substitutes-paras-coaches-and-part-time

Substitutes, Paras, Coaches, and Part-time

TRS Participation

Substitute teachers, part-time teachers' aides, coaches, and part-time educators are able to participate in TRS from their first day of employment.

Once an individual in a TRS-reportable position, who is not currently a member of the Montana University System Retirement Program, works at least 30 days or 210 hours in a single school year, participation becomes mandatory. 

Only substitute teachers, part-time teachers' aides, or paraprofessionals may elect to postpone TRS membership until they reach this threshold. 

FAQs

If you participate in TRS on your first day of employment, you will accrue service credit for every hour you work. Those who accrue 5.0 years of service credit are vested and will be eligible for a monthly retirement benefit when they reach retirement age.

If you choose not to participate on your first day, you will not earn service credit for the first 210 hours you work.

Once the threshold is exceeded in a single fiscal year, then you become a TRS member and your employer (and any subsequent employers with TRS-reportable positions) must report all service provided in subsequent years.

You have two options:

1) Leave the contributions on account with TRS. If you work in another Montana TRS-reportable position in the future, those future contributions will be contributed to this TRS account. This option is also available to those who never work for another Montana TRS-reportable position again.

2) Withdraw all of the contributions you paid plus interest from TRS. If you do not intend to work in a TRS-reportable position in the future, this may be an optimal option for you. 

Please ensure you read more about withdrawing funds prior to choosing this option.

If you are not already a member of TRS, your employer will determine if the extra duties (coaching) will exceed the threshold for mandatory TRS participation. This is 30 days or 210 hours in a single fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). If the threshold will be met, the employer must report all service to TRS.

The answer is no.

Only substitute teachers and part-time teachers' aides/paraprofessionals are allowed to elect to postpone TRS membership until the threshold of mandatory participation is reached.