Purchasable Service Credit
There are numerous types of service credit that may be purchased to increase your retirement benefit. Some are treated the same as actual Connecticut public school teaching service and some are considered as Non-Connecticut. It is your responsibility to document additional credited service on the appropriate form(s). Lack of the required information requested on the appropriate additional credit forms will cause delays in processing a cost statement. Forms are listed below and available on the Active/Inactive Teacher Forms page.
- Additional credit is calculated on a school year basis (September through June), including military service. No credit is given for July and August.
- Substitute service and Part-time service (less than 50%) requires that a member work at least the equivalent of 40 days or more in a single school year in a single school system. For each 18 days of such service 1 month of additional credited service shall be given.
- A member may purchase up to 10 years of additional service in aggregate except for Outside State Teaching Service (OSS).
- A member may be allowed one year of OSS (United States, it territories or possessions) for each two years of active full-time service as a Connecticut teacher. Any OSS years purchased in excess of ten years are purchased at full actuarial value.
- A maximum of three years of Peacetime Military service; 10 years of Wartime Military service.
- Leaves of absence are limited to one year for every five years of full-time Connecticut teaching service and no more than a maximum of three consecutive years.
- A maximum of two years of Federal Teacher Corps Service.
- State of Connecticut Employment in a non-teaching position must be a full-time permanent position.
- Part-time lecturing when not employed by a town Board of Education in a regular public school teaching position.
Private schools or institutions and parochial school service is not purchasable credit.
Service credit may not be purchased if the member is receiving or is, or will become, entitled to receive a retirement benefit based upon such service from any governmental system other than the Connecticut Teachers' Retirement System, the U.S. Social Security System Administration, or a Non-Regular military pension in the case of military service.
| CONNECTICUT SERVICE | |
| Type of Service Credit | Documentation Required |
| Adult Education Assignments – High School Credit Diploma Program Only – Not GED | Adult Education Assignments Form |
| Hourly Paid Certified Teaching Service (Tutoring, CETA, etc) | Hourly Paid Certified Teacher Form |
| Part-time Lecturer | Part-Time Lecturer Form |
| Part-time Service (less than 50%) | Less than Half-time CT Public School Employment Form |
| Previous Absence or Terminations Due to Pregnancy | Special Rules For Absences Due to Maternity |
| Previous Leave of Absence | Previous Leave of Absence Form |
| Previous Leave of Absence for Child Rearing Purposes When Not Granted by CT Local School District | Child Rearing Leave of Absence - Special Board Policy |
| Prior CT Service Withdrawn | Prior Connecticut Teaching Service Buy Back Request Form |
| State of CT Employment - Teaching (UCONN, colleges, CTHSS, State of CT agencies, i.e. DOC, DMR) | State of Connecticut Employment Teaching Form |
| Substitute Teaching | Substitute Teaching Service Form |
| Wartime Military Service | Discharge Papers (DD214)Request Military Service Records |
2. Previous Teaching Service in Connecticut - These types of service are considered as membership credit. The cost is determined by using what mandatory contributions would have been paid at the time of employment plus the credited interest that would have accrued through the date of payment. You cannot use the Additional Service Credit Cost Estimator for these types of service:
-
Prior Connecticut Service
This is service you forfeited when you withdrew your contributions. -
Hourly Paid Certified Teaching Service
If you have Tutor, Title One, Chapter IV, Head Start, ESL or CETA service. -
Adult Education Assignments
If you taught in an Adult High School Credit Diploma Program. -
State of CT Employment as a Teacher
Previous teaching at UCONN, State Colleges, CTHSS, State of CT Agencies such as DOC, DMR. -
Part-time Lecturer
If you were an active contributing member of TRB and also were employed as a part-time lecturer at a CT State College or University, you may elect to include such earnings as part of your pensionable salary. Please be advised if you are currently working as a regular public school teacher and a part-time lecturer, you need to contact the university or college payroll office regarding your eligibility to enroll in CTRB and include your earnings as part of your pensionable salary, which may have an effect in determining your highest 3-year average at the time of your retirement.