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The latest…

  • Missing member contribution and creditable service information
    Missing member contribution and creditable service information
  • Careers at the MTRS
    Careers at the MTRS
  • 2023 MTRS Board Election update
    2023 MTRS Board Election update

Read more 


Browse topics by career stage (click to open)

  • New members
  • Mid-career
  • Approaching retirement
  • Retired

Welcome to the MTRS!

As a new member, be sure to:

  • Complete the MTRS online enrollment process .
  • Designate a beneficiary.
  • Check your pay stub to confirm that you are contributing at the correct rate.
  • Look into prior service that you may purchase as creditable service toward your retirement benefit.
  • Check out the comparison of Tier 1 vs. Tier 2
  • Review the “retirement percentage” charts
  • View the Members section of our site, which includes overview videos.  It’s a great place to familiarize yourself with the benefits and services provided by the MTRS!
  • Notify your payroll office—not the MTRS—if your address changes. We receive this information from your employer, so keep your payroll office up to date.
  • Contact the MTRS if you become divorced.
The MTRS and You is a short explainer on your benefits—check it out!

If you leave active service prior to retirement…

Be sure to:

  • Contact the MTRS if you:
    • leave active service as a Massachusetts educator
    • are terminated by your employer
    • become disabled and cannot work
  • In the event that you die while in active service, your survivors should contact the MTRS regarding potential survivor benefits

Throughout your career…

As you continue your teaching career, be sure to:

  • Complete the MTRS online enrollment process  if you change school districts.
  • Contact the MTRS if you:
    • are injured while performing the duties of your job
    • want to change your beneficiary designation
    • become divorced
  • Notify your payroll office—not the MTRS—if your address changes.
  • Review the Annual Statement of your MTRS annuity savings account, and notify us of any necessary updates.
  • Look into prior service that you may purchase as creditable service toward your retirement benefit.
  • Check out the comparison of Tier 1 vs. Tier 2
  • Review the “retirement percentage” charts
  • Stay abreast of retirement issues and plan for your retirement.
    • Watch our videos
    • Attend our seminars
    • Investigate plans offered through your employer, such as 457 deferred compensation plans and 403(b) retirement plans.
  • Keep your MTRS correspondence with your important papers, and let your survivors know where to find this information so they may contact us.

If you leave active service prior to retirement…

Be sure to:

  • Contact the MTRS if you:
    • leave active service as a Massachusetts educator
    • are terminated by your employer
    • become disabled and cannot work
  • In the event that you die while in active service, your survivors should contact the MTRS regarding potential survivor benefits.

When you are within five years of retirement…

When retirement is just around the corner, be sure to:

  • Look into prior service that you may purchase as creditable service toward your retirement benefit.
  • Check out the comparison of Tier 1 vs. Tier 2
  • Estimate your retirement benefit and prepare your retirement timeline and checklist.
  • Stay abreast of retirement issues
    • Watch our videos 
    • Attend our seminars
  • Be aware of the other post-retirement issues you may need to address
    • health insurance
    • cost-of-living adjustments
    • limitations on working for a Massachusetts public employer after retirement
    • Social Security limitations
  • Contact the MTRS if you:
    • Have any general questions about your benefits
    • become divorced
  • Begin the step-by-step, online retirement application process when you are within six months to one year of retirement.

Generate my retirement checklist

 Estimate my benefits

Apply for retirement

If you leave active service prior to retirement…

Be sure to:

  • Contact the MTRS if you:
    • leave active service as a Massachusetts educator
    • are terminated by your employer
    • become disabled and cannot work
  • In the event that you die while in active service, your survivors should contact the MTRS regarding potential survivor benefits

Welcome to retirement!

Throughout your retirement, we will administer your benefits and provide you with information and services.

During your retirement, we will…

  • Process and pay your monthly retirement benefit.
  • Process any cost-of-living adjustments (COLA).
  • Provide you with an annual 1099-R tax form.
  • Conduct a biennial Benefit Verification process.
  • Pay a survivor benefit, if any, pursuant to the retirement option you selected.

Be sure to contact us if you…

  • Change your name, address (temporary or permanent) or Social Security number using the appropriate MTRS Form.
  • Need verification of your benefit payment.
  • Need to change your direct deposit information.
  • Become divorced.
  • Want to change your withholding for federal taxes with a new Form W-4P.
  • Want to change your beneficiary (Option A and B retirees and survivor benefit recipients only).

Learn more about…

  • Social security
  • Taxation of your benefit
  • Post-retirement hours and earnings limitations with a Massachusetts public employer.
  • Available senior resources.
  • Benefits for survivors of retirees.
  • How to view your payment history or 1099-R tax forms, create a MyTRS online account.

In the event of your death, your beneficiary should contact us regarding any survivor benefits

Advise your current beneficiary now that he or she should contact us in the event of your death. Be sure to keep your retirement papers with your other important documents.

 


 

I want to...

  • Find a form
  • Enroll in the MTRS
  • Estimate my retirement benefit
  • Apply for retirement
  • Change my address or name
  • Change my beneficiary
  • Withdraw my funds
  • Report a death
  • Search unclaimed funds
Retirement percentage charts
See how your age and years of service affect your “retirement percentage.”
Member publications

Your MTRS Benefits

Ready for Retirement

Next Board meeting
December 15, 2023, Charlestown office


MTRS Facts at a glance

Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System statistics

(As of 1/1/2022, unless otherwise noted)

Overview

  • Established July 1, 1914
  • Largest of the Commonwealth’s 104 contributory retirement systems
  • Defined benefit plan under IRC 401(a), providing retirement, survivor and disability benefits
  • Members: Teachers and administrators in all Massachusetts public schools (except in the City of Boston), charter schools and educational collaboratives
  • Employers: 421 public school districts, charter schools and educational collaboratives

Funding

11%

New member contribution rate as of 7/1/2001

7.0%

Assumed rate of return on system assets

$35.5B

Assets (managed by the Pension Reserves Investment Management board)

59%

Funded ratio

2036

Year fully funded (target)

Membership

Active members

98,926


Annual payroll

$7.70B


Average salary

$77,878


Average age

43.6

168,653

members

Benefit recipients

69,727


Annual benefits

$3.31B


Average benefit

$47,432


Average age

74

PRIT Fund performance summary (as of 08/31/2023)

Active member salary, by age

Present AgeNumber of MembersTotal SalaryAverage Salary
0-242,519$77,901,141 $30,925
25-2910,267$519,490,619 $50,598
30-3413,226$856,642,952 $64,770
35-3914,004$1,073,043,658 $76,624
40-4414,697$1,230,369,028 $83,716
45-4913,258$1,164,546,267 $87,837
50-5413,817$1,235,269,136 $89,402
55-599,639$864,752,187 $89,714
60-645,600$509,169,377 $90,923
65+1,899$172,991,617 $91,096
Total98,926$7,704,175,982$77,878

Benefits paid, by age

Present AgeNumber of membersTotal benefitsAverage benefit
Less than 4019$247,593 $13,031
40–4444$658,325 $14,962
45–4991$1,477,493 $16,236
50–54229$5,207,535 $22,740
55–591,497$64,785,406 $43,277
60–645,793$286,902,550 $49,526
65–6913,612$701,200,491 $51,513
70–7420,537$1,052,303,817 $51,239
75–7914,156$674,545,595 $47,651
80–847,134$299,851,764 $42,031
85–893,988$144,746,859 $36,296
90+2,627$75,343,867 $28,681
Totals69,727$3,307,271,295 $47,432

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MAIN OFFICE

500 Rutherford Avenue, Suite 210

Charlestown, MA 02129

Phone: 617-679-6877

Fax: 617-679-1661


SPRINGFIELD OFFICE

One Monarch Place, Suite 510

Springfield, MA 01144

Phone: 413-784-1711

Fax: 413-784-1707

Call us 617-679-6877
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