Changing Your Plan of Retirement

After you begin receiving a monthly retirement benefit, if you have chosen Plan A (Maximum Plan) or Plan B Option 1, you cannot change to a survivorship plan, which allows a monthly benefit to be passed to a beneficiary at your death. If, at retirement, you chose Plan B, you may change your plan of retirement or beneficiary(ies) designation only as follows:

One Primary Beneficiary

• If your sole beneficiary is to receive a survivors’ benefit after your death and your beneficiary predeceases you, you may change your plan of retirement and you may designate a different beneficiary. If you chose a survivorship option and wish to change your plan of 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 will result in the recalculation of your benefit.
• If your spouse is your sole beneficiary and will 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 another retirement plan offered by TRS. Changing your plan of retirement and/or beneficiary will result in the recalculation of your benefit.

Multiple Primary Beneficiaries

• If you have multiple beneficiaries and one beneficiary predeceases you, you cannot change plans, or your remaining beneficiaries. You also cannot change the benefit percentages going to remaining beneficiaries.
• If you have multiple beneficiaries and divorce occurs with a spouse/beneficiary, you may elect to delete the former spouse/beneficiary by providing a divorce decree. After the election to delete your spouse, you may either request a reallocation of benefits for the remaining beneficiaries equaling 100% or request no reallocation. If you delete your spouse with no reallocation, the designated benefit percentages will remain unchanged and the retiree’s benefit would be recalculated as an Option 4 selection. In either case, you may NOT add any new beneficiaries, including new spouse beneficiaries, and you may not lower the distribution percentage to any remaining beneficiary. You may request a benefit estimate to determine the impact of any change you are considering by contacting TRS.

Terminating Retirement

• 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 re-retirement. 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). To review information regarding beneficiary designations, click on the link to the right.