- Tier 1: you can retire with 20 or more years of creditable service at any age, or at age 55 with 10 or more years. Tier 2: at age 60 with at least 10 years.Ready for Retirement 2026 p. 31, Appendix A; MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS'
- If your membership date is before January 1, 1978, you can retire at age 55 with no minimum service, and you don't have to be an active member to apply.MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS', FAQ 'When will I be eligible'
- You can retire on any day of the year. If you retire at the end of a school year that ends in June, you must use June 30. If you retire on your birthday, use that exact day.Ready for Retirement 2026 p. 11 and p. 38, Appendix D; MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS'
- Massachusetts has no separate early-retirement penalty. Retiring younger simply means a smaller age factor: for Tier 1 it rises 0.1% a year from 1.5% at 55 to 2.5% at 65 (and drops 0.1% a year below 55, down to 0.1% at 41, if you retire with 20 years). For Tier 2 it rises from 1.45% at 60 (1.625% with 30 years) to 2.5% at 67.Ready for Retirement 2026 p. 34, Option A age factor table; M.G.L. c. 32, § 10(1)
Tier 1: 25 years on a $80,000 salary average
| Retire at | % of salary age factor | Yearly | vs. 65 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 37.5%0.015 | $30,000 | −40% |
| 56 | 40%0.016 | $32,000 | −36% |
| 57 | 42.5%0.017 | $34,000 | −32% |
| 58 | 45%0.018 | $36,000 | −28% |
| 59 | 47.5%0.019 | $38,000 | −24% |
| 60 | 50%0.020 | $40,000 | −20% |
| 61 | 52.5%0.021 | $42,000 | −16% |
| 62 | 55%0.022 | $44,000 | −12% |
| 63 | 57.5%0.023 | $46,000 | −8% |
| 64 | 60%0.024 | $48,000 | −4% |
| 65 | 62.5%0.025 | $50,000 | top |
Tier 2: 25 years on a $80,000 salary average
| Retire at | % of salary age factor | Yearly | vs. 67 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 36.25%0.0145 | $29,000 | −42% |
| 61 | 40%0.016 | $32,000 | −36% |
| 62 | 43.75%0.0175 | $35,000 | −30% |
| 63 | 47.5%0.019 | $38,000 | −24% |
| 64 | 51.25%0.0205 | $41,000 | −18% |
| 65 | 55%0.022 | $44,000 | −12% |
| 66 | 58.75%0.0235 | $47,000 | −6% |
| 67 | 62.5%0.025 | $50,000 | top |
Our engine on MTRS's age factor table (regular formula, Option A). "vs. 65" and "vs. 67" show how much less this is than the same service would pay at the top age. Ready for Retirement 2026, p. 8 and p. 34, Option A age factor table; p. 31, Appendix A; MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS', FAQ 'What is my retirement benefit based on?'; M.G.L. c. 32, § 10(1); Ready for Retirement 2026, p. 34, Option A age factor table; p. 31, Appendix A; M.G.L. c. 32, § 5(2)(a) (second table: members on or after April 2, 2012 with at least 30 years)
Tier 1 before 55
With 20 or more years, Tier 1 members can retire at any age. Below 55 the age factor keeps falling: Below 55 (only possible with 20+ years): the age-55 factor less 0.001 for each year the age at last birthday is under 55. That's 0.010 at 50, so 20 years at 50 is 20% of your salary average. Ready for Retirement 2026, p. 8 and p. 34, Option A age factor table; p. 31, Appendix A; MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS', FAQ 'What is my retirement benefit based on?'; M.G.L. c. 32, § 10(1)
If your effective membership date is before January 1, 1978, you are eligible to retire upon reaching age 55; there is no minimum service requirement, and you need not be an active member to apply. MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS', FAQ 'When will I be eligible'; M.G.L. c. 32, § 5(1)(m)
If, on your retirement date, you will be under age 55 and married to a retiree of a Massachusetts contributory retirement system, and on November 1, 2003 both of you were members of a Massachusetts contributory retirement system, you are eligible for a superannuation allowance using the age factor for age 55. Ready for Retirement 2026, p. 13, sample Retirement Application Part 1, Section 2, line m
If you leave before you can retire
With at least 10 years of creditable service when you leave, you may leave your funds on account and apply for a retirement allowance at age 55 (Tier 1) or 60 (Tier 2). Tier 1 members with 20 or more years may retire at any age. M.G.L. c. 32, § 5(1)(m); MTRS web page 'Leaving MTRS service prior to retirement' See Leaving teaching.
If your job is eliminated (Tier 1)
Tier 1 only: with at least 20 years, if your position is eliminated or you are not reappointed (completely involuntary, no moral turpitude, no refused comparable offer). The allowance is one-third of the highest-3-year average plus an annuity based on your age and account balance. MTRS web page 'Retiring from the MTRS', Involuntary Termination; Ready for Retirement 2026, p. 31; M.G.L. c. 32, § 10(2)(a) We don't estimate it.
See your own age factor and dates in the calculator, or what one more year adds.
Questions
Does MTRS reduce my pension for retiring early?
There's no separate early-retirement penalty. The age factor is lower at younger ages, so the same service pays less: with 25 years in Tier 1, retiring at 55 gives 37.5% of your salary average and at 65 gives 62.5%.
How early can I retire from MTRS?
Tier 1: with 20 years at any age, or at 55 with 10 years. Tier 2: at 60 with 10 years.
Source: MTRS Ready for Retirement reference guide, 2026, pp. 8, 11, 13, 31, 32, 33, 34, 38. Also: MTRS web pages 'Retiring from the MTRS', 'Leaving MTRS service prior to retirement'; M.G.L. c. 32, §§ 5, 10. Last reviewed .