TRSL Retirement Plan 
Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL) offers a defined benefit, or guaranteed lifetime monthly benefit, to its retirees which is calculated based on a formula. TRSL also offers disability and survivor benefits once vesting has been met.
- Defined Benefit Plan
- Automatically defaulted into this retirement plan based on appointment length/effort
- Employee contributes 8.0% of salary
- Meet age and years of service criteria in order to receive a benefit
- Vested after 5 years of service
- Employees do not pay into Social Security
The Defined Benefit Plan through TRSL
With Teachers’ Retirement System of Louisiana (TRSL), you have a defined benefit retirement plan, often called a pension. Your TRSL benefit is paid to you for your entire life, and is calculated using three factors:
- Your years of TRSL service credit,
- Your final average compensation (FAC)
- A benefit factor (2.0% or 2.5%)
These three factors, multiplied together, total the maximum TRSL benefit that you are eligible to receive. Your retirement income from TRSL is based on these factors, not on how much you contribute to your retirement or the balance in a retirement account.
If you are appointed for greater than two years and greater than 50% effort, you are automatically enrolled into TRSL at the time of employment with contributions starting with your first paycheck. If you elect to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) as an alternative to TRSL, you may do so within the first 60 days of employment. If you opt out of TRSL for an ORP within your first 60 days of employment, both your contributions and the LSU System’s contributions may be rolled into your ORP Account.
If you wait past your first 60 days of employment to enroll in the ORP, your effective date will be delayed to the first of the following month and only your contributions will transfer over to your ORP carrier (not those made by the LSU System). Once you have contributed to the TRSL defined benefit plan for greater than five years, you are not eligible to enroll into an Optional Retirement Plan.
Retirement Eligibility
*Retirement eligibility is determined by the date you joined TRSL. Refer to the minimum eligibility requirements below to find out when you can retire.
If you became a member of TRSL prior to July 1, 1999, with a 2% benefit factor, then one of the requirements below must be met in order to receive a retirement benefit from TRSL:
- 5 years of service or more at age 60 or later, excluding military service purchased after September 10, 1982, or
- 20 years of service or more you may retire at any age, excluding military service purchased after September 10, 1982
If you became a member of TRSL prior to July 1, 1999, with a 2.5% benefit factor, then one of the requirements below must be met in order to receive a retirement benefit from TRSL:
- 20 years of service or more at age 65, excluding any military service,
- 25 years of service or more at age 55 or
- 30 years of service or more regardless of age
If you became a member of TRSL between July 1, 1999 and December 31, 2010, with a 2.5% benefit factor, then one of the requirements below must be met in order to receive a retirement benefit from TRSL:
- 5 years of service or more at age 60, excluding military service purchased after September 10, 1982, or
- 25 years of service or more at age 55, or
- 30 years of service or more regardless of age, or
- 20 years of service or more regardless of age (actuarially reduced), excluding military service purchased after September 10, 1982
If you became a member of TRSL between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2015, with a 2.5% benefit factor then one of the requirements below must be met in order to receive a retirement benefit from TRSL:
- 5 years of service or more at age 60 or later
- At 20 years of service you may retire at any age, but your benefit will be reduced on an actuarial basis which is based on your age, length of service and number of years from your regular retirement age.
If you became a member of TRSL on or after July 1, 2015, with a 2.5% benefit factor, then one of the requirements below must be met in order to receive a retirement benefit from TRSL:
- 5 years of service or more at age 62 or thereafter
- At 20 years of service you may retire at any age but your benefit will be reduced on an actuarial basis which is based on your age, length of service and number of years from your regular retirement age.
Retirement Benefit Calculation
[Years of Service] x [Formula %] x [3-Year High Average Salary] = Annual Retirement Benefit
Example: 25 Years of Service x 2.5% x $50,000 = $31, 250
[Years of Service] x [Formula %] x [5-Year High Average Salary] = Annual Retirement Benefit
Example: 30 Years of Service x 2.5% x $50,000 = $37, 500
Additional Information
The links below provide basic information regarding the benefits of your TRSL retirement plan. The links below include information regarding your TRSL benefits upon leaving LSU, diagnosed with a disabling condition, and the provisions that govern death and survivor benefits.
There are options available to you if you leave state service before you are eligible to retire - you may qualify for a monthly benefit upon reaching minimum retirement age, transfer/rollover service to another qualified plan, or refund your employee contributions.
Deferred Retirement Qualifications:
- Must have obtained credit for the minimum number of years of service needed to retire (vest), and
- Not reached the required age, and
- Left your contributions on deposit with TRSL
- You must complete the TRSL Service Retirement application to begin receiving this benefit
Transfer of Service Credit
Your retirement system service credit may be transferred to another Louisiana State
or statewide retirement system.
Refund/Rollover
You can apply for a refund of your employee contributions 90 days after your termination
date. Please submit your completed Application for Refund to benefits@lsu.edu for agency verification.
If you were hired between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2010 and are an employee with more than five years of service, you are eligible to apply for lifetime disability benefits.
If you were hired on or after January 1, 2011, you are only eligible for disability retirement after ten years of service.
If you have less than five years of service, you are not eligible for disability benefits; however, you may receive a refund of your contributions to the plan at the time of termination.
Survivor benefits may be payable if the member had at least 5 years of retirement service credit (2 of which were earned immediately before death), or at least 20 years of service (no matter when earned).
Minor children are also eligible survivors if the deceased member was a TRSL retiree or an inactive TRSL member.
Please view additional information regarding Survivor Benefits.
Social Security Administration has an online calculator that allows members who are eligible for a pension from LASERS and the SSA to calculate the windfall elimination provision (WEP), which can reduce Social Security retirement benefits for most retirees who collect pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security.