Department of Retirement Systems
Members Title
 
 
 
Link to Adobe Reader

TRS PLAN 1: Key Plan Provisions

Membership Definition

You are a Plan 1 member if you established membership in TRS at any time before October 1, 1977. The equivalent of 90 full days during a fiscal year (July 1-June 30), is required to establish membership.
Contribution Rate You are required to contribute 6 percent of your monthly earnable compensation. This rate is set by law and may only be changed by legislative action. See “Who pays for my benefits?”.
Contributions Both you and your employer pay contributions that fund your retirement. Your contributions are refundable only if you leave TRS-covered employment. If you withdraw your contributions prior to retirement, you lose your right to future benefits. You cannot borrow from your contributions or withdraw contributions made by your employer.
How Service Credit Is Accumulated You earn a full year of service credit if you receive compensation for at least four-fifths - 144 full time days - of the 180-day school year, provided that contributions have been made to TRS. If you work at least 20 days, but less than four-fifths of a fiscal year, you will earn a fraction of a year’s service credit. See “What is service credit?”.
Eligible for Retirement

You are eligible to retire if you:

  • Have at least 30 service credit years regardless of age,
  • Are at least age 55 and have at least 25 service credit years, or
  • Are age 60 or older and have at least five service credit years
    • .
Average Final Compensation (AFC) Your average final compensation is the total earnable compensation for your two consecutive highest-paid fiscal years divided by two. See “Calculating your benefit”.
Benefit Formula 2% × Service Credit Years × AFC ÷ 12 = Monthly Benefit. See “Calculating your benefit”.
Maximum Benefit In most cases, your retirement benefit may not exceed 60 percent of your AFC. Contact DRS for more information.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) TRS Plan 1 provides an automatic COLA as well as gain sharing. An optional COLA is also available. See “Can my benefit increase after I retire?” Note: House Bill 2391, signed by Governor Gregoire on May 15, 2007, makes changes to gain sharing.
Disability Retirement Temporary and permanent disability retirement benefits are available. See “What if I become disabled?”
Death in Service Survivor Benefit If you die with less than 10 years of service and you are not eligible to retire, your contributions plus interest are refunded to your beneficiary. If you die with 10 or more years of service, or you are eligible to retire, your beneficiary can choose between monthly payments or a lump sum refund of your contributions plus interest. See “What benefits do my survivors receive?”