MTRS

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.
• 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.
• 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.

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 Substitute 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.