Retirement Annuity and Insurance Eligibility for Regular State Agency Employees

This retirement information is based on current ERS laws and rules.

If you previously worked at a state agency, left employment and withdrew your ERS retirement account balance, you no longer have those years of service credit in your account.

Important notice about insurance: Health and other insurance benefits for employees and retirees are subject to change based on available funding from the state. The Texas Legislature determines the level of funding for such benefits and has no continuing obligation to provide those benefits beyond each fiscal year.

Group 1—Regular state agency employee hired before Sept. 1, 2009

  Lifetime Annuity  Health Insurance Optional Insurance
Minimum Years of Service 5 years 10 years 10 years
Minimum Age
or 
Rule of 80 (when your age in years and months + years and month of service credit = 80)		 60 years
or
Rule of 80		 60 years
or
Rule of 80*		 60 years
or
Rule of 80

*Optional benefits available at retirement and health insurance available at age 65, if you retire at age 60 without meeting Rule of 80.

Group 2—Regular state agency employee hired Sept. 1, 2009 - Aug. 31, 2013

 

 Lifetime Annuity Health Insurance Optional Insurance
Minimum Years of Service 10 years 10 years 10 years
Minimum Age
or
Rule of 80 (when your age in years and months + years and month of service credit = 80)		 Rule of 80 at 60 years for no age-based reduction*
or
Younger than 60 with Rule of 80, with age-based reduction*		 65 years
or
Rule of 80
 		 65 years
or
Rule of 80

*Group 2 members who retire before age 60 will have a permanent annuity reduction of 5% for each year under age 60 they are at retirement. The reduction is capped at 25%.
For example:

  • A Group 2 member who meets the Rule of 80 at age 57 and chooses to retire then will have a 15% permanent reduction in their annuity.
  • A Group 2 member who meets the Rule of 80 at age 54 and chooses to retire then will have a 25% permanent reduction in their annuity.

Group 3—Regular state agency employee hired Sept. 1, 2013 - Aug. 31, 2022

  Lifetime Annuity Health Insurance Optional Insurance
Minimum Years of Service 10 years 10 years 10 years
Minimum Age
or
Rule of 80 (when your age in years and months + years and months of service credit = 80)

Rule of 80 at 62 years for no age-based reduction
or
Younger than 60 with Rule of 80, with age-based reduction*

 65 years
or
Rule of 80		 65 years
or
Rule of 80

*Group 3 members who retire before age 62 will have a permanent annuity reduction of 5% for each year under age 62 they are at retirement. The reduction is not capped.
For example:

  • A Group 3 member who meets the Rule of 80 at age 59 and chooses to retire then will have a 15% permanent reduction in their annuity.
  • A Group 3 member who meets the Rule of 80 at age 56 and chooses to retire then will have a 30% permanent reduction in their annuity.

Group 4—Regular state agency employee hired on or after Sept. 1, 2022

 

 Lifetime Annuity Health Insurance Optional Insurance
Minimum Years of Service 5 years 10 years 10 years
Minimum Age
or
Rule of 80 (when your age in years and months + years and month of service credit = 80)		 65 years
or
Rule of 80		 65 years
or
Rule of 80		 65 years
or
Rule of 80

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