If a TRS retiree returns to work in any capacity other than what is listed above as acceptable employment, he or she may work one-half time or greater in a TRS-covered position and either suspend or terminate his or her retirement benefit.
If a TRS retiree chooses to suspend his or her benefit so he or she can work more than one-half time, the following will take place:
- All benefit payments will stop
- No further contributions will be made
- No cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) will be attributed to the benefit during suspension
- No changes may be made to the plan of retirement or beneficiary
When the retiree stops working in the TRS-covered position, his or her benefit payments will be reactivated, and the COLAs will begin again.
If a TRS retiree chooses to terminate his or her benefit so he or she can work more than one-half time, the following will take place:
- Retiree becomes an active member
- Employer and employee contributions will be made to TRS based on the employee’s earnable compensation
- Service credit is accrued
- Changes may be made to the plan of retirement and beneficiary upon re-retirement
- No cost-of-living adjustments will be attributed to the benefit during termination
- The member’s benefit is recalculated based on additional service credit accrual and salary upon re-retirement
A member may choose to terminate instead of suspend retirement if it is to the member’s advantage to accrue additional service credit and salary in an effort to increase his or her benefit upon re-retirement.