee contribution rates. To establish full credit for your ERS service, you must pay the difference between the amount of contributions you paid to ERS and the amount of contributions you would have paid had you been a member of TRS, plus interest. If you transfer your funds from ERS and do not pay the difference, you will only receive credit with TRS for a pro-rata portion of your ERS credit. Full credit for transferred ERS service will not be granted until you have paid the difference.

increments. No partial payments or monthly installments are accepted.
Air Time

To initiate a transfer of ERS credits to TRS, please contact TRS in writing stating your election to transfer the credits.

If you have at least 25 years of service credit you

may purchase up to 3 years of additional service

credit at retirement. Air time service can only be

purchased at the time you apply for retirement. If

you withdraw your retirement application and do

not retire, TRS will refund your money for any air

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Maternity Leave Credit
You can purchase credit for periods of absence from employment due to pregnancy prior to March 5, 1976. One and a half months of credit may be awarded for each pregnancy with a maximum of 6 months allowable for all pregnancies. The cost to purchase the service credit form maternity leave is the full actuarial cost. If you wish to establish credit for periods of maternity leave, please send your request in writing and submit a birth certificate or other proof of the specific pregnancy.
Membership Service
Membership service is your normal active service for which you were employed and for which you have made and are making contributions to TRS.
Academic faculty members employed by the University System under a semester system will receive credit for 1 year of service if they have at least 8 months of service during a fiscal year.
All other members who have at least 9 months of service during a fiscal year will receive credit for 1 year of service. Therefore, if you work from September through May, you will earn credit for 1 year of membership. If you are employed on a 12 months-per-year basis, you will receive credit for a year of membership service upon completion of at least 9 months of service during the fiscal year ending June 30. You may not receive credit for more than 1 year of service for any fiscal year.
Military Service
TRS law contains several provisions which provide for the establishment of up to 5 years of retirement credit for periods of active duty military service in the armed forces of the United States.
Credit for service rendered during periods of national emergency may be established by payment of the member contributions you would have paid to TRS had you been a member - based on the salary you first received as a teacher in the public schools of Georgia after leaving military service, plus accrued interest. If you went directly (within 6 months) from teaching service in Georgia into active duty military service, your cost will be based on your last annual salary prior to entering military service.

Military service may be established during four periods of national emergency:
World War II Dec. 7, 1941 -- Dec. 31, 1946;
Korean Conflict June 27, 1950 -- January 31, 1955;
Vietnam Era August 5, 1964 -- May 7, 1975; and
November 14, 1979 -- Present.
If your date of current membership is prior to March 28, 1974, you may establish credit for active duty military service rendered outside the periods of national emergency under specific conditions by paying the appropriate employee contributions and interest. To qualify, your college training or teaching service must have been interrupted by military service and you must have become a public school teacher within 5 years of your release from active military service.
Active duty military service, other than as listed above, from which you have been honorably discharged and which was rendered during any period when a military draft was in effect, may be purchased by payment of appropriate employee and employer contributions plus interest, based on compensation you first received as a Georgia public school teacher after completion of the military service. The military draft has been in effect as follows:
September 16, 1940 - March 31, 1947; and
June 24, 1948 - July 1, 1973.
If your current date of membership is on or after March 28, 1974, no military service credit can be established if that service has been or will be used in the determination of your eligibility for retirement benefits or allowances from another state or federal retirement program, other than social security and the United States civil service. Any such member who has previously established military service credits prior to March 28, 1974, and who later withdraws from TRS is not eligible to reestablish any military service credit, even though the member may subsequently repay the withdrawn account.

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Credit for ordered military duty may be established with TRS if your covered employment was interrupted for the ordered service. The cost will be payment of employee contributions by the member and payment of employer contributions by the employer. All ordered military duty service must be purchased within 5 years from termination of the ordered military duty.
Retirement credit for certain qualified military service may be established by members whose TRS covered employment is interrupted by such service on or after July 1, 1996. The "qualified service" includes service with any of the armed forces of the United States. The service must be purchased no later than 3 times the length of the qualified service or within 5 years, whichever is shorter.
To apply for military service credit, please submit a copy of your separation papers (DD-214) showing your dates of active duty military service.
Except for "ordered military duty" and certain "qualified service" rendered after July 1, 1996, the maximum amount of military service credit allowable is 5 years.
Out-of-State Service
Eligible teaching service rendered out-of-state with a public school system, an American Dependents' School, the Bureau of Indian Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior and public schools of the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam and the District of Columbia may be established with TRS.
Out-of-state service may only be established if the out-of-state employment, had it been rendered in Georgia, would have made you eligible for TRS membership. Out-of-state employment rendered with a private school, or public school employment that is less than half-time, temporary or student related, is not eligible to be established. Credit cannot be established if you are eligible to receive a retirement benefit for this service, now or in the future, from another state's retirement system, county or municipal retirement system, or the federal retirement program (excluding Social Security).
To establish out-of-state service you must submit a completed Out-of-State Certification form. This form must be completed in its entirety by the outof-state employer where the service was rendered and the respective retirement system for the em-

ployment. Documentation of out-of-state service normally takes some time to obtain, so you should not postpone this process until you are near retirement.
Once the completed forms are received, TRS will notify you of your eligibility to establish out-ofstate service. You are eligible to establish 1 year of out-of-state service after you have completed 6 years of TRS membership service. With the completion of each additional year of membership service, you may establish an additional year of out-ofstate service, to a maximum of 10 years.
The cost to establish out-of-state service is the total applicable employee and employer contributions that would have been paid had you been a TRS member at the time, plus interest. The salary you earned at the time the service was rendered will be used to calculate the cost.
Private School Employment
TRS members may establish creditable service for previous employment in an accredited private school within the State of Georgia provided the following criteria are met:
The employment must have been on a permanent not less than half-time basis with a private elementary or secondary school or any private college or university located in the State of Georgia;
The private school must have been accredited during the period of employment by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Georgia Accrediting Association or a nationally recognized accrediting agency by the State Board of Education; and
After completing 6 consecutive years as a contributing member of TRS, you may establish 1 year of credit for service rendered in an accredited private school within the State of Georgia. With the completion of each additional year of Georgia service thereafter, you may establish an additional year of private school service, to a maximum of 10 years.
A member who desires to establish creditable service for private school employment must provide satisfactory documentation to TRS of the period of employment and that the private school was accred-

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ited during that period of employment. Certification of Georgia Private School Employment form is available on our website.
The cost to purchase this service is the full actuarial cost of the additional service. You should purchase any other types of service you are eligible to purchase before purchasing private school employment.
PSERS Credit
If you were a member of the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) and you are now a member of TRS, you may establish your PSERS service with TRS. To establish prior PSERS service, your employer must submit a completed Certification of Georgia Service form. Your cost to purchase PSERS service will be the total amount of the employee and employer contributions that would have been contributed had you been a TRS member, plus accrued interest; based on the salary you earned during your PSERS covered employment. Before PSERS service can be purchased, you must withdraw your funds from PSERS. You may not have service credit with TRS and PSERS for the same time period.
Study Leave Credit
You may be eligible to establish retirement credit for periods of full-time graduate study. The requirements are:
You must have been a full-time teacher in the public schools of Georgia or in the University System of Georgia immediately (not more than 6 months) prior to the period of full-time graduate study;
You must return to full-time employment as a teacher in the public schools of Georgia or in the University System of Georgia for a minimum of 5 years following the period of graduate study; and
You must submit a transcript or similar document to TRS as verification of the full-time graduate study period.
Your cost to purchase study leave credit is based on the annual salary you were receiving for fulltime employment as a Georgia teacher immediately prior to the period of study leave. Study leave ser-

vice may be purchased by payment of appropriate employee and employer contributions plus interest.
Any period of eligible graduate study interrupted solely for a period of active duty military service during a period in which the military draft is in effect shall be deemed not to have been interrupted provided the member goes immediately (not more than 6 months) into active duty military service.
TRS Withdrawn Service
If you were previously a TRS member and withdrew your funds, you also withdrew your service credit for those years. After you have returned to active TRS membership, you may repay your withdrawn account(s) and reinstate the service credit you withdrew. You are eligible to purchase your withdrawn service after you have completed the required number of years of active TRS membership. If you have withdrawn:
1, 2 or 3 previous accounts you must complete 3 years of active membership;
4 previous accounts you must complete 5 years of active membership; or
5 or more previous accounts you must complete 10 years of active membership.
The cost to purchase withdrawn service is the total amount of money you withdrew, plus interest. In calculating interest to be charged for repayment of more than 3 withdrawals, the regular rate of repayment of all withdrawn accounts is increased by an additional 2% for each withdrawal exceeding 3.
Visiting Scholar Credit
A maximum of 2 years of service as a visiting scholar at a public college or university may be established as creditable service by members who were granted a leave of absence from a unit of the University System of Georgia for such purpose. Such service must be included in the maximum of 10 years of service allowable under the out-of-state provisions of TRS law, and it cannot be established if you are eligible for benefits based on that service from another source, except social security. Your cost is based on your salary at the time of making application for the service and includes the appropriate employee and employer contributions, plus interest.

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Workers Compensation Disability You may be eligible to establish retirement credit
for a temporary disability caused by a job-related disease or accident. The maximum period is 12 months and must be applied for within 6 months of returning to service following the temporary disability. The cost will be the employee contributions based on the salary you were receiving immediately prior to the disability, plus interest.
Documentation for proof of the temporary disability will be required. In most cases, the required documents will be the Employer's First Report of Injury form and the Notice of Payment or Suspension of Benefits.
Membership Status
Your account with TRS remains active provided you are a contributing member at least 1 year out of any 5 consecutive years. Therefore, you may have a break in your covered employment of up to 4 years and retain your active account.
If you are out of service for more than 4 consecutive years, your TRS account will immediately become inactive. If your account becomes inactive it will not be credited with additional interest and you will not be eligible to:
Establish any additional service credit;
Repay any previously withdrawn accounts;
Apply for disability retirement; or
Leave a monthly death-in service benefit to a surviving beneficiary.
If your account is in inactive status and you have not withdrawn your contributions and you return to TRS covered employment the service in your inactive account will be credited to your current (active) account after you have established at least 1 year of membership service.
You may be eligible to reinstate your inactive account if you have less than 1 year of current membership service in your current (active) account. The cost to reinstate your inactive account is based on the length of the break in service. For additional information on the reinstatement and cost, contact our office.

Leaves of Absence
The normal 4-year period in which you may be out of covered employment and still retain an active account may be extended by a leave of absence approved by the TRS Board of Trustees. Allowable leaves of absence for the purpose of extending the duration of your active account beyond the 4-year period include maternity/adoption, illness, study leave, and military service. To be eligible for a leave of absence, you must be an active member whose contributions have not been withdrawn and you must return to TRS covered employment by the end of the leave of absence to retain an active account. Please contact our office or visit our website for detailed information.
Vesting
A member with at least 10 years of creditable service has a vested right to a benefit at age 60. If you have 10 or more years of creditable service and leave a TRS covered position you will be entitled to a service retirement benefit upon attaining age 60 if you have not withdrawn your TRS contributions.
If you are vested and no longer contributing to TRS, it is your responsibility to apply for benefits at the time you become eligible. Application for benefits can be made during the 6-month period prior to attaining age 60, but no later than the month the benefits are to become effective. If you fail to apply for benefits in the required time frame, TRS will not pay any benefits between the time of your first eligibility and the time of your application.
40 Years of Service
If you have at least 40 years of creditable service, you may elect to discontinue your contributions to TRS. This election is irrevocable. Further, your employer is required to discontinue deducting retirement contributions from your salary after you have completed 40 years of creditable service and attained age 65. You may, however, sign a waiver, which will enable you to continue your contributions.
If you will be receiving salary increases, it may be to your advantage to continue your contributions

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since by making contributions on the increased salaries your average salary for your highest consecutive 24 months of salary upon which retirement benefits are based, could be higher. (Your retirement benefit will only be calculated on the maximum of 40 years of service credit.)
Survivor's Benefits
Members who die prior to retirement with less than 10 years of creditable service.
If you have an active TRS account and you have less than 10 years of creditable service at the time of your death, your primary beneficiary(ies) will receive a lump-sum refund of your contributions and interest. If there is no surviving primary beneficiary(ies), the secondary beneficiary(ies) will receive a lump-sum refund of your contributions and interest. If your primary and secondary beneficiaries predecease you and you do not have new beneficiaries on file at TRS, a refund of your contributions and interest will be made to your estate. If you have not designated any beneficiaries and you have a surviving spouse, the refund will be made to your surviving spouse.
Members who die prior to retirement with more than 10 years of creditable service (vested).
If you have an active TRS account and you are vested with TRS, your primary beneficiary(ies) may choose either a monthly benefit for life or a lumpsum refund of your contributions and interest. The monthly benefit or lump-sum refund will be distributed according to the percentage(s) you have designated on file with TRS. A monthly benefit payable to the beneficiary(ies) of an active member who dies while in active service is the same benefit that would have been payable if the deceased member had retired under Plan B, Option 2 (the 100% survivorship option).
If there is no surviving primary beneficiary(ies), the secondary beneficiary(ies) has the same option as a primary beneficiary(ies) to choose between a monthly benefit payable for life or a lump-sum refund of your contributions and interest.

Beneficiary Updates
When you became a member of TRS you should have designated a primary and a secondary beneficiary. This election was made on your membership application or via your online TRS account. TRS law requires that the settlement of your TRS account be made according to the beneficiary designation on file in the TRS office at the time of your death. In the absence of a beneficiary on file with TRS, settlement will be made with the surviving spouse, if applicable. If there is no spouse, settlement will be made to your estate. Wills, divorce decrees, remarriages, etc., do not determine the TRS settlement at your death. Therefore, should your present personal situation call for a change of beneficiary(ies), you are urged to update your beneficiary(ies) via your personal online TRS account.
If the primary beneficiary designated by the member does not survive the member by at least 32 days, any survivor benefits will be paid to the secondary beneficiary.
When multiple beneficiaries are designated, the percentage of available benefits or lump-sum settlement of your contributions and interest to be paid to each beneficiary must be indicated. The total percentage paid to all beneficiaries must be 100% of the available benefits or lump-sum settlement of your contributions and interest. If no percentages are designated, the available benefits or lump-sum settlement of your contributions and interest will be divided equally.
Plans of Retirement
When you apply for retirement benefits you must choose a plan of retirement during the application process. Your choice will depend on whether you wish to receive the maximum benefit, or a reduced benefit if you wish to leave a monthly survivors' benefit to your beneficiary(ies) after your death. A detailed description of each plan is outlined below and there is a chart in Appendix A that shows some of the advantages and disadvantages of each plan.
Please note: Once you start drawing a monthly retirement benefit you cannot change your plan of retirement except under limited conditions as covered in the "Changes in Plan of Retirement" section of this booklet.

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If you die within 30 days of the effective date of retirement, you will be considered an active member at the time of your death in accordance with Georgia law. Your account will be settled as a death in service in accordance with the beneficiary designation(s) you have selected on your retirement application.
You may obtain an estimate with benefit calculations for each retirement plan by using any of the following methods: 1) the pension calculator on our website; 2) if you are within 5 years of retirement, you may login to your online TRS account and generate a benefit estimate using current data from your TRS file; 3) make a pre-retirement counseling appointment; or 4) call our office and request a benefit estimate.
Partial Lump-Sum Option (PLOP)
In exchange for a permanently reduced lifetime benefit, you can elect to receive a partial lump-sum distribution in addition to a monthly retirement benefit. Your age and plan of retirement are used to determine the reduction in your benefit.
A PLOP distribution will be made as a single payment at the time the first monthly allowance is paid. If a PLOP distribution is elected, your monthly benefit is actuarially reduced to reflect the value of the PLOP. The combination of both the PLOP and the reduced benefit are the same actuarial value as the unreduced normal benefit.
If you are interested in electing a PLOP distribution, TRS encourages you to seek assistance from a financial advisor and tax professional. A PLOP distribution used to enhance retirement income or savings may merit consideration. A PLOP distribution used to purchase depreciable assets or used for leisure should be given careful consideration as these purchases may compromise your long-term retirement income.
You are eligible to elect a PLOP distribution if you meet the following criteria. You must:
Have 30 years of creditable service or 10 years of creditable service and attain age 60 (not early retirement); and
Not retire with disability benefits.
At retirement, you may elect a lump-sum distribution in an amount between 1 and 36 months of your

normal monthly retirement benefit. This amount will be calculated under Plan A - Maximum Plan and will be rounded up and down to be a multiple of $1,000.
For a detailed look at the PLOP, please visit our website. You may also calculate your retirement pension with a lump-sum distribution by using the pension calculator on our website. If you are within 5 years of retirement, you may login to your online TRS account and generate a benefit estimate using current data from your TRS account.
Plan A: Maximum Plan No monthly benefit to a beneficiary.
This plan provides you with the largest possible monthly lifetime benefit for you for the remainder of your life. Under this plan, the contributions and interest you made during your active employment are reduced monthly from your gross benefit payment. In most cases, your contributions and interest will be depleted within 18 months of your retirement. However, your monthly benefits will continue for the remainder of your life.
At your death, the monthly benefits stop and your beneficiary is not entitled to receive a monthly benefit. If your death occurs before you have received, in monthly payments, the total amount of your contributions and interest, the remaining funds will be paid in a lump-sum to your designated beneficiary. If there is no surviving beneficiary(ies) at the time of your death, any applicable lump-sum payment will be paid to your surviving spouse. In the event there is no surviving spouse, final payment will be made to your estate. You may change your beneficiary designations at any time under this plan of retirement.
To estimate your monthly lifetime benefit for the Maximum Plan you may calculate it yourself by using the retirement formula (2% multiplied by your years of creditable service, multiplied by your 2 highest consecutive years of membership salary) or you may refer to the pension calculator on our website. If you are within 5 years of retirement, you may login to your online TRS account and generate a benefit estimate using current data from your TRS account.

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Plan B: Survivorship Plans
Plan B provides members with 6 survivorship options: Option 1 allows you to possibly leave a lump-sum payment, but no monthly benefit, to a beneficiary(ies) after your death; and Options 2-4 allow you to provide a continuing monthly benefit to a beneficiary(ies) after your death.
If you select a survivorship plan, the amount of your monthly benefit will be reduced actuarially to allow for the lump-sum payment or monthly payment for life to your designated beneficiary(ies).
The amount of the reduction in monthly benefits (cost of the option) depends on your age and the age of your beneficiary(ies). The age of the beneficiary(ies) will influence the amount of your retirement benefit under Options 2, 3, and 4. For example, the younger your beneficiary(ies), the smaller your monthly benefit will be (the cost of the option is greater).
If you select one of the survivorship plans of retirement you cannot change your beneficiaries after retirement except as specifically provided by law (see the Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designation section in this booklet).
Plan B: Option 1 Possible Lump-Sum Payment, but No Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
Option 1 allows you to possibly leave a lump-sum amount to a beneficiary(ies) in return for a slightly reduced lifetime monthly benefit (from the maximum amount). Under this plan, the total of your contributions and interest at the time of your retirement will be reduced each month by only the portion of your total gross benefit made up of your contributions and interest. At your death, all monthly benefits stop. However, any remaining contributions and interest will be refunded to your designated beneficiary(ies) or your estate.
In most cases, your contributions and interest will be depleted within 10 to 14 years after retirement, but your benefits will continue throughout your life. You may change your beneficiary designation at any time after retirement. If you have named your spouse as a beneficiary and you become divorced, you may change your plan of retirement.

Plan B: Option 2 Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
Option 2 offers a reduced monthly lifetime benefit based on your age and the age of your beneficiary(ies). This option guarantees that at your death, your named beneficiary(ies), if living, will receive a lifetime benefit equal to the amount you were receiving at the date of your death.
You may designate multiple beneficiaries to receive lifetime monthly benefits and specify the percentage to be paid to each beneficiary. If 2 or more beneficiaries are designated, and one predeceases you, the percentage of available benefits you selected for the remaining beneficiary(ies) will not be adjusted. Should your beneficiary(ies) predecease you, your monthly benefit will remain under Option 2 unless you are eligible to change your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary(ies) as provided by law (see the Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designation section).
Plan B: Option 2 Pop-Up Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
The Option 2 Pop-Up offers a reduced monthly lifetime benefit based on your age and the age of your beneficiary. If you predecease your beneficiary, your beneficiary will receive a lifetime benefit equal to the amount you were receiving at the date of your death. If your beneficiary predeceases you, your monthly benefit will increase to the original Maximum Plan amount, plus all increases awarded to you during retirement. Under this option, you may only designate 1 beneficiary.
Plan B: Option 3 Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
Option 3 offers a reduced monthly lifetime benefit based on your age and the age of your beneficiary(ies). This benefit guarantees that at your death, your named beneficiary(ies), if living, will receive a lifetime benefit equal to of the amount you were receiving at the date of your death.
You may designate multiple beneficiaries to receive lifetime monthly benefits and specify the percentage to be paid to each beneficiary. If 2 or more beneficiaries are designated, and one predeceases you, the percentage of available benefits you selected for the remaining beneficiary(ies) will not be adjusted. Should your beneficiary(ies) predecease

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you, your monthly benefit will remain under Option 3 unless you are eligible to change your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary(ies) as outlined in the section Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designation).
Plan B: Option 3 Pop-Up Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
The Option 3 Pop-Up offers a reduced monthly lifetime benefit based on your age and the age of your beneficiary. If you predecease your beneficiary, your beneficiary will receive a lifetime benefit equal to 50% of the amount you were receiving at the date of your death. If your beneficiary predeceases you, your monthly benefit will increase to the original Maximum Plan amount, plus all increases awarded to you during retirement. Under this option, you may only designate 1 beneficiary.
Plan B: Option 4 Monthly Benefit to a Beneficiary
Option 4 offers a reduced monthly lifetime benefit in exchange for the flexibility to designate a specific dollar amount or a specific percentage of your monthly benefit to be paid to your beneficiary(ies) after your death. The beneficiary benefits you specify under this plan cannot cause your monthly benefit to be reduced below 50% of the maximum benefit available to you. If multiple beneficiaries are designated and 1 or more beneficiaries predecease you, the dollar amounts or the percentages are not adjusted. Beneficiaries also receive a prorated share of any cost-of-living increases you received up to the date of death.
Monthly benefits under Option 4 are also calculated actuarially using an amount of survivor's benefit specified by the member. TRS will calculate your benefits under Option 4 and provide an estimate of your monthly benefit upon request.
Primary and Secondary Beneficiaries at Retirement
When you retire and select your plan of retirement, you will also be selecting a primary and secondary beneficiary(ies). You may change the beneficiaries you selected as an active member when you apply for retirement. In retirement, a secondary beneficiary is eligible to receive a refund of remaining contributions and interest, but not a monthly

benefit, upon the death of the member and primary beneficiary(ies).
When completing your retirement application you must designate a primary and secondary beneficiary. Primary and secondary beneficiaries cannot be the same person.
If you select Plan A or Plan B: Option 1, you have selected a plan which provides for a possible lumpsum refund of any remaining funds. You may designate 1 or more beneficiaries and you may change your beneficiaries at any time as long as there remains money to be refunded. Should your beneficiary(ies) predecease you, you may select another. If, at your death and if your beneficiary(ies) is also deceased, TRS will refund any remaining funds to your estate or a surviving spouse.
If you select Plan B: Option 2, 2 Pop-Up, 3, 3 Pop-Up, or 4, you have selected a plan that provides a monthly benefit to your primary beneficiary(ies). In very limited cases, as described below, you can change your beneficiary.
When choosing one of these plans, you must select both a primary and secondary beneficiary(ies). A secondary beneficiary(ies) is provided to ensure that in the event of your death and the death of your primary beneficiary(ies) any remaining funds in your account will be refunded in a lump-sum to the secondary beneficiary. For this calculation, the total amount of your contributions and interest at the date of your retirement is reduced monthly by the gross benefit received by you and subsequently your beneficiary. If your primary beneficiary predeceases you and if any of your contributions and interest are remaining at your death, they will be refunded to your secondary beneficiary. If you predecease your primary beneficiary, at the death of your primary beneficiary, any remaining contributions and interest will be refunded to your secondary beneficiary.
We suggest that as long as your beneficiary is alive and money remains in your account, you list a person as your secondary beneficiary rather than your estate as it is possible that you and your primary beneficiary could both die leaving funds to be paid to your estate, which may already be closed.

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Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designation
If you select a survivorship option, you may change your plan of retirement or your designation of beneficiary(ies) only under the following circumstances as specifically stated in TRS law:
If your beneficiary(ies) is to receive a survivors' benefit after your death and your beneficiary(ies) predeceases you, you may change your plan of retirement and you may designate a different beneficiary(ies). If you wish to change your plan of retirement, because you originally chose a survivorship option at retirement, you must choose another survivorship option, unless you chose a pop-up option, in which case you could choose the Maximum Plan. Changing your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary(ies) will result in the recalculation of your benefit.
If your spouse is to receive a survivors' benefit after your death and you become divorced, you may change your plan of retirement and you may designate a different beneficiary. If you wish to change your plan of retirement, you may choose any retirement plan offered by TRS. Changing your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary(ies) will result in the recalculation of your benefit.
If you terminate your retirement, become a member again and subsequently retire, you may select a different plan of retirement and designate a different beneficiary(ies) upon your reretirement. A new benefit estimate will be generated upon re-retirement.
TRS recommends that you obtain a benefit estimate prior to choosing a new plan of retirement and/or naming a new beneficiary(ies).
Retirement
This section acquaints you with essential information to assist you with retirement planning. You are urged to contact our office well in advance of your retirement date for an estimate of your benefits and to discuss any questions you may have concerning the different plans of retirement.

Unused Sick Leave
At retirement, TRS members can establish credit for unused sick leave earned with current and previous employers. Based on Georgia law, a member can receive credit for unused sick leave at retirement only if he or she has not received payment of any kind for the leave.
Attendance incentives of any amount paid at any point during employment can reduce unused sick leave days reported to TRS for service credit. Programs that offer multiple payment amounts based on the number of sick days will reduce sick leave days reported to TRS. Payments based on any attendance incentive program offered through your school system that are not based on any variable number of sick leave days, are allowed and the number of unused sick leave days reported to TRS would not be affected.
Unused sick leave credit can be counted towards creditable service at the time of retirement. This includes sick leave granted for all TRS covered employment. You may establish sick leave credit at the time of retirement provided you have a minimum of 60 days of unused sick leave for which you have not been paid. The required 60 days may include TRS calculated days for periods where no records are available. No credit can be established if you do not have at least 60 days of unused, unpaid sick leave.
Limitations
Unused sick leave credit is allowed only for Georgia teaching service, including repurchased withdrawn TRS accounts and service transferred from a local retirement plan. Georgia law does not allow unused sick leave credit to be granted based on other service (i.e. out-of-state, ERS, PSERS, etc.) you may be eligible to establish.
Creditable sick leave accumulates at a maximum rate of 1 days per month. If you worked in a system which awards more than 1 days per month, your earned total will be reduced by TRS to meet this standard. If you worked in a system which awards less than 1 days per month, no adjustment will be made. Members with questions regarding sick leave rate of accrual should contact their employer.

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While sick leave credit cannot be used to achieve a vested status, it can be added to your creditable service at the time of your retirement (i.e. used to achieve 25 years of creditable service for an early retirement or to achieve 30 years of service for a normal retirement). Total creditable service cannot exceed a maximum of 40 years.
Procedure You must have your current and past employers
certify the total unused sick leave balance on a Sick Leave Certification form. Each employer is responsible for reporting to TRS and detailing the unused sick leave or verifying its lack of records. For years where records are not available, TRS will calculate a statistical average from the periods for which an employer does have the records and apply that average to those periods for which records do not exist.

or to the application of sick leave credit to their account. In this instance, the benefit will be adjusted retroactively to the member's retirement date upon receipt of forms from all employers. A sick leave credit conversion chart is included in Appendix B.
Effective Date of Retirement Your effective date of retirement can be no earlier
than:
The first of the month in which your retirement application is received by TRS;
The first of the month following the establishment of enough creditable service for eligibility; and
The first of the month following your termination from a TRS covered position.

Please refer to the TRS website for additional information regarding calculating sick leave when records do not exist.
Awarding of Credit
Unused sick leave credit is awarded on the basis of 1 month of service for every twenty days of sick leave. Nine months of sick leave credit are equal to 1 year of service irrespective of the number of months worked per year.
TRS will calculate sick leave credit after receiving all Sick Leave Certification forms. The current employer must submit the form after your last day of work. If you had multiple Georgia employers, you may request that the previous employers submit the Sick Leave Certification forms prior to your retirement date.
NOTE: A member who will be using sick leave credit to reach a penalty free retirement status, (i.e. a member with 29 years of service and 1 year of unused sick leave credit to obtain 30 years of service,) is encouraged to contact TRS for an estimate of his/her unused sick leave credit prior to retirement. In order to provide an estimate of unused sick leave a Sick Leave Certification form will be required from all Georgia employers. In this case, the current employer would submit an estimated balance of unused sick leave for the calculation and then submit a final balance after the retirement date.

How to Apply for Service Retirement
There are two ways to apply for service retirement with TRS: the online application or the paper application. We encourage you to apply online as it expedites the process and helps to eliminate errors that may delay processing your retirement. No matter the method, we recommend you begin the process 6 months prior to the date you wish to retire. This gives you and your employer(s) ample time to get all of the necessary information in to TRS for the timely processing of your retirement.
Your application for service retirement must be received by TRS no later than the end of the month in which your retirement is to become effective and no earlier than 180 days (6 months) in advance of the effective date of your retirement. For example, if you wish to retire July 1st you may submit your application no earlier than January 1st and no later than July 31st. Although we will accept applications at the end of the month in which you wish to retire, we do not recommend waiting until the last minute.
If you are eligible to establish service credit other than membership service (i.e. military, out-of-state, study leave, etc), then you must do so prior to the effective date of your retirement. Once your retirement becomes effective, you are no longer eligible to establish any additional service credit toward your retirement.

In order to issue the first monthly benefit timely, a member may begin receiving a monthly benefit pri-
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Online Application

The online application contains everything you need to apply for retirement. To apply, login to your TRS account and click the Apply for Retirement tab.
Once you begin the online process, you have 45 days to complete your application. Should 45 days lapse before you complete the process, the application is void and you must begin the process again. Once you have carefully reviewed your application, and are 100% sure about your retirement plan selection, you may submit your application. Once submitted, you will not be able to make changes online. Changes can only be made by completing a paper application prior to the processing of your retirement.
In addition to the information you provide online, there are additional steps you must complete before your application can be processed by TRS.
You must print, complete, sign, notarize, and return the Affidavit of Residency form to TRS. This form must be NOTARIZED.
You must print, sign, and return to TRS the Retirement Application Summary provided after the online process is complete.
You are required to submit a photocopy of personal identification containing the date of birth for yourself and your beneficiaries. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, a certified birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or state ID issued in lieu of a driver's license.
You must send the Retirement Certification form to your last employer for completion and submission to TRS. Your retirement application is not complete and your benefits cannot be calculated until your employer submits this form.
If you have unused sick leave, you must send a Sick Leave Certification form to your current and previous employers for completion and submission to TRS. You may send the Sick Leave Certification form to your previous employers at any time prior to retirement. However, your current employer can only submit this form to TRS after your last day of work. Pending certification, your monthly benefit will be adjusted retroactively for any unused sick leave credit applied toward your retirement.

If you elected Plan B Option 4 as your retirement plan, you must complete the Plan B Option 4 Beneficiary Designation form and return it to TRS.
All forms are available on our website. We recommend that you begin soliciting unused sick leave certification and any service purchases well in advance of your retirement because TRS does not have any control over the receipt of information from third parties (i.e. current or previous employers, armed forces, etc.). TRS cannot process your retirement application until ALL necessary forms and documentation are received from all necessary parties. Also, the sooner you establish service credit, such as out-of-state service credit, the less it will cost.
Paper Application
If you choose to apply for retirement on paper, you can download from the website the Service Retirement Package, which contains only the forms, including the Affidavit of Residency. To expedite the process and help eliminate errors, we recommend applying online via your TRS personal account. The forms you must complete and submit to TRS include:
Application for Service Retirement
Affidavit of Residency (must be notarized)
Partial Lump-Sum Option (if you elect to receive one)
Designation of Multiple Beneficiaries (if you wish to designate more than one primary and/or secondary beneficiary)
Option 4 Beneficiary Designation (if you choose Plan B Option 4 as your retirement plan)
Sick Leave Certification
Retirement Certification Report
Federal and State Tax Withholding
In addition to the forms described above, you are also required to submit a photocopy of personal identification containing the date of birth for yourself and your beneficiaries. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, a certified birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or state ID issued in lieu of a driver's license. Retirement applications will not be processed without the-

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se documents; therefore, the personal identification should be submitted with your application.
If you have unused sick leave, you must send a Sick Leave Certification form to your current and previous employers for completion and submission to TRS. You may send the Sick Leave Certification form to your previous employers at any time prior to retirement. However, your current employer can only submit this form to TRS after your last day of work. Pending certification, your monthly benefit will be adjusted retroactively for any unused sick leave credit applied toward your retirement.
The Retirement Certification form must be sent to your last employer for completion and submission to TRS. Your retirement application is not complete and your benefits cannot be calculated until your employer submits this form.
We recommend that you begin soliciting unused sick leave certification and any service purchases well in advance of your retirement because TRS does not have any control over the receipt of information from third parties (i.e. current or previous employers, armed forces, etc.). TRS cannot process your retirement application until ALL necessary forms and documentation are received from all necessary parties.
How to Apply for Disability Retirement
A TRS active member who is mentally or physically disabled, and who has at least 10 years of creditable service is eligible to apply for Disability Retirement. The inability to satisfactorily perform current work duties due to health reasons is the major factor in determining "disability."
The processing of applications for disability retirement can be a lengthy process depending on how long it takes your health care providers to submit your medical records. Once we receive complete medical records from all of your health care provider(s), your records will be referred to our Medical Board for review. The Medical Board will recommend either supporting or denying your disability retirement. The more medical data you can provide, the more information the Medical Board will have on which to base its decision. The Medical Board may request an additional medical examination and/or test. If such an examination or test is required, it will be at the expense of TRS and every

effort will be made to schedule this appointment as close as possible to your area of residence.
There are two ways to apply for disability retirement with TRS: the online application or the paper application. We encourage you to apply online as it expedites the process and helps to eliminate errors that may delay processing your retirement.
Your application for disability retirement cannot be accepted by TRS more than 90 days in advance of the effective date of retirement. Your retirement cannot be effective any earlier than the beginning of the month in which we receive your completed application. You cannot receive a disability retirement benefit for any month during which you were actively employed. For example, if you wish to retire July 1st you may submit your online application no earlier than April 1st and no later than July 31st. Although we will accept applications at the end of the month in which you wish to retire, we do not recommend waiting until the last minute.
If you are eligible to establish service credit other than membership service (i.e. military, out-of-state, study leave, etc), then you must do so prior to the effective date of your retirement. Once your retirement becomes effective, you are no longer eligible to establish any additional service credit toward your retirement.
Online Application
The online application contains everything you need to apply for retirement. To apply, login to your TRS account and click the Apply for Retirement tab.
Once you begin the online process, you have 45 days to complete your application. Should 45 days lapse before you complete the process, the application is void and you must begin the process again. Once you have carefully reviewed your application, and are 100% sure about your retirement plan selection, you may submit your application. Once submitted, you will not be able to make changes online. Changes can only be made by completing a paper application prior to the processing of your retirement.

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In addition to the information you provide online, there are additional steps you must complete before your application can be processed by TRS.
You must print, complete, sign, notarize, and return the Affidavit of Residency form to TRS. This form must be NOTARIZED.
You must print, sign, and return to TRS the Retirement Application Summary provided after the online process is complete.
You and your physicians must complete the following medical forms:
Physician's Report
Member's List of Disability Information
Psychiatrist's, Psychologist's, or Counselor's Report (if applicable)
Hospital/Clinic Report
You are required to submit a photocopy of personal identification containing the date of birth for yourself and your beneficiaries. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, a certified birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or state ID issued in lieu of a driver's license.
You must send the Retirement Certification form to your last employer for completion and submission to TRS. Your retirement application is not complete and your benefits cannot be calculated until your employer submits this form.
If you have unused sick leave, you must send a Sick Leave Certification form to your current and previous employers for completion and submission to TRS. You may send the Sick Leave Certification form to your previous employers at any time prior to retirement. However, your current employer can only submit this form to TRS after your last day of work. Pending certification, your monthly benefit will be adjusted retroactively for any unused sick leave credit applied toward your retirement.
If you elected Plan B Option 4 as your retirement plan, you must complete the Plan B Option 4 Beneficiary Designation form and return it to TRS.
All forms are available on our website. We recommend that you begin soliciting the medical in-

formation from your doctors, unused sick leave certification, and any service purchases well in advance of your retirement because TRS does not have any control over the receipt of information from third parties (i.e. current or previous employers, doctors, armed forces, etc.). TRS cannot process your retirement application until ALL necessary forms and documentation are received from all necessary parties.
Paper Application
If you choose to apply for disability retirement on paper, you can download from the TRS website the Disability Retirement Handbook, which contains valuable information about disability retirement and all of the forms needed to apply. To expedite the process and help eliminate errors, we recommend applying online via your TRS personal account. The forms you must complete and submit to TRS include:
Application for Disability Retirement
Affidavit of Residency (must be notarized.
Physician's Report
Member's List of Disability Information
Psychiatrist's, Psychologist's, or Counselor's Report (if applicable)
Hospital/Clinic Report
Partial Lump-Sum Option (if you elect to receive one)
Designation of Multiple Beneficiaries (if you wish to designate more than one primary and/or secondary beneficiary)
Option 4 Beneficiary Designation (if you choose Plan B Option 4 as your retirement plan)
Sick Leave Certification
Retirement Certification Report
Federal and State Tax Withholding
In addition to the forms described above, you are also required to submit a photocopy of personal identification containing the date of birth for yourself and your beneficiaries. Acceptable forms of identification include a driver's license, a certified birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or state ID issued in lieu of a driver's license. Retirement applications will not be processed without the-

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se documents; therefore, the personal identification should be submitted with your application.
If you have unused sick leave credit, you must send a Sick Leave Certification form to your current and previous employers for completion and submission to TRS. You may send the Sick Leave Certification form to your previous employers at any time prior to retirement. However, your current employer can only submit this form to TRS after your last day of work. Pending certification, your monthly benefit will be adjusted retroactively for any unused sick leave credit applied toward your retirement.
The Retirement Certification form must be sent to your last employer for completion and submission to TRS. Your retirement application is not complete and your benefits cannot be calculated until your employer submits this form.

March will have their retirements processed on a first come, first served basis. Even though additional staff is assigned during this peak period to help us serve you better and to assist you in avoiding the stress of a potentially delayed benefit, we strongly encourage all retiring members to submit their retirement paperwork early in the year.
For retirees other than summer retirees your retirement paperwork must be received at least 30 days prior to the effective date of your retirement for your first benefit payment to be issued in the effective month of your retirement.
If the processing of your retirement is delayed beyond your retirement effective date, it will be processed on another month's New Retirement Payroll and benefits paid will be retroactive to your effective retirement date.

We recommend that you begin soliciting the required medical information, unused sick leave certification, and any service purchases well in advance of your retirement because TRS does not have any control over the receipt of information from third parties (i.e. current or previous employers, armed forces, etc.). TRS cannot process your retirement application until ALL necessary forms and documentation are received from all necessary parties.
When are Benefits Paid?

State Health Benefit Plan
TRS does not administer any health care benefits for retirees. However, if you are eligible and wish to participate in the State Health Benefit Plan after retirement, you will be automatically enrolled with the same coverage as when you were actively employed. If you decide to modify your existing coverage, please contact the SHBP for approval.
TRS will deduct the monthly premium from your benefit payment for only those retirees who have

Your first retirement benefit payment will be a

been approved by the State Health Benefit Plan.

paper check and will be processed on a "New Re-

TRS does not determine eligibility for participation

tirement Payroll" which is normally scheduled for

in the plan and does not provide information on the

the middle of the each month. For example, if you are a July 1st retiree you will be issued your first

filing of claims. Specific questions regarding the Department of Community Health, State Health

benefit payment in the middle of July. Future bene-

Benefit Plan can be addressed by visiting their web-

fit payments will be transferred electronically into

site www.dch.georgia.gov.

your account on the first business day of each

month. Because benefits are paid in advance, at the

Dental Coverage

first of the month rather than at the end of the month, your benefit cannot be issued to you any earlier.

TRS does not administer any dental benefits for retirees. However, if your employer participates in the State of Georgia Flexible Benefits Program,

In order for a retirement application to be processed it is imperative that all of your retirement paperwork be submitted as far in advance as possible. Due to the large volume of members retiring in the summer months of June, July and August, all of your paperwork should be submitted by the end of March for your first benefit to be issued in the effective month of your retirement. Members who

TRS will deduct the monthly premium from your benefit payment. If you are eligible and wish to participate in the dental coverage after retirement, you should complete an enrollment and payroll authorization form prior to your retirement. The completed forms are to be submitted by your employer to the office of the Flexible Benefits Program, not to the TRS office.

submit their retirement paperwork after the end of

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TRS will deduct the monthly premium from your benefit payment for only those retirees whose enrollment forms have been approved by the Flexible Benefit Program. TRS does not determine eligibility for participation in the plan and does not provide information or forms required for enrollment in the plan. Specific questions regarding the Flexible Benefits Program can be addressed by visiting their website www.spa.ga.gov.
Federal Income Tax
A major portion (usually 95-98%) of the benefits you receive from TRS are subject to federal income tax. During the online retirement application process, you must designate your withholdings. The calculation of the exact taxable amount and the monthly non-taxable exclusion amount is made during the regular processing of your retirement application. This calculation is based on IRS tables and regulations and your age. Once the total of monthly non-taxable exclusions equals the total of taxed contributions made to TRS (contributions to TRS after July 1, 1987 have not been taxed), the full monthly benefit is subject to federal tax.
Federal law requires automatic withholding of income tax from the taxable retirement benefit unless you elect no withholding. The IRS requires TRS to inform you that if the election is made not to have tax withheld from the retirement benefit, you may be responsible for payment of estimated tax. You may incur penalties under the estimated tax rules if withholdings and estimated tax payments are not sufficient.
In January of each calendar year, you will be mailed an IRS form 1099R, showing the benefits paid, the taxable amount and any taxes withheld for the preceding calendar year. Form 1099R, along with information sent with your first retirement check, is for your use in filing your annual federal income tax return.
You may change your federal withholdings at any time via your online retiree TRS account.
State of Georgia Income Tax
The monthly benefits from TRS are subject to Georgia income tax for Georgia residents. During the online retirement application process, you must designate your withholdings. The form 1099R, which is sent to you in January of each calendar

year, will also show the amount of any withholdings for State of Georgia income tax. If you are a resident of another state you should contact that state's Department of Revenue regarding the tax status of your Georgia benefits.
You may change your state withholdings at any time via your online retiree TRS account.
Note: Federal and State withholding forms are also available for changes in your tax withholdings.
Cost-of-Living Adjustments
Cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) are based on increases or decreases in the Consumer Price Index and are not automatically granted. If the current average CPI is equal to or greater than the average CPI at the time you retired, you will receive a 1.5% COLA. If the current average CPI is less than the average CPI at the time you retired, you will not receive a COLA.
COLAs are granted each January 1st and July 1st to eligible retirees. In addition to the CPI, your first COLA is based on your retirement date. If your date of retirement is between July 1st and December 1st, you may be eligible to receive your first COLA on the subsequent July 1st. For example, if you retire October 1st, the first date you may be eligible to receive a COLA is the following July 1st.
If your date of retirement is between January 1st and June 1st, you may be eligible to receive your first COLA on the subsequent January 1st. For example, if you retire March 1st, you may be eligible to receive your first COLA the following January 1st.
Beneficiaries of deceased retirees who receive a monthly benefit payment will continue to receive the COLAs that the retired member had been receiving, and will continue to receive COLAs each January and July if eligible, subject to the conditions outlined above.
If you retire on a service retirement with less than 30 years of creditable service and are under age 60, you may be eligible to receive your first COLA, subject to the conditions outlined above, after you attain age 60 or you would have obtained 30 years of creditable service, whichever occurs first.

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Social Security Offset

No Pre-Existing Agreement

If your employer does not participate in Social Security, the pension you receive from TRS may reduce your Social Security benefits. The benefits you may receive from Social Security in no way affect your benefits from TRS. Your social security benefit can be reduced in one of two ways.
One is called the "government pension offset," and applies only if you receive a government pension and are eligible for Social Security benefits as a spouse or widow(er). For more information on the offset, ask the Social Security Administration for their publication, Government Pension Offset (No.05-10007).
The other way is called the "windfall elimination provision," and it affects how your retirement or disability benefit from Social Security is calculated if you receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security. The formula used to figure your benefit amount from Social Security is modified, giving you a lower benefit. For more information on the offset, ask the Social Security Administration for their publication, A Pension From Work Not Covered By Social Security (No. 05-10045).

47-3-101 of Georgia law requires employers to certify to the TRS Board of Trustees the date on which the employee's employment is or will be severed and that no agreement exists to allow the employee to return to service. This includes service as an independent contractor. Any return to employment or rendering of any paid service, including service for an independent contractor, for any employer during the calendar month of the effective date of retirement shall render the severance invalid and nullify the application for retirement.
No Working Immediately After Retirement
Georgia law requires you to have a break-inservice of at least 1 month (if your retirement date is July 1, you can begin working no earlier than August 1). If an employer does employ you during the month of your effective date of retirement, your employer must reimburse TRS for that month's benefit paid to you. If you fail to inform your employer of your effective date of retirement, then you will be required to reimburse your employer for the retirement benefit the employer has reimbursed to TRS.

TRS does not determine eligibility for Social Security benefits. Specific questions regarding the social security offset should be addressed to the Social Security Administration via their website at www.ssa.gov or by calling (800) 772-1213.
Working After Retirement
If you plan to be employed in a position covered by TRS after you retire, it is important that you read the following information and notify TRS of your plans immediately. All employment of a TRS retiree must be reported by your employer to TRS prior to employment. You have the ability to be employed on either a full-time or part-time basis under certain terms and conditions stated below and in the chart in Appendix C. TRS will review all work of a retiree on a monthly basis just as it does all active members. Service retirees are not limited to their employment with an employer who does not participate in TRS. However, disability retirees are limited based on the earnable salary limitation.

Allowable Employment
Part Time - Hourly & Salaried
If working part-time, the hourly rate or salary cannot exceed 49% of the compensation that would normally be paid to you if you worked on a fulltime basis in the position. For hourly positions, TRS has published a schedule of maximum hours that you may work during each month of the fiscal year on our website, www.trsga.com. For salaried positions, you cannot exceed working 49% of the fulltime status of the position.
Full Time - Temporary & Full Time
TRS retirees who retired under a normal service retirement may return to work and continue receiving full retirement benefits provided that they have been retired for a minimum of 12 months. Normal service retirement is defined as having at least 30 years of service credit or being age 60 with at least 10 years of service credit.
Local school systems may employ a retiree as a full-time classroom teacher, principal, superintendent, media specialist or counselor. Georgia law defines a classroom teacher as a certified teacher

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(pre-K thru grade 12), employed by the public school system with the sole responsibility of academic instruction in a classroom. Principals cannot return to work in the same position in the same school from which they retired and superintendents cannot return to work in the same position in the same school system from which they retired. Extracurricular employment in addition to classroom teaching (i.e. coaching, athletic director, band director) will not be eligible. Regional educational service agencies may employ a retired teacher as an improvement specialist.
A school system employing a retiree must pay all employee and employer contributions to TRS as if the retiree was an active member of TRS. The retiree will not be eligible to accrue any additional employment benefits or receive any further creditable service as a result of re-employment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This type of employment will no longer be allowable after June 30, 2013. Retirees who are currently under an employment contract which extends beyond June 30, 2013, will be required to terminate or suspend their TRS retirement benefit.

sponsibilities with an entity and the retiree's relationship with the TRS covered employer must be submitted to TRS.
If a disability retiree participates in contractual work they are subject to the earnable salary limitation.
Other Allowable Employment
You may be employed as a paraprofessional in a less than full-time capacity. The full-time status for a paraprofessional is determined by your employer. If you retired on a service retirement, you may engage in unlimited substitute teaching in Georgia without suspension or reduction of your retirement benefits from TRS provided you are compensated as a substitute teacher at the daily rate of pay. In addition, private school teaching, out-of-state public school teaching, working in the private industry or employment by a Georgia state agency will not affect your retirement benefits.
Under certain conditions and the election of another retirement system, TRS retirees can return to full-time employment with a state agency, college/university, or technical institute.

Contractual
If you are engaged in an independent contracting relationship with a TRS covered employer in a position which would normally be held by a teacher or administrator as determined by the Board of Trustees, your compensation is limited to of the average annual compensation used to calculate your retirement benefit or your final salary at the time of your retirement, whichever is greater. A copy of the contract must be submitted to TRS prior to the effective date of the contract. This amount will be adjusted by an annual cost-of-living adjustment. Compensation exceeding this limitation will result in reimbursement to TRS by the employer for all benefits wrongly paid. If you have any doubt about the amount of compensation you are receiving, please contact TRS.
If you are employed by an entity (e.g. partnership, corporation, etc.) doing business with a TRS covered employer, your compensation may be limited to of the average annual compensation used to calculate your retirement benefit or the final compensation at the time of your retirement, whichever is greater. Documentations of your duties and re-

Reporting Employment to TRS
Auditing of Retiree Accounts
TRS performs detailed audits of retiree accounts in coordination with the Department of Audits and the Department of Labor. These audits allow TRS to monitor the employment of our retirees for compliance with Georgia law. Any discrepancies found will be investigated and, if necessary, retirement benefits will be terminated. TRS will collect the monthly benefits that were paid to a retiree during any period of non-eligible employment.
Service Retiree If you retired on a service retirement, all employ-
ment with a TRS covered employer must be reported by the employer prior to the employment. TRS will review the employment and notify you and your employer of your eligibility to continue receiving a monthly benefit payment while working in an allowable position. If you return to work with a TRS covered employer in a position that does not allow you to continue receiving your monthly benefit payment, you will have the choice to terminate or suspend your retirement.

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If you choose to terminate your retirement:
Your monthly benefit payments will stop;
COLAs will not be applied to your benefit during the termination period;
You will become an active TRS member with applicable employee and employer contributions being made on your behalf based on your salary; and
You will accrue additional service credit.
It may be to your advantage to terminate, rather than suspend your retirement benefit. Termination of your benefit allows you to accrue additional service credit and salary in an effort to increase your monthly benefit payable upon your re-retirement. If you are re-employed in a TRS covered position for a minimum of 4 months, you must apply for reretirement benefits. Your benefit will be calculated using your original benefit payment, plus a benefit calculated on the additional service and salary earned during your re-employment.
If you return to work in a TRS covered position for 2 years, you may repay the total monthly benefit payments that were paid to you during your retirement, plus interest. At the time you re-retire, your benefit payment will be calculated as though retirement payments had not been previously paid to you.
If you choose to suspend your retirement:
Your monthly benefit payments will stop;
Employee and employer contributions are not made on your behalf;
You will not accrue additional service credit;
COLAs will not be applied to your benefit during the suspension period;
You may not change your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary; and
Your benefit payment and COLAs will be reactivated upon termination of the covered employment.
Disability Retirees If you retired on a disability retirement ALL em-
ployment, including self-employment, must be reported to TRS prior to accepting the employment. Georgia law places strict salary limitations on disa-

bility retirees. TRS will monitor your employment and income on a regular basis and reduce your monthly benefit if necessary for compliance with Georgia law.
Termination: Withdrawing Your Funds
If you terminate your TRS covered employment you may apply for a refund of contributions and interest; however, you are not eligible for a refund after you accept other TRS covered employment. Members who are not actively working in their TRS covered positions during the summer months because the school year has ended are not considered terminated from TRS covered employment and therefore are not eligible for a refund.
Your refund payment from TRS is a lump-sum distribution of your contributions and interest in your TRS membership account. Partial withdrawals and loans are not allowed.
The taxable portion of your refund is subject to federal and Georgia taxes. To defer taxation, you may elect a direct rollover of the taxable funds in your account to another qualified retirement plan [401(a), 403(a) or 401(k)]; a 403(b) tax sheltered annuity; a governmental 457 plan; or a traditional, Roth, or rollover IRA. If you do not elect a rollover, federal tax law requires that TRS withhold 20% federal tax from the taxable portion of your refund. You may also be required to pay an additional 10% federal tax if you are younger than age 59 when you withdraw your funds. TRS will not withhold the additional 10%; however, if applicable, you may pay this tax at the time you complete your federal tax return for the year in which you receive your refund. Georgia tax withholding from your refund check is not mandatory and may be paid when you file your Georgia tax return.
The Application for Refund of Contributions form is available on the TRS website. Please read the instructions on the form carefully and fully complete the application to avoid delays in processing your refund. A copy of your driver's license, certified birth certificate, passport, immigration papers, or a state ID issued in lieu of a drivers license must accompany this application.

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Your Annual Member Statement
A comprehensive statement of your account is prepared for every active member each fiscal year in which the employer reported contributions. The individual statements are available online only.
Information on your statement includes:
Years and types of service credit established with TRS;
Interest credited to your account on June 30 is based on the previous year's June 30 balance (currently at the rate of 4.5%);
Your contributions as reported by your employer;
Beneficiary(ies) designations; Purchases of service; and A projection of your benefits at normal retire-
ment.

We encourage you to carefully review your annual member statement each year and include it in your personal financial records. Your statement includes a message indicating that the information it contains is subject to audit and adjustment. If you feel that a discrepancy exists, please contact TRS in writing. TRS will investigate the possible discrepancy and notify you of any necessary adjustments or explanations.
One of the purposes of the statement is to allow you to review, and if appropriate, question the information contained in your TRS member account. This gives TRS additional assurances that the information contained in your current TRS member account is both accurate and current.

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Glossary of Terms
1. Active Member: person employed in a TRS covered position accruing service toward retirement. Active members must contribute to TRS at least 1 year in the last 5 consecutive years.
2. Annuity Balance: member contributions and interest accumulated to date toward a pension benefit.
3. Average Salary: the calculated average of a member's monthly salary for the highest consecutive 24 months of membership service.
4. Beneficiary: upon the death of the member, person designated to receive either a monthly retirement allowance or a lump-sum distribution from TRS. (also see Primary and Secondary Beneficiary)
5. Benefit Options: the Plan of Retirement (1 of 7 available) selected by the member by which retirement benefits are paid to a retiree and/or beneficiary(ies).
6. Consumer Price Index (CPI): a statistical measurement prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to measure changes in the price of goods and services bought by most people in the United States.
7. Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA): an increase in monthly benefits tied to increases in the CPI.
8. Covered Employment: positions eligible to participate in TRS. Positions include teachers, administrators, supervisors, clerks, teacher aides, secretaries, paraprofessionals, public school nurses and employees of the University System of Georgia.
9. Creditable Service: time accumulated by a member through covered employment with a TRS employer or other service purchased under the provisions of Georgia law.
10. Date of Service Retirement: the first of the month following termination from TRS covered

employment and receipt of a retirement application in the TRS office.
11. Defined Benefit Plan: a pension plan that provides a member with a lifetime monthly benefit based on a formula that includes years of service and average earnable compensation.
12. Disability: a mental or physical impairment certified by a medical board that incapacitates the member from performance of duty in TRS covered employment.
13. Disability Retirement: when a member terminates TRS covered employment and begins receiving a benefit for which he or she is eligible based upon a disability.
14. Early Service Retirement: a reduced benefit payable to a member who retires prior to attaining the requirements for a full service retirement.
15. Earnable Compensation: monies payable to a member for full, normal working time and may include monies paid to the member by an employer from grants or contracts made by outside agencies with the employer. All monies paid by an employer for a member or by a member into any plan of taxsheltered annuity are included in earnable compensation. Earnable compensation shall not include overtime, travel allowances or salary for a secondary position, such as night school.
16. Employee Contributions: a percentage of earnable compensation contributed by members, through an automatic payroll deduction to TRS.
17. Employer: the State of Georgia, a county or independent board of education, the State Board of Education, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, or any other agency of and within this state by which a teacher is paid.
18. Employer Contributions: a contribution made by the employer to TRS calculated using a percent-

age of earnable compensation to the employee. The employer contribution helps fund TRS for current and future retirement benefits and is not part of any individual member's account.
19. Fiscal Year: for TRS, the period beginning July 1st of 1 calendar year and ending June 30th of the following calendar year.
20. Lost Member or Lost Membership: a member whose account becomes inactive.
21. Lump-Sum Refund: the distribution of all employee contributions and interest in a member's account. Members may request a refund if they terminate employment. The refund does not include the employer contributions to TRS.
22. Lump-Sum Settlement: a 1-time payment of contributions and interest remaining in a deceased member's account made to the designated beneficiary(ies).
23. Membership Service: time accumulated by a member through employment with a TRS employer.
24. Multiplier: the percentage used in the retirement benefit formula to determine the member's monthly retirement annuity. The multiplier factor is 2% and is set by Georgia law.
25. Normal Service Retirement: an unreduced monthly benefit payable to a member who has met the requirements for retirement. The requirements are attainment of age 60 with at least 10 years of service or completion of 30 years of creditable service at any age.

26. Option Factor: an actuarially determined variable used to calculate a monthly benefit when members select a lifetime monthly benefit for a designated beneficiary(ies).
27. Pension: lifetime monthly benefit payments to retired TRS members and/or their beneficiaries.
28. Permanent Disability: a certified medical condition that prevents performance of duties of an active member. The certification is made by the TRS Medical Board based on a member's medical records.
29. Plans of Retirement: the method selected by the member by which retirement benefits are paid to a retiree and possibly the beneficiary(ies).
30. Partial Lump-Sum Option (PLOP): in exchange for a permanently reduced lifetime benefit, you can elect to receive a partial lump-sum distribution in addition to a monthly retirement benefit. Your age and plan of retirement are used to determine the reduction in your benefit.
31. Pop-Up: a benefit option that includes a survivor benefit to a beneficiary. If the beneficiary predeceases the retiree, the retiree's monthly benefit reverts to the Maximum Plan.
32. Primary Beneficiary: a person designated by a member to receive a benefit, if available, upon the death of an active member under all plans of retirement. Only the primary beneficiary(ies) can receive a monthly benefit under a survivorship plan.

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33. Retiree: the recipient of a monthly retirement benefit from TRS.
34. Retirement Beneficiary: the person named by a member to receive a benefit upon the member's death.
35. Retirement Benefit Formula: the method used to calculate a TRS retirement benefit based on the 2% multiplier, years of service, and average monthly salary.
36. Rollover: a tax deferred distribution from a qualified retirement plan [401(a), 403(a), 401(k)]; a tax sheltered annuity 403(b); a governmental 457 plan; or a traditional or rollover IRA that is transferred directly to another qualified retirement plan or IRA. TRS accepts rollovers only for purchase of creditable service.
37. Secondary Beneficiary: the recipient of a refund of any remaining employee contributions and interest following the death of the retiree and the primary beneficiary. A secondary beneficiary is never eligible to receive a monthly benefit under any plan of retirement.
38. Service Purchase: payment for additional service credit as provided in Georgia law.
39. Service Retirement: a monthly benefit payable to a member who has met the requirements for retirement. The requirements are 30 years of service regardless of age; attainment of age 60 with at least 10 years of service; or completion of 25 years of

creditable service regardless of age (penalties may apply).
40. Substitute Teacher: a teacher employed in a TRS covered position as a temporary replacement for another teacher. Substitute teachers are considered temporary employees and are not eligible for membership in TRS.
41. Survivorship Plan: a plan of retirement that will provide a continuing monthly benefit to the surviving beneficiary(ies) after the death of the retiree. Under a survivorship plan, the amount of the monthly benefit will be reduced actuarially to allow for a monthly payment for life to the retiree and then after his or her death a monthly benefit for life to the designated beneficiary(ies).
42. Teacher: as defined in Georgia law, a person employed half-time or more in a TRS covered position.
43. Temporary Employee: any employee whose term of employment does not exceed 3 months in any fiscal year.
44. Termination: the end of TRS covered employment.
45. Vested: the right to a retirement benefit after 10 years of creditable service and attainment of age 60 provided the TRS contributions have not been withdrawn.
46. Withdrawal: the refund of accumulated employee contributions and interest to a member after the member terminates TRS covered employment.

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Appendix A
Plans of Retirement Which Plan is Right?
This chart shows some of the advantages and disadvantages of each plan. A description of each plan is detailed in the "Plans of Retirement" section.

Plan of Retirement

Reduced Monthly Benefit

A- Maximum

No

Monthly Benefit To Survivor
No

Pop-Up Option Available

Retiree May Change
Beneficiaries After Retirement

Guaranteed Total of Member's
Contributions & Interest

No

Yes

Yes

B-Option 1

Yes

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes, 100% of

B-Option 2

Yes

Retiree's

Yes

No*

Yes

Benefit

Yes, 50% of

B-Option 3

Yes

Retiree's

Yes

No*

Yes

Benefit

Yes, as

B-Option 4

Yes Designated by

No

No*

Yes

Member

* Exceptions exist. See "Changes in Plan of Retirement and Beneficiary Designations" section.

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Appendix B
Sick Leave Credit

DAYS OF UNUSED SICK LEAVE

CREDITABLE SERVICE

0 - 59 60 - 69 70 - 89 90 - 109 110 - 129 130 - 149 150 - 169 170 - 189 190 - 209 210 - 229 230 - 249 250 - 269 270 - 289 290 - 309 310 - 329 330 - 349 350 - 369 370 - 389 390 - 409 410 - 429 430 - 449 450 - 469

0 months 3 months 4 months 5 months 6 months 7 months 8 months 9 months 10 months 11 months 12 months 13 months 14 months 15 months 16 months 17 months 18 months 19 months 20 month 21 months 22 months 23 months

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Appendix C
Working After Retirement

Retiree Returning to Work Full-Time to:

Retired with TRS Pension from:
Board of Regents
Technical College System of Georgia
State Agency Other than Department of Education
Local BOE, Charter School & RESA
Library

Board of Regents
NOT allowed, including switch to ORP.

Technical College System of Georgia
Allowed under ERS.

State Agency Other than Department of Education
Allowed under ERS.

Local BOE, Charter School & RESA
Allowed under PSERS.

Allowed under ORP.
Allowed under ORP.
Allowed under ORP.

NOT allowed, including switch to ERS. Allowed under ERS.
Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under ERS.
NOT allowed, unless new position is with a different agency in a different position.
Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under PSERS.
Allowed under PSERS.
Allowed under PSERS.

Allowed under ORP.

Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under PSERS.

Library Not Allowed. Not Allowed. Not Allowed.
Not Allowed. Not Allowed.

State Department of Education
Allowed under ERS.
Allowed under ERS.
Allowed for other state agencies other than Department of Education. Allowed under ERS.
Allowed under ERS.

State Department of Education

Allowed under ORP.

Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under ERS.

Allowed under PSERS.

Not Allowed.

Allowed for other state agencies other than Department of Education.

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Directions to the TRS Office: Two Northside 75
I-75 Southbound Travel south on I-75 to Exit 252 - Northside Drive/Howell Mill Road. Follow signs to Northside Drive/GA Dome 41, which will be off on the right. At the exit stoplight turn right onto Northside Drive. At the next traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.
I-75 Northbound Travel north on I-75 to Exit 252A - Northside Drive. Turn left onto Northside Drive. At the 2nd traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.
I-85 Southbound Travel south on I-85 to I-75 North. Travel north on I-75 to Exit 252A - Northside Drive. Turn left onto Northside Drive. At the 2nd traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.
I-85 Northbound Travel north on I-85 to I-75 North. Travel north on I-75 to Exit 252A - Northside Drive. Turn left onto Northside Drive. At the 2nd traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.
I-20 Westbound Travel west on I-20 to I-75 North. Travel north on I-75 to Exit 252A - Northside Drive. Turn left onto Northside Drive. At the 2nd traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.
I-20 Eastbound Travel east on I-20 to I-75 North. Travel north on I-75 to Exit 252A - Northside Drive. Turn left onto Northside Drive. At the 2nd traffic light turn left and the TRS office building is on the right.

I-75 S

I-75 N
TRS OFFICE

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Teachers Retirement System of Georgia
O ce Two Northside 75, Suite 100
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone 404.352.6500 800.352.0650
Fax 404.352.4885
Call Center Hours 8 am-5 pm, M-F
O ce Visiting Hours 8 am-4:30 pm, M-F
Website www.TRSGA.com

rev 10/12