In addition to earning membership service credit for employment with a TRS-covered employer, eligible TRS members may purchase service credit as provided by law. Please refer to the TRS Service Credit brochure for descriptions of the types of service that may be purchased and the eligibility requirements.
To use purchased service credit in calculating service retirement benefits, a member must complete the purchase by the effective date of retirement or by the last day of the month in which the member submits a retirement application, whichever is later. If the purchased service credit is required for retirement eligibility, payment must be completed by the effective date of retirement.
Withdrawn Service – If you previously withdrew your accumulated contributions in your TRS member account by taking a refund, you terminated the TRS service credit associated with those contributions. You may be able to reinstate withdrawn service credit. Generally, a person must resume membership in TRS and pay all costs for the terminated service credit to TRS. For those who are not TRS members, the opportunity to reinstate withdrawn service credit is available only through the Proportionate Retirement Program, described in the
TRS Benefits Handbook (pdf) or the TRS/ERS Transfer program, described in both the handbook and the
TRS/ERS Transfer brochure (pdf).
Career and Technology Teacher Service Credit – If you are a certified career or technology teacher, you may be eligible to establish TRS service credit for the work experience that entitles you to salary step credit as a teacher.
Unreported Service and/or Compensation Credit, Including Substitute Service – Unreported service is service that is eligible to be reported to TRS but that was not reported to TRS at the time the service was rendered. It may also include substitute service and/or unreported compensation. Verification of unreported service and/or compensation and verification of substitute service will not be accepted after the date you retire and your first annuity payment has been issued.
State Sick and/or Personal Leave Service Credit – If, on your last day of employment before retirement, you have credit for 50 days or more, or 400 hours or more, of accumulated state sick and/or personal leave, you may be eligible to purchase one year of service credit. In addition, to be eligible to purchase this service credit, you must have at least ten (10) years of TRS service credit for actual service with one or more TRS-covered employers.
TRS Service Credit Brochure (pdf) – TRS service credit is an important component in determining eligibility for plan benefits. Service credit also affects the amount of a service or disability retirement benefit you may receive when you are eligible for retirement. TRS members can build service credit in two ways:
- Earning membership service credit through employment in Texas public education. (See the
TRS Benefits Handbook (pdf).)
- Purchasing service credit when eligible to do so.
This brochure provides a detailed explanation of the service credits mentioned above and other service credit that is available for purchase by eligible members, the cost, and how to make a purchase.
