State Teachers Retirement System

State Teachers Retirement System (TRS) - Grandfathered employees only

The State Teacher's Retirement System ("TRS") is a defined benefit cost sharing public employee retirement system covering certain WVU employees hired prior to June 30, 1991. Each participant contributes 6% of his or her gross salary into the retirement plan. WVU contributes 15% of the covered employee's gross salary into the Teachers' Retirement System

Retirement Eligibility

Current Employees must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to receive retirement benefits:

• Any Age with 35 years of service
• Age 55 with 30 years of service
• Age 60 with five (5) years of service
• Any age with 10 years of service if retiring disabled
• Reduced (pension) benefits before age 55 with at least 30 years of service but less than 35 years of service

Former Employees are subject to the following eligibility requirements:

• If the former employee has at least five (5), but less than 20, years of credited service and did not withdraw his/her accumulated contributions, he/she is entitled to a deferred retirement commencing at age 62
• If the former employee has 20 years of credited service and did not withdraw his/her accumulated contributions, he/she is entitled to a deferred retirement commencing at age 60

Retirement Benefit Options

Various benefit options are available to retirees. For example, an employee electing straight life annuity retirement benefits receives 2% of his/her average annual salary multiplied by years of service. Average salary for this purpose is defined as the average of the employee's five (5) highest years of earnings during the last 15 years of earnings. For more information about this plan and other benefit options, please visit the Consolidated Public Retirement Board.

Participants' Eligibility to Receive Retiree Health Insurance Premiums

TRS participants must meet the following eligibility requirements to qualify for retiree health insurance premiums:

• Any Age with 35 years of service
• Age 55 with 30 years of service
• Age 60 with 5 years of service
• Any age with 10 years of service if retiring disabled
• Reduced (pension) benefits before age 55 with at least 30 years of service but less than 35 years of service