If you have been a member of more than one retirement system, you may qualify as a dual member, even if your membership in another system has been terminated.
A dual member is one who:
As a dual member, you may combine service credit from any of the above retirement systems to qualify for retirement. For example, if you are a TRS Plan 2 member, 50 years old, and have five TRS service credit years, and also have 25 service credit years in PERS Plan 1, you have a total of 30 service credit years — enough to retire immediately under PERS 1.
If you combine service credit to achieve eligibility for retirement but you are not old enough to retire from one of the systems:
Suppose you are a TRS Plan 2 member, are 55 years of age and have 13 service credit years. If you also have seven PERS Plan 1 service credit years, you have a total of 20 service credit years — enough to retire with a reduced benefit. Plan provisions determine the amount of your benefit from each plan and when each benefit can begin.
Dual members may have the option of restoring service credit in the other system(s). See “Restorations for Dual Members” below. If you retire under dual membership provisions, your benefit will be calculated using the highest base salary from either system. See “Calculating benefits for dual members”.
If you are a dual member and wish to restore service credit in a system other than TRS, you must repay the amount withdrawn, plus interest, within two years of becoming a dual member or before you retire, whichever comes first. The provisions governing dual membership do not permit you to partially restore any single withdrawal, or restore contributions and reestablish service credit in a system in which you are currently a member unless you are otherwise entitled to do so.
To receive a billing for restoration of service credit, contact DRS. We will need the following information from you:
If you miss the deadline for restoration of dual member service credit, you may still purchase service credit. The cost for purchase is based on the potential increase in your benefit payments. For more information, see the Plan 2 Recovery of Optional or Withdrawn Service Credit brochure.