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In a historic decision that will benefit thousands of public servants in Louisiana, the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82) was signed into law at the beginning of the year. The new law repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that reduced the Social Security benefits of many TRSL members.
Public servants like TRSL’s members have fought for years to eliminate these federal offsets. The provisions previously reduced or sometimes eliminated the earned or spousal benefit for individuals who receive pensions from a state or local government. The changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023.
How quickly the changes will be implemented is unknown. Questions should be directed to the Social Security Administration. You can contact the SSA toll free at 1-800-772-1213 or go to www.SSA.gov.
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In the upcoming March 29 statewide election, voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would put $2 billion toward erasing a portion of TRSL retirement debt.
Voters will be asked to use the balance of three education trust funds, currently restricted by the state constitution for K-12 and post-secondary education purposes, to make a one-time payment that would pay off or nearly pay off TRSL’s two oldest debt schedules. The debt payment is part of a plan approved by legislators in last year’s 3rd special session to fund permanent teacher pay raises.
The payment proposal is designed to reduce the employer contribution rate for TRSL-participating employers thereby freeing up money for K-12 teacher and support staff pay raises. Passage of the constitutional amendment would not increase monthly benefits for retired members.
To learn more, please visit the “Legislation” page at www.TRSL.org.
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2025 ushered in a few changes for the TRSL Board of Trustees, including new leadership.
The Board of Trustees voted in December to elect a new board chair and vice chair. Also of note: Last year’s board elections resulted in the re-election of the District 6 board member and the election of a new board member for District 5.
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New board chair: Neshelle S. Nogess, M.B.A., will lead the board for the next two years. Nogess, who has served on the Board of Trustees for eight years, is the administrative director of revenue and taxation for the St. James Parish School Board. She has represented District 1, which encompasses the parishes of Ascension, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James and St. John, since 2016.
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New board vice chair: Clyde F. Hamner will serve as the vice chair for the next two years. Hamner has represented retired members since 2022. He previously served four terms as the board member representing active members employed in District 3. Hamner retired as an administrator with the Terrebonne Parish School System after working for three decades in education.
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Returning board member for District 6: Marcella Fisher was re-elected to serve a second term as the District 6 Board of Trustees representative for actively working TRSL members in Allen, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Evangeline, Grant, Jefferson Davis, LaSalle, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, St. Landry, St. Martin, Vernon, West Baton Rouge, and Winn parishes. Fisher is risk manager for the St. Landry Parish School District.
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New board member for District 5: Tamara Ross was elected to a four-year term on the board, representing actively working members employed in the parishes of Caldwell, Catahoula, Concordia, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Franklin, Jackson, Livingston, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, St. Helena, Tangipahoa, Tensas, Union, West Carroll, and West Feliciana. She is a literacy coach at Carroll Junior High School in the Monroe City School District.
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2025 TRSL Board Elections
Heads up for this year! In 2025, there will be elections for the seats on the TRSL Board of Trustees that represent School Food Service workers and retired members. These are four-year terms that start in January 2026.
Wondering if you might be eligible? Here are the requirements:
- School Food Service: You must be an active TRSL member paid by school food service funds in order to seek election to the Board.
- Retirees: You must be retired by April 30, 2025, in order to seek election to the Board as a trustee for retired members.
To learn what’s involved in serving on the TRSL Board of Trustees, check out our resources.
- Read these FAQs about candidate requirements, serving on the board, time commitment for board trustees, and more.
- Watch a candidate webinar featuring TRSL Director Katherine Whitney.
- Experience a board meeting by attending one. Meeting dates are posted online.
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If retirement is just a hop, skip and a jump away, then you’re probably trying to
decide if DROP is right for you. In our latest video, we outline three important
factors you should consider.
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2025 Reading Library
The start of a new year is a great time to dive into your retirement. Best of all, our virtual library is always open.
Here are a few must reads available at www.TRSL.org:
- User’s Guide for New Members: If you’re new to TRSL, check out this brochure. You’ll learn how your future retirement benefit will be calculated, how to access your retirement account and more!
- Destination Retirement: Are you within five years of retirement or entering DROP? If so, you’ll want to read this guide that has a handy retirement checklist, answers to the most frequently asked questions and what happens if you decide to choose DROP.
- Sick Leave: Regardless of where you are on the road to retirement, you need to understand how unused sick leave can factor into your future benefit. Our guide will get you up to speed.
- Designating a Beneficiary: Learn about the benefits your loved ones may be eligible to receive upon your death.
- Purchases & Transfers: Finally, if you’re curious about how to increase your TRSL service credit so you can reach retirement a little quicker, you’ll want to read this guide
And, for those of you who want to see the numbers, we have several financial reports that might interest you.
- Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR): If you prefer a quicker read, this is the report for you. The PAFR is an abbreviated, eight-page summary of the 146-page comprehensive financial report.
- Annual Valuation Report: This actuarial report captures TRSL’s assets, liabilities and funding requirements as of June 30, 2024. It also provides the recommended contribution rates for employers for the upcoming school year.
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LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE
If your work odometer reads "Retiring Soon," make a quick detour to an individual retirement counseling session.
These informative, 30-minute sessions are designed for members within two years of zooming to retirement or entering DROP. It's a perfect drive to get one-on-one time with a TRSL representative to discuss all aspects of your retirement via Zoom.
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Mark your calendar for our 2025 Member
Webinars
Grab a hot drink and settle in for a webinar that
will fine tune your retirement knowledge. TRSL’s
retirement educators are leading sessions on
DROP, ILSB, leave credit, retirement options and
more.
Whether you’re nearing retirement or just started
your career, there’s a webinar that’s perfect for you.
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Explore the schedule and sign up today:
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How often should you check your Member Access account?
You wouldn’t embark on a cross country road
trip without looking at the route. The same
goes for retirement. Even if you have miles to
go until retirement, it’s a good idea to check
your TRSL retirement account online through Member Access at least once a year.
Here are three reasons why logging into Member Access should be an
annual habit:
1. Life is hectic. Raising a family is a full-time job, and you may have forgotten to add a new child as a beneficiary. Your designated beneficiaries are listed on your Member Account Statement, which is available in Member Access.
2. Life changes. Names change. Maybe you got married this year. Maybe you
got divorced. Maybe you moved. You can update your last name and/or your address online in Member Access.
3. Life is complicated. If you took a few weeks off between teaching jobs, you
may have what we call a “questionable year” flag in Member Access. You can easily clear this up by asking your employer to certify that year's service credit with TRSL. A regular review of your service credit for accuracy can help make the process of retiring and receiving your retirement benefit smooth sailing.
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PO Box 94123 | Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9123 US
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