Joined on or after July 1, 1999: an actuarial cut
Retiring with 20 years of service credit is an early retirement. The benefit is reduced based on the number of years it would have taken to reach the next (regular) retirement eligibility. The greater the number of years, the greater the reduction. TRSL does not publish the reduction factors. Member Handbook p. 14, What does actuarially reduced mean?; R.S. 11:768(B)(2); R.S. 11:761(A)(3)(b), (A)(4)(b)
| Group | Early rule | Cut measured from |
|---|---|---|
| Joined TRSL July 1, 1999 - December 31, 2010 | 20 years at any age | the earlier of age 60 or the first of age 65 with 20 years, age 55 with 25 years, 30 years at any age you'd reach by working on |
| First joined a Louisiana state system January 1, 2011 - June 30, 2015 | 20 years at any age (no DROP or ILSB) | age 60 |
| First joined a Louisiana state system on or after July 1, 2015 | 20 years at any age (no DROP or ILSB) | age 62 |
| Plan B, first joined a state system on or after July 1, 2015 | 20 years at any age (no DROP or ILSB) | age 62 |
Member Handbook p. 13 ('Any age with at least 20 years of service credit (actuarially reduced)'); p. 14, What does actuarially reduced mean?; R.S. 11:768(B)(2); Member Handbook p. 13; R.S. 11:761(A)(3)(b); Member Handbook p. 13; R.S. 11:761(A)(4)(b); Member Handbook p. 14; R.S. 11:802(B)(2)
If you joined on or after July 1, 1999 and retire at any age with 20 years, TRSL cuts your benefit by an actuarial factor. It doesn't publish the factors, so we can't show the cut.
We show your full benefit before the cut as an "up to" amount, with how many years early you'd be. If TRSL gives you your reduction, enter it and we'll apply it.
Member Handbook p. 14Joined before July 1, 1999: the 2.0% factor
Members who joined before July 1, 1999 and retire at 60 with 5 years or at any age with 20 years (without meeting a 2.5% rule) get the lower 2.0% factor. No source applies an actuarial reduction on top of it. Member Handbook p. 13, Membership prior to July 1, 1999 (2.0% benefit factor); p. 14, NOTE ('Early retirement for those who joined TRSL prior to July 1, 1999, is calculated with a lower 2.0% benefit factor'); R.S. 11:761(A)(1); R.S. 11:768(A)(1)
- 2.5%: age 65 with 20 years, or age 55 with 25 years, or 30 years at any age.
- 2%: age 60 with 5 years, or 20 years at any age.
Example (our calculator): age 54 with 25 years and a $50,000 FAC gets 2%: $2,083.33 a month. Waiting until 55 moves it to 2.5%: $2,604.17. The lower factor lasts for life.
If you joined before July 1, 1999 and retire with 20 years before 60, the handbook shows the lower 2.0% factor and no extra actuarial cut.
We use 2.0% with no other reduction.
Member Handbook pp. 13-14; R.S. 11:761(A)(1); R.S. 11:768(A)(1)Plan B
Plan B members who first joined a state system before July 1, 2015 retire at age 60 with 5 years or age 55 with 30 years; there's no earlier option. Those who joined later can retire at any age with 20 years, reduced from age 62. Member Handbook p. 14; p. 23; R.S. 11:802(A); R.S. 11:803(A); Member Handbook p. 14; R.S. 11:802(B)(2)
From the sources
- Joined before July 1, 1999: the 2.5% factor at age 65 with 20 years, age 55 with 25 years, or 30 years at any age. You can also retire at 2.0% at age 60 with 5 years or at any age with 20 years.Member Handbook p. 13; R.S. 11:768(A)
- Joined July 1, 1999 through Dec. 31, 2010: full 2.5% benefit at age 60 with 5 years, age 55 with 25 years, or 30 years at any age.Member Handbook p. 13; R.S. 11:761(A)(2)
- Joined Jan. 1, 2011 through June 30, 2015: age 60 with 5 years. Joined on or after July 1, 2015: age 62 with 5 years.Member Handbook p. 13; R.S. 11:761(A)(3)-(4)
- Unused sick and annual leave never counts toward eligibility, only toward the size of the benefit. Military service bought after Sept. 10, 1982 also doesn't count toward most eligibility rules.Member Handbook p. 7; p. 13 footnotes
- Check with TRSLMembers who joined on or after July 1, 1999 can retire at any age with 20 years, but the benefit is actuarially reduced. The more years you are from regular retirement, the bigger the cut. TRSL does not publish the reduction factors.Member Handbook pp. 13-14, What does actuarially reduced mean?
- The reduction runs from age 60 (joined 2011 to June 2015) or 62 (joined July 2015 or later). For those who joined July 1999 through 2010, it runs from age 60 or the first date you would have reached 55 with 25 years, 30 years, or 65 with 20 years by staying, whichever comes first.R.S. 11:768(B)(2); R.S. 11:761(A)(3)(b), (A)(4)(b)
- If you joined before July 1, 1999, retiring early (age 60 with 5 years or any age with 20 years) uses the lower 2.0% factor instead.Member Handbook p. 14, NOTE
- If you retire under the 20-years-at-any-age rule (joined 2011 or later), you can't use DROP or the Initial Lump-Sum Benefit.R.S. 11:761(A)(3)(b), (A)(4)(b); DROP Handbook p. 8
Questions
Can I retire from TRSL with 20 years at any age?
Yes, in every Regular Plan group and in Plan B for members who joined on or after July 1, 2015. If you joined TRSL before July 1, 1999, you get the lower 2% factor. If you joined later, TRSL cuts your benefit by an actuarial factor.
How much does TRSL cut the benefit for retiring early?
TRSL doesn't publish the factors. It says only that the cut depends on how many years you are from regular retirement: the more years, the bigger the cut. Ask TRSL for an estimate.
Can I use DROP if I retire with 20 years?
No. If you retire under the 20-years-at-any-age rule you can't enter DROP or take the Initial Lump-Sum Benefit.
Source: TRSL Member Handbook: Regular Plan & Plan B, Last revised April 2026, pp. 7, 13, 13-14, 14. Also: DROP Handbook p. 8; La. R.S. 11:761, 11:768, 11:802. Last reviewed .