We are nearing the end of our retirement season. May 31 is the deadline for active members to apply to enter T-DROP or apply for a July 1 retirement date. If a member submits their retirement application after May 31, it will delay their effective retirement date until the following month. But for T-DROP, if a member does not meet the deadline, they must wait until next year to enter T-DROP.
Deciding whether to retire or enter T-DROP is a major life decision that can trigger some strong emotions and even stress. We want to make it easy for you by ensuring that you have all the information and support you need to choose what is best for you and your family. So, if you are thinking about retiring or entering T-DROP, I encourage you to check out our updated Member Retirement Planner. It includes important information about eligibility for retirement and T-DROP and walks you through the application process. You can find the Member Retirement Planner at the top of our Publications page at this link: https://www.artrs.gov/publications
You are also encouraged to talk with one of our retirement counselors on the phone, on a Zoom call, or in person at our office. Our counselors can walk you through your options, provide precise benefit estimates, and help you consider the financial impact of retiring or remaining employed. To chat with a counselor or schedule an appointment, please call us at (501) 682-1517, or email us at info@artrs.gov.
A couple of other points to remember if you are considering retirement or T-DROP:
- ATRS has made it easy and convenient for you to apply for retirement or T-DROP online via your member portal account. You must be vested and at least age 60, or have 28 years of service credit, to apply online for retirement or T-DROP. Otherwise, you will need to submit a paper application.
- You are responsible for sending us your retirement or T-DROP application on time. Never assume that your school business office will send us the application for you, because that’s not their job.
- As I mentioned in my email earlier this year, the United States Postal Service has changed how and when they postmark mail, and you can no longer assume that mail will be postmarked on the day you drop it in the mailbox. If you are mailing us a paper application, be sure to take it inside the Post Office and ask their staff to postmark it for you, or better yet, send it via Priority Mail or Certified Mail so that you have proof you mailed it and you can track it to ensure that it reaches us. Items must be postmarked by May 31, 2026.
2026 Legislative Fiscal Session
The Arkansas Legislature has now completed work for the 2026 Fiscal Session. Legislators were in Little Rock in session for a total of three weeks. Fortunately, no bills were introduced that would have affected our retirement benefits or our Board’s independence. The only legislation affecting ATRS was our appropriation bill, which is the bill passed each year that authorizes us to pay your benefits. Our appropriation bill was SB17. It passed both the House and Senate with no negative votes, and the Governor signed it into law on April 22.
Even though we have just finished the Fiscal Session, planning is already underway for the next Regular Legislative Session that begins in January. I am working with our staff to evaluate what needs to be addressed in new legislation. We know of some tweaks that may need to be made to better serve our members. If there is an ATRS issue you would like to see addressed in legislation, please feel free to drop me a note at MarkW@artrs.gov.
Finally, I know the end of the school year is in sight for our actively working members. Thank you for all that you have done this year to support public education and ensure that our state’s children are being well educated and prepared for our future. We at ATRS are so proud to serve the Arkansans who do some of the most important work in our State – educating future generations!
If you have any questions about your retirement options or need information or advice, please contact one of our experienced retirement counselors by calling (501) 682-1517 or emailing info@artrs.gov. For questions or concerns about the System overall, please feel free to contact me directly at the email address or phone numbers below.
Mark White
Executive Director, ATRS
MarkW@artrs.gov
Office: (501) 621-8853
Cell: (501) 541-2057