email : Webview : January 2020 LINKS: SPECIAL ISSUE "Pension Power"

LINKS SPECIAL EDITION - January 2020

Part 2 of a 3-part series

Is your financial security in retirement important to you?

Of course it is! Your retirement date may still be a bit down the road, but it’s never too early to prepare for your financial future.

As a TRSL member, you can take comfort in the fact that you are saving for retirement with every paycheck. Your TRSL membership guarantees you a lifetime income once you're eligible to retire.

Not all workers can say that these days. Income from some retirement plans is tied primarily to the ups and downs of the stock market. And, workers must make many critical and strategic investment decisions to grow and protect their retirement savings. For them, there’s little room for error with their financial futures at stake.

With TRSL, you have a defined benefit retirement plan. Your retirement will be a reliable source of income—even in uncertain economic times. You’ll have financial security and peace of mind.

So, how much will your TRSL benefit will be?

Income from TRSL's defined benefit retirement plan is based on your years of service, your final average salary, and a benefit factor (usually 2.5%).
It's not tied to global financial markets, like a 401(k) retirement plan.

Here's the formula TRSL uses to calculate your maximum monthly retirement benefit:

Learn more about your TRSL benefit here.

How is your TRSL benefit funded?

You and your employer contribute to your future retirement throughout your career. Your contributions are deducted from every paycheck. Your employer’s contribution is paid monthly and equals a certain percentage of your pay. These contributions are pooled and invested by the TRSL Board of Trustees and its investment professionals.

A bit more about investments: Defined benefit plans, like TRSL, are generally large, long-term investors with the ability to weather market swings better than individual investors. Additionally, as a $21 billion retirement fund, TRSL can negotiate lower money manager fees and consider investment opportunities not available to smaller funds or individual investors. These advantages help TRSL meet the long-term investment objectives necessary to provide lifetime benefits to members.

Find out more about TRSL's investments here and about the TRSL Board and your board representative here.

DID YOU KNOW... Your TRSL pension is part of your total employment compensation package. It's considered deferred compensation because you receive it after you stop working and retire.

Stability you can rely on

TRSL is the state's largest retirement system, and has served Louisiana educators for more than 80 years. Generations of members and their families have taken comfort in knowing that they have a reliable source of monthly income with TRSL. You will, too!

Benefits worth protecting

Your TRSL membership is an important part of your financial future. That's one reason why your TRSL retirement benefit is guaranteed by the Louisiana Constitution. And at TRSL, we're committed to protecting TRSL pensions for you and future Louisiana educators. We're ready to partner with you to LEARN MORE and DO MORE with your TRSL membership.