Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and Optional Retirement Program (ORP) Annuity for Former Employees

ERS administers the Texas Group Benefits Program (GBP) benefits, including health insurance for eligible retirees of higher education institutions.

As an employee of an institution of higher education, you have the option of contributing to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or participating in the Optional Retirement Program (ORP). This means your annuity will come from either TRS or your ORP, not from the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS).

Eligibility for retiree insurance

As a TRS or ORP retiree, you may be eligible for GBP retiree insurance if:

• you have at least 10 years of eligible service with an agency that participates in the GBP; and
• your last place of public employment was with an agency or higher education institution that participates in the GBP (independent school districts, the University of Texas and Texas A&M don’t participate in the GBP).

If you participate in the ORP, you will need an ORP account from which you’re eligible to start drawing payments. If you withdraw or roll over your account to another account at retirement, you will not be eligible for retiree insurance through the GBP.