MTRS celebrates 105 years of serving MA educators!

When the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement Association opened its doors on July 1, 1914, it did so under the advisement of the Board of Education, who reported to the state legislature that “a system of pensions for teachers…will attract to the public service a higher type of individuals than would otherwise enter it, and will tend to preserve in such individuals those qualities of mind and heart on which lasting  success depends.”

Over a century later, those words still ring true. We may have had different names over the years, but our commitment to educators remains unchanged.

The Teachers’ Retirement Association was established as part of Chapter 832 of the Acts of 1913, signed on June 19, 1913. The legislation had a tumultuous history: in 1911, a bill asking for enactment of a teachers’ retirement system failed to pass. The Legislature instead passed a resolve asking the Board of Education to decide whether such a system would work. In response, the Board presented recommendations with Chapter 832, the bill that created the MTRS, effective July 1, 1914.

Over the past 105 years, the MTRS has served countless numbers of retirees, active members and their families. We look forward to continuing a tradition of excellence in helping our members achieve a rewarding and enjoyable retirement for many years to come!

For more MTRS history, see our milestones over the years.

The MTRS: Then and now
	1914	Now
Retirees	175	66,078
Active members	7,336	93,119
Contribution rate	5%	11%
Average age of retiree	67	72.6
Average annual benefit	$9,547 Adjusted for inflation	$44,389