Check with TRS IllinoisEstimate only, not an official benefit amount. Confirm with TRS Illinois (877-927-5877) before you decide.
Your estimated monthly check
Fill in the form and we'll show your tier, your monthly pension, the first day you get it without a cut, and what working longer would add.
Your tier
| Tier 1 | Tier 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| WhoTier 1 Guide p. 1, Foreword | First paid to TRS Illinois before Jan. 1, 2011 (or had reciprocal service before then) | First paid on or after Jan. 1, 2011, with no earlier reciprocal service |
| Vested afterTRS Illinois Tier 2 slides, slide 60, Benefit Comparison (Minimum Vesting Period: 10 years) | 5 years | 10 years |
| Full (unreduced) pensionTier 1 Guide p. 17, Ch. 9 Retirement Benefits (age and service table); Tier 2 Guide p. 18, Eligibility; Reduced retirement annuity | 62 with 5 yrs · 60 with 10 yrs · 55 with 35 yrs | 67 with 10 yrs |
| Earliest, reducedTier 1 Guide p. 18, Reduced retirement annuity; Tier 2 Guide p. 18, Reduced retirement annuity | 55 with 20 yrs, cut 6% a year under 60 | 62 with 10 yrs, cut 6% a year under 67 |
| FormulaTier 2 Guide p. 18, Capping average salary (2.2% x FAS x years); TRS Illinois Tier 2 slides, slide 14, Formula Factor | 2.2% × years × salary average | 2.2% × years × salary average |
| Salary averageTier 1 Guide p. 17, Average salary; Tier 2 Guide p. 18, Average salary | Best 4 years in a row of the last 10 | Best 8 years in a row of the last 10 |
| Pay capTier 2 Guide p. 18, Capping average salary; TRS Illinois Tier 2 slides, slides 15 and 60 | None from TRS Illinois | $129,192.26 in FY27, rises with inflation |
| Most you can getTier 1 Guide p. 17-18, Annuity calculation; Maximum retirement benefit; Tier 2 Guide p. 18, Maximum retirement benefit | 75% of your average | 75% of your average |
| Yearly increaseTier 1 Guide p. 23, Annual increases in annuity; Tier 2 Guide p. 22, Annual increases in annuity | 3%, compounded, from the Jan. 1 after age 61 (and 1 year retired) | Lesser of 3% or half of inflation, not compounded, from age 67 |
Your tier is fixed by your first contribution date. It decides every rule above. Which tier am I?
Your road to a full pension
Retire as planned, or work longer?
Your check at every age
Compare two retirement dates
Your yearly increases
Common questions
How is a TRS Illinois pension calculated?
Years of service × 2.2% × your final average salary, up to 75% of that average. For example, 30 years × 2.2% = 66% of an $85,000 average: $56,100 a year, or $4,675 a month, at age 67 in Tier 2.
Am I in Tier 1 or Tier 2?
Tier 1 if you first contributed to TRS Illinois before Jan. 1, 2011, or had service in another Illinois reciprocal system before then. Tier 2 if your first paid day was on or after Jan. 1, 2011, with no earlier reciprocal service.
When can I retire from TRS Illinois?
Tier 1: a full pension at 60 with 10 years, 62 with 5, or 55 with 35; a reduced one at 55 with 20. Tier 2: a full pension at 67 with 10 years, or a reduced one from 62.
How much does retiring early cost?
6% of the pension for each year you are under 60 (Tier 1) or 67 (Tier 2), for life. A Tier 2 member retiring at 62 instead of 67 loses 30%.
Does Illinois tax my TRS pension?
No. TRS Illinois disbursements are not subject to Illinois individual income taxes. It is subject to federal income tax.
Is this the official TRS Illinois calculator?
No. This is an unofficial estimate built from the TRS Illinois member guides. It is not affiliated with TRS Illinois. Your MyTRSIL account has official estimates, and TRS Illinois decides your benefit.
Compare Illinois with other states
- States where teachers don't get Social Security: Illinois teachers don't pay into Social Security on TRS-covered pay.
- Teacher DROP plans by state
- Teacher pension COLAs by state: Tier 2: the lesser of 3% or half of inflation (CPI), on your original pension, from 67. Tier 1: 3% a year, compounded.
- State taxes on teacher pensions, by state: TRS pensions are not subject to Illinois income tax.
- Teacher pension multipliers by state: 2.2% × years × average salary: best 4 years in a row of your last 10 (Tier 1) or best 8 of last 10 (Tier 2). Max 75%.
- Teacher retirement age by state: Tier 1: 62 with 5 years, 60 with 10, or 55 with 35. Tier 2: age 67 with 10 years.
Plain-English guides
How your pension works
Tier 1 or Tier 2?One date decides your tier. Both tiers side by side.→The pension formula2.2% × years × final average salary, the 75% maximum and the Tier 2 pay cap.→Retiring earlyThe 6% a year cut in each tier, and what happened to the ERO.→Buying service creditOut-of-system, military, leaves and refunds, and what a year adds.→TRS Illinois glossaryPlain-English definitions of the TRS Illinois terms you'll run into.→
Planning your exit
Buyout programs (AAI and APB)Trade part of your raise, or your whole pension, for a lump sum. Open through June 2028.→Leaving teaching: refund or stay vested?Refunds without interest, vesting at 5 or 10 years.→Taxes on your TRS Illinois pensionNot taxed by Illinois, taxed federally.→Social Security and TRS IllinoisWhy most Illinois teachers don't pay in, and the Fairness Act.→
After you retire
Yearly increases: Tier 1 vs Tier 23% compounded vs. the lesser of 3% or half of inflation, side by side.→Health insurance in retirement (TRIP)Who qualifies, 2026-27 premiums, and TRAIL at 65.→Working after retirement120 days or 600 hours, shortage areas, and the Tier 2 limits.→Death and survivor benefitsWhat a spouse or other dependent receives in each tier.→
More calculators
Some states have a DROP program. The TRS Illinois member guides don't describe one. The old Early Retirement Option ended on July 1, 2016 (see Retiring early), and the closest thing today is the buyout programs (see Buyout programs).
Source: TRS Tier 1 and Tier 2 Member Guides, September 2026, Tier 1 Guide pp. 1, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19, 23, 39; Tier 2 Guide pp. 1, 18, 19, 22, 38; Tier 2 meeting slides 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 59. Last reviewed .