email : Webview : Member statements, new trustees, upcoming webinars, & more!

SEPTEMBER 2021

Take a peek at your NEW member statement

Your latest annual member statement is now available through TRSL’s secure Member Access. Your statement details salary, contributions, and service credit for fiscal year ended June 30, 2021. If you have at least five years of service credit and have not entered DROP, your statement will also show projected eligibility dates for retirement and starting DROP, as well as an estimate of your future benefit.

To view your statement, log into Member Access, and select “Member Account Statements” from the “My Account” drop-down menu at the top of the page.

If you are not yet registered for Member Access, click here to obtain a user ID and password.
If you have any problems registering or logging on, please contact TRSL’s Help Desk at 225-925-6446, ext. 6460 or toll free at 1-877-ASK-TRSL, ext. 6460. Help Desk hours are Mon-Fri, 8 AM to 4:30 PM.

Counseling appointments filling up

We continue to offer member counseling by appointment. If you’d like to schedule an appointment with a counselor, don’t delay! We are currently booking appointments for early 2022. To schedule a virtual or office counseling appointment, contact us:

Email: appointments@trsl.org
Phone: 225-925-6446, ext. 1446
Toll-free (outside Baton Rouge area): 1-877-ASK-TRSL, ext. 1446.

IMPORTANT: Members who visit the TRSL office without an appointment may experience longer wait times to speak with a counselor. While we strive to provide counseling to all visitors, there is no guarantee that a counselor will be available to meet with members without an appointment.

Applying for disability retirement just got easier

Online application for disability retirement is now available through Member Access. Once logged in, eligible members will see the “Apply for Disability Retirement” option under the “My Retirement” tab to begin the process.

In general, to be eligible for a disability retirement, a member must have acquired a permanent disability that prevents them from performing their normal job duties, and have the following years of service:

Regular Plan members with membership before January 1, 2011, and Plan B members – eligible with 5 years of service credit
Regular Plan members with membership on/after January 1, 2011 – eligible with 10 years of service credit (excluding service credit earned while on workers’ compensation)

For more information, check out TRSL’s Disability Retirement brochure. If you have questions, ASK TRSL, or call us at 225-925-6446 (toll free at 1-877-275-8775).

Two new trustees take oath of office

Suzanne Breaux and Sommer Purvis are the newest faces on the TRSL Board of Trustees. They took their oaths of office at the July board meeting.

Breaux, of Abbeville, is an educational diagnostician with the Vermilion Parish School Board. She represents actively working members in District 7, which includes Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Mary, and Vermilion parishes.

"I am excited about the opportunity to serve and take my responsibility seriously. I will act in good faith and with the best interests of our members always in mind."

Purvis, of Independence, is the Supervisor of Child Nutrition for Livingston Parish Public Schools. She represents active members paid with school food service funds. Purvis was elected without opposition to a four-year term that begins January 2022. The board appointed her to the position early to fill the remainder of the unexpired term of the former school food service trustee who resigned from the position last May.

“I have witnessed the hard work and dedication of school food service members, and I welcome the opportunity to serve with the same commitment and enthusiasm they serve our schools.”

Coming soon to a device near you...

For the continued health and safety of our members and staff, all of TRSL's fall workshops will be webinars. And there are plenty of upcoming dates and topics available. Learn more about your retirement! Check out the fall webinar schedule, and reserve your seat today!

Missed a webinar?

You can view recordings of all our webinars at your convenience. Find them all here.

In case you missed it... 2021 legislative session recap

No major bills affecting TRSL retirement eligibility criteria or benefits passed in the 2021 Regular Session.

That includes Senate Bill 22 which proposed to raise the retirement age for new hires to the higher of age 67 or the retirement age for Social Security. SB 22 passed in the Senate retirement committee, but was never called for a vote in the full Senate.

Here's a look at what did make its way through the legislative process.

Act 37 grants a permanent benefit increase (PBI) to certain TRSL retirees whose monthly benefits fall below $1,450. The benefit increase also extends to beneficiaries and survivors of retirees who met or would have met the eligibility criteria by June 30, 2021.

House Concurrent Resolution 7 requests that Congress review and eliminate or reduce the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) Social Security benefit reductions. Despite passage of this resolution in the state legislature, congressional action is required to change these federal laws.

Act 120 makes a supplemental appropriation of $18.6 million to the TRSL initial unfunded accrued liability (IUAL) from a portion of the FY 2019-20 surplus funds in the state treasury.

Act 138 requires all new employees of the Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA), current LSBA employees with at least five years of TRSL service credit, and the LSBA director to become members of TRSL. Prior to the enactment of this legislation, LSBA employees were members of the Parochial Employees’ Retirement System of Louisiana (PERS).

For more information, visit the Legislation page of our website.

TRSL forms get a makeover

Now, there's easy-to-find submission instructions and enhanced fillable features that will help you accurately complete all the TRSL forms you need. Easy peasy! For your convenience, all TRSL forms are available on our website.

Pro tips on updating information and TRSL forms:

Name and/or address changes – Don't forget to update your name and address with TRSL; sometimes employers don't pass on this information to us. You can update your name and address through Member Access, or by submitting the appropriate form(s) directly to TRSL.
Retirement and beneficiary forms – It’s especially important to submit these forms in a timely manner. We strongly encourage members to submit their own retirement-related form(s) directly to TRSL—don’t leave it in the hands of a friend or employer. Additionally, as noted on the beneficiary form, please submit the original form. Copies, faxes, scans, and electronic signatures are not accepted.

NOTE: Some forms, like the application for refund of member contributions, require employer certification and/or information. These forms can be submitted by employers once they are complete.

Pension power: The value of your TRSL benefit

Did you know… Your TRSL membership guarantees you lifetime income once you’re eligible to retire. And, unlike 401(k) retirement plans, your benefit is not tied to the ups and downs of financial markets. Instead, as a defined benefit (DB) plan, TRSL uses your years of service, your final average salary, and a benefit factor to determine your retirement benefit.

Curious about your future benefit?

Three ways to find out more about your financial future

Online calculators: Create an estimate with the online calculator in Member Access.
Member statement: Refer to your member statement in Member Access for benefit estimate information (if you joined a state public retirement system on/after January 1, 2011, and have at least five years of service)
Benefit estimate request form: Submit Form 10. Estimate requests may take up to eight weeks to process.

Member Access:

Need to register? Click here to sign up.
Need help registering or logging on? Contact TRSL’s Help Desk.