Purchase Service Credit

TRSL uses service credit to (1) determine when you are eligible to retire, and (2) calculate your retirement benefit. Purchasing service credit can increase your retirement benefit or enable you to retire sooner.

Purchases and Transfers of Service Credit

• You can purchase service credit only for periods of time for which you do not already have TRSL service credit.
• You can purchase up to one year of TRSL service credit for any one fiscal year, which begins July 1 and ends June 30.
• All years must be certified by employers before a cost can be calculated.
• Payments for purchases of any service credit must be made in one lump sum or by a rollover of funds (excluding military purchases and USERRA, which have the option to pay via installments not to exceed 36 months).
• Most service credit purchases must be completed before you retire or enter the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP). The two exceptions to this requirement are purchasing service credit for unused sick or annual leave or military service under provisions of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).
• Special provisions apply for each of the various types of service credit available for purchase.

For all purchases, except refunded service credit and USERRA service credit, members will need to submit a nonrefundable calculation fee for TRSL’s actuary. Additional cost calculations are $50 each. This fee may be paid by personal check, cashier’s check, certified check, or money order made payable to "TEACHERS' RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF LOUISIANA" and should accompany the application.