Who is eligible for ORP (Optional Retirement Program)?
Full-time faculty, librarians, and certain professionals and administrators may elect the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) in lieu of TRS within 90 days of becoming eligible. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is responsible for eligibility rules, which can be found at: http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/. I am in ORP. Does the “rule of 80” apply to me? Yes, it does. The “rule of 80” is a Teachers Retirement System rule which states that a member qualifies for an unreduced standard annuity when your age and years of service equal 80. At this time, the TRS member may apply at the Benefits Office for the TRS annuity. For example, if you are 54 years old with 26 years of eligible service, you can retire from Collin College with an unreduced annuity. This rule also applies to ORP participants. This means you can enroll in health benefits regardless of age, if age and years of service equal 80. There are certain precautions if you wish to access your ORP account before age 55, despite
