Retirees & Pre-Retirees
Choosing to retire is a major step in your life. Navigating insurance, Medicare, and retirement plans can be overwhelming at first, but know that the TXST Benefits team is here to help with your transition to retirement. This site is designed to provide helpful guidelines, information, and resources about retiring from Texas State.
Your retiree benefits keep getting better! Explore the Retired Faculty and Staff Association to learn about the various resources and networking opportunities available to you as a retiree. Further, learn about the many special perks and privileges offered to you as a Texas State retiree.
Exciting News!
HB 1585 was effective May 2021. This change allows a service retiree with an effective date of retirement on or before January 1, 2021 to be employed in any capacity in Texas public education without forfeiture of benefits for the months of employment.
Important Notice: Changes to ORP/TDA Vendors
TSUS, in collaboration with CAPTRUST, selected TIAA as the lead recordkeeper & consolidated to 4 vendors (CoreBridge, Fidelity, TIAA, VOYA). American Funds, Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc, & Pentegra will no longer be offered. We are discouraging employees from enrolling in these plans as they'll have to move their funds out later. Current participants can contribute until 12/31/2024. No action is needed from individual participants at this time, but expect action items in the upcoming months.
Pre-Retirement
Thinking about retiring? Find checklists, timelines, helpful hints from retirees, and more to help you as you prepare for your next phase in life.
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Pre-retirement resources
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Retirement Process Guidelines
Process Guidelines | Use this guide to understand eligibility & process guidelines for your retiree benefits – including retiree health insurance
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Retiree Checklist
Retiree Checklist | Use this checklist to help with the steps leading up to your retirement
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Retirement Meeting Request
Book a retirement meeting with HR Benefits. If you would like to ask retirement related questions, but are not ready to retire, email the HR Benefits team. Retirement meetings should be scheduled no more than 90 days in advance of your retirement date.
Important: When using Google Chrome to book a retirement meeting, you may receive a "bad request" error message. If this happens, please copy and paste the following URL into your search bar:
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TRS-18 Request for Estimate of Benefits Form
TRS-18 Request for Estimate of Benefits Form | Use this form to request a retirement estimate along with all the needed paperwork for TRS retirement. You can also log in to your www.trs.texas.gov account and request your packet online.
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Timeline of receiving your first TRS annuity payment
TRS Payment Timeline | Learn more about receiving payments from TRS.
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Disability Retirement options
Disability retirement may be an option if you do not meet the criteria for full-retirement. If you are approved for disability retirement AND have a minimum of 10 years of participation with the Group Benefits Program through ERS, then you are able to continue with health insurance benefits prior to meeting the Rule of 80.
- For TRS participants, you can visit the TRS member disability retirement website for more information.
- For ORP participants, contact hrbenefits@txstate.edu for more information about applying for disability retirement.
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Insurance Plans
Retirees who meet the criteria for full-retirement are eligible for health insurance and other benefits in retirement.
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Understand your insurance opportunities
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Determining insurance eligibility
Determining insurance eligibility | Use this chart to help determine your contribution rate and eligibility. Please note, retirees need a minimum of 10 years of participation with ERS health insurance benefits to qualify for retiree insurance benefits.
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Do I need Medicare?
Are you still working and trying to decide if you need Medicare? Upon retirement or separation from TXST, you (and your covered dependents if eligible) will need to sign up for Medicare Parts A&B. While you are still working in a benefits-eligible position, Medicare will only act as a secondary insurance plan. Many employees choose to sign up for Part A (hospitalization – no monthly premium) and choose to defer their enrollment in Medicare Part B (has monthly premium) until retirement for this reason. Find more details on the Medicare site.
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Medicare Health Plans Comparison Chart
Medicare Health Plans Comparison Chart | This chart compares the Medicare health plans available for TXST retirees.
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Returning to Work for a TRS or ERS employer after retirement?
Some employees choose to return to work after they retire. If you do, be aware of the rules!
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Things to keep in mind
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For ORP retirees
You must have a 30-day break in service before returning to work. After that – there are no limits on how many hours you can work!
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For TRS retirees
You must have at least a 30-day break in service before returning to work for a TRS employer (includes public higher education and school districts in Texas). After 30 days, you can work up to 50% in a month without losing your TRS annuity payment. If you work more than half-time, you will forfeit your TRS annuity payment for that month. If you wait a full year (12 full consecutive calendar months) before returning to work for a TRS employer, you can work as much as you want – there are no limits on your hours.
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Working for an ERS agency or private industry after retirement?
If you are a TRS or ORP retiree, there are no issues with returning to work for a state agency participating in ERS retirement or for private employment. This means that you can go work for these employers and it will not impact your TRS benefits. See the next question regarding your health insurance benefits if you return to work for the State of Texas.
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ERS: Retirees who Return to Work
Use this ERS guide to understand how your insurance is affected when you return to work for a state agency (including higher education) after retirement.
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