UWA is part of the Teacher Retirement System of Alabama (TRS).  As a full-time employee, you are required to participate in the TRS, which provides one of the best retirement programs in the nation for employees. Seven and one-half percent of an employee’s salary for Tier 1 employees and 6.2% for Tier 2 employees, is deducted from each payroll check for this purpose. After 10 years, employees are vested in the retirement account.

Learn more about the Retirement Systems of Alabama.

Retirement Systems of Alabama

Employer Contributions

Effective January 1, 2013, TRS will identify the retirement benefit plan as Tier 1 and Tier 2 based on the member’s hire date. 

Tier 1 Employee

  • Date of employment prior to January 1, 2013
  • Member contribution rates are 7.5% regular employee, 8.5% FLC employee
  • Retirement eligibility with 25 years of service at any age or 10 years of service at age 60
  • A member with at least 10 years of creditable service may apply for disability
  • Members have a vested status after accumulating 10 years of creditable service
  • Sick leave conversion allowed for service retirement but not to meet the 10 years required for vesting
  • FLC bonus year allowed
  • Average final salary is average of the highest three years out of the last ten years
  • Formula = Average final salary x Service Credit x 2.0125%/12 = Monthly retirement benefit

Tier 2 Employee

  • Date of employment on or after January 1, 2013 (with no prior service credit)
  • Member contribution rates are 6% regular employee, 7% FLC employee
  • No 25-year retirement benefits
  • Retirement benefits for regular members with at least 10 years of service at age 62
  • Retirement benefits for FLC members with at least 10 years of service at age 56
  • Members have a vested status after accumulating 10 years of creditable service
  • New disability standards for new hires
  • No sick leave conversion
  • No bonus years for FLC
  • Average final salary is average of the highest five years out of the last ten years
  • Formula = Average final salary x Service Credit x 1.65%/12 = Monthly retirement benefit 

Additional Retirement Plan Options

RSA-1 Deferred Compensation (457 Plan)

In addition to TRS, you have the option to enroll in the RSA-1 Deferred Compensation Plan.

As a supplement to other retirement benefits or savings that you may have, this voluntary plan allows you to save and invest extra money for retirement, tax-deferred. Not only will you defer taxes immediately, but your contributions and any earnings will also grow on a tax-deferred basis as well. 

To enroll in the RSA-1 Deferred Compensation Plan, log in on Tiger Hub using your UWA email address and password. Under Everyday Tools, click eForms. Under New Hire Resources fill out the form titled RSA-1 Deferred Compensation Plan Enrollment. Click Submit.

VALIC (Plans 457(b) & 403(b))

Learn more about VALIC and Corebridge Financial at https://www.corebridgefinancial.com/rs.

View the brochure.