A Illinois TRS member with 30 years of service and a $70k final average salary retires on about $3,850 a month at age 67 under the “Tier 2 (first contributed Jan 1, 2011 or later)” rules. That is 66.0% of salary. Amounts use the first unreduced age for each length of service. Tier 2 members need 10 years to qualify at all, and their salary average covers the best 8 consecutive years of the last 10, under a cap. Illinois teachers do not earn Social Security on TRS-covered pay.
Tier 1 (first contributed before Jan 1, 2011)
| Service | Age | % of salary | $50k | $60k | $70k | $80k | $90k | $100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yrs | 60 | 22.0% | $917 | $1,100 | $1,283 | $1,467 | $1,650 | $1,833 |
| 15 yrs | 60 | 33.0% | $1,375 | $1,650 | $1,925 | $2,200 | $2,475 | $2,750 |
| 20 yrs | 60 | 44.0% | $1,833 | $2,200 | $2,567 | $2,933 | $3,300 | $3,667 |
| 25 yrs | 60 | 55.0% | $2,292 | $2,750 | $3,208 | $3,667 | $4,125 | $4,583 |
| 30 yrs | 60 | 66.0% | $2,750 | $3,300 | $3,850 | $4,400 | $4,950 | $5,500 |
| 35 yrs | 55 | 75.0% | $3,125 | $3,750 | $4,375 | $5,000 | $5,625 | $6,250 |
Tier 2 (first contributed Jan 1, 2011 or later)
| Service | Age | % of salary | $50k | $60k | $70k | $80k | $90k | $100k |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yrs | 67 | 22.0% | $917 | $1,100 | $1,283 | $1,467 | $1,650 | $1,833 |
| 15 yrs | 67 | 33.0% | $1,375 | $1,650 | $1,925 | $2,200 | $2,475 | $2,750 |
| 20 yrs | 67 | 44.0% | $1,833 | $2,200 | $2,567 | $2,933 | $3,300 | $3,667 |
| 25 yrs | 67 | 55.0% | $2,292 | $2,750 | $3,208 | $3,667 | $4,125 | $4,583 |
| 30 yrs | 67 | 66.0% | $2,750 | $3,300 | $3,850 | $4,400 | $4,950 | $5,500 |
| 35 yrs | 67 | 75.0% | $3,125 | $3,750 | $4,375 | $5,000 | $5,625 | $6,250 |
Monthly amounts before tax, using the single-life payout. Salary columns are final average salary, not your last paycheck. Age is the first age with no early-retirement reduction for that service.
Retiring earlier or later
Retiring before the age shown means a smaller check for life, and waiting longer usually adds both service and, in some plans, a higher factor. The Illinois TRS retirement chart shows the percentage at every age from 55 to 67, and the Illinois TRS calculator runs your exact numbers.
What else adds to the check
Most Illinois TRS members do not pay into Social Security on this job, but any Social Security earned elsewhere now adds in full since the Fairness Act. See the pension and Social Security calculator for the combined total, and the COLA guide for how the check grows after you retire.