We will not reduce your TRS benefit because of any Social Security benefit you may receive.
Medicare
All public employees are required to make contributions toward Medicare coverage. Persons who change employers are also subject to the Medicare tax. Currently, these individuals and their employers each contribute 1.45 percent of salary to Medicare.
TRS annuitants with 40 credits of coverage under Social Security will receive free Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) coverage at age 65. A TRS annuitant may also obtain free Medicare Part A coverage as the result of paying the Medicare tax on covered employment. In addition, a TRS annuitant may have Medicare hospital coverage at age 65 if his or her spouse has worked in Social Security-covered employment at least 40 credits and if the spouse is at least age 62. If you are a widow or widower of a Social Security-covered spouse, you are eligible for Medicare Part A at age 65. Please contact Social Security to verify your eligibility.
If you do not qualify for free Medicare coverage, you can purchase Medicare Part A coverage through monthly premium payments. Medicare Part B (medical insurance) is optional and must be purchased separately from Social Security through monthly premium payments. Annuitants must have both Medicare Parts A and B to enroll in the Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) TRAIL MAPD plan. For information about Medicare Part D, please contact Medicare.
For additional information, read Social Security Publication CMS-10050, Medicare & You at: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10043.pdf. Premium rate information is also available on the website.
Social Security
Active TRS members do not contribute to the retirement and disability program under Social Security on their TRS-covered earnings. However, they may accumulate credit under Social Security through other employment that is not covered by TRS.
Annuitants who return to teaching do not contribute to Social Security.
You may sign up to get your Social Security Statement online at www.ssa.gov.
The statement provides you with an earnings history under Social Security, the number of credits you have earned, and an estimate of benefits you will receive (provided you have earned sufficient credits of coverage).
Social Security benefit reductions
TRS will never reduce your TRS benefits because of Social Security benefits.
Federal law regarding the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) was recently changed by the Social Security Fairness Act.
TRS does not administer Social Security benefits. For questions about your Social Security benefits, contact the Social Security Administration at www.ssa.gov, 1-800-772-1213 (toll free) or 1-800-325-0778 (TTY).