Department of Retirement (DRS)

www.drs.wa.gov

New Employee Planning

In general, employees who work ½ time or more in a hired position are required to be a member of one of the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) Plans. 

New and returning employees need to use the New Hire Plan Enrollment Form to enroll in a PERS, TRS, or SERS retirement plan. Submit this form to your employer within 90 days of your start date.  

Employees will automatically be enrolled in the default plan (TRS/SERS Plan 2) if they fail to return an enrollment form to the Payroll & Benefits Department within 90 days (video).

Plan Choice Video

Choose a plan (FAQ)

New Hire Plan Enrollment Forms

Customer Contact

For Certificated Staff

TRS Plan 2 Handbook  or  TRS Plan 3 Handbook

For Classified Staff

SERS Plan 2 Handbook  or  SERS Plan 3 Handbook 

Current Members

To access your personal retirement account with DRS, you will need to sign up for online account access. This access will allow you to review your retirement account as well as your service credit, contributions, and beneficiary information.

DRS Member Login

DRS also offers a Deferred Compensation Program (DCP) that you can set up to supplement your retirement with tax-deferred savings.  Here are links to the DRS website for more information. 

What is DCP?

DCP Enrollment (Quick Enrollment)

For recommendations on 403(b) and 457 plans, contact your financial planner.

Planning to Retire

Retiring is a very important step and requires planning. Consider the following to help you gather the information that will help you prepare for the next stage in your life.

Department of Retirement Services Website 

1. Attend a DRS Retirement Webinar

DRS offers workshops and all-day seminars covering various aspects of retiring a couple of times during the year. Seating is limited, and these workshops/seminars fill up quickly.  Visit the DRS Website to register.

2. Meet with a Financial Planner to get professional advice.

If you plan to retire in the next few months, notify Human Resources and Payroll Department immediately.

Applications for pension retirement are only available to customers who qualify for retirement. 

When you are within one year of retiring, you must request an official benefit estimate from DRS before online retirement or a paper application is available to you.  

Review your plan information or contact DRS to see if you qualify for retirement.

Retiring with DRS

Retirement Planning Checklist

Q & A

I am a substitute.  Do I get retirement credit?

You may be eligible to purchase retirement credit for your service as a substitute.  For requirements for obtaining Retirement Service Credit, click on either the TRS Substitute Guide for Certificated Staff or the SERS Substitute Guide for Classified Staff. For further information, contact the District's retirement staff listed above or click on the DRS website for the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems site.

How do I set up a Social Security Account?

The Social Security Administration has a website where you can keep track of your earnings, get an estimate of your future benefits, apply for Medicare, apply for Social Security benefits when you retire, and more.

What is PEBB retiree insurance?

There are eligibility and procedural requirements that must be met to ensure the employee may enroll in or defer retiree insurance coverage.

Procedural requirements include PEBB receiving a retiree enrollment form no later than 60 days after the employee’s employer-paid or Continuation Coverage ends.

The determination of eligibility for retiree coverage is made by PEBB staff and is based on their eligibility to separate or retire under their DRS retirement plan as well as the timely receipt of the enrollment form. (WAC 182-12-171 and WAC 182-12-200)

There is also information about retirement on the PEBB website at www.hca.wa.gov/pebb and in the Retiree Enrollment Guide.