When you can retire
| Retirement date | Unreduced | Reduced |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-06 to 5/1/2035 | Any age with 32 years, or 65 with 5 | Any age with 27 years, or 60 with 5 |
| 2035-06 to 5/1/2037 | Any age with 33 years, or 65 with 5 | Any age with 28 years, or 60 with 5 |
| 2037-06 to and later | Any age with 34 years, or 65 with 5 | Any age with 29 years, or 60 with 5 |
Once you qualify for a reduced or unreduced benefit, you keep that eligibility even if the requirements rise later. Your benefit uses the laws, rules and formulas in effect when your retirement starts. Eligibility Requirements web page, Service retirement benefits; Plans of Payment, p. 1 Retiring before 20 years also means no STRS Ohio retiree health care; see retiree health care.
The board reviews benefits every year. The board and its actuary will review benefits again no later than spring 2027. Plan Summary, pp. 4-5
How much less, retiring June 1, 2025-May 1, 2035
Percent less than the unreduced 2.2% per year, read from STRS Ohio's benefit calculation table. Blank means not eligible at that age.
| Years | Age 55 | Age 58 | Age 60 | Age 62 | Age 64 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | — | — | 36% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 10 | — | — | 36% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 20 | — | — | 36% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 25 | — | — | 36% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 27 | 36% less | 36% less | 36% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 28 | 30% less | 30% less | 30% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 29 | 24% less | 24% less | 24% less | 24% less | 9% less |
| 30 | 17% less | 17% less | 17% less | 17% less | 9% less |
| 31 | 9% less | 9% less | 9% less | 9% less | 9% less |
In dollars
With a $80,000 final average salary, retiring July 1, 2026 (our own examples, read from the table):
- Age 55, 27 years: $2,533 a month, 36% less than unreduced.
- Age 55, 30 years: $3,653 a month, 17% less than unreduced.
- Age 58, 30 years: $3,653 a month, 17% less than unreduced.
- Age 60, 30 years: $3,653 a month, 17% less than unreduced.
- Age 55, 32 years: $4,693 a month, unreduced.
The full tables, including those for retirements from June 2035 and June 2037, are on the benefit table page.
STRS Ohio's tables show reduced benefits only for whole years of service and whole ages. Your real benefit counts the part year too.
For a reduced benefit we read the table at your whole years and whole age, and apply that cut to 2.2% of your exact service. That's usually a little low.
Plan Summary, pp. 22-23; Plans of Payment, pp. 30-31What the brochures say
- For retirements from June 1, 2025 through May 1, 2035, you can retire with an unreduced benefit at any age with 32 years of service, or at age 65 with 5 years.Plan Summary, pp. 4-5 and 14-15; Plans of Payment, p. 1; Eligibility Requirements web page
- From June 1, 2035 through May 1, 2037 it's 33 years (or 65 with 5). From June 1, 2037 it's 34 years (or 65 with 5).Plan Summary, pp. 4-5
- In 2026 the board extended the 32-year rule five years, to May 1, 2035 (it had been May 1, 2030). The board and its actuary will review benefits again by spring 2027.Plan Summary, pp. 4-5
- Once you qualify for a reduced or unreduced benefit, you keep that eligibility even if the requirements go up later.Eligibility Requirements web page; Plans of Payment, p. 1
- Earlier requirements for an unreduced benefit: 30 years through July 1, 2015; 31 years Aug. 2015 - July 2017; 32 years Aug. 2017 - July 2019; 33 years Aug. 2019 - July 2021; 34 years Aug. 2021 - May 2025.AV 2025, pp. 66, 68, App. C §2
- Ohio law still prints a 35-year requirement, but the law lets the STRS Ohio board set these requirements, and the board's schedule is the one STRS Ohio uses.ORC 3307.58(B)(1)(c)(vi)-(vii), (B)(3); Plan Summary, pp. 4-5
- Your retirement starts on the first day of a month: the month after the latest of your last day of work, the day you meet the age and service requirement, or certification of service you're buying.Plans of Payment, pp. 2-3, Retirement effective date
- The age 60 and 65 routes need 5.00 years of qualifying service credit: STRS Ohio, OPERS or SERS service, restored credit, and some transferred credit.Plan Summary, pp. 4-5, footnote; Eligibility Requirements web page
- For retirements from June 1, 2025 through May 1, 2035, you can retire with a reduced benefit at any age with 27 years of service, or at age 60 with 5 years. It's 28 years from June 2035 and 29 years from June 2037.Plan Summary, pp. 4-5 and 14-15; Plans of Payment, p. 1
- A reduced benefit is cut to reflect the longer time you'll be paid. STRS Ohio prints the result in its benefit calculation tables: the percent of final average salary you get at each whole age and whole year of service.Plans of Payment, pp. 2-3 and 32-35; Plan Summary, pp. 24-27
- The tables use whole years. Partial years count in your real benefit, and the table figures are exact only if you have enough service for an unreduced benefit or you're 65 or older.Plan Summary, pp. 22-23
- Check with STRS OhioFor a reduced benefit with part years, this site applies the table's cut for your whole years to 2.2% of your exact service. STRS Ohio doesn't print how part years are reduced.Plan Summary, pp. 22-23The tables cover whole years only; STRS Ohio's exact method for part years isn't published (needsValidation reduced-partial-years).
Questions
How much does STRS Ohio reduce my pension if I retire early?
It depends on how far you are from an unreduced benefit. In STRS Ohio's 2025-2035 table, 27 years at age 55 gives 38% of final average salary instead of 59.4%: about 36% less, for life.
What's the earliest I can retire?
For retirements through 5/1/2035: any age with 27 years of service, or age 60 with 5 years. Both are reduced.
If the rules change, do I lose my eligibility?
No. Once you qualify for a reduced or unreduced benefit, you keep that eligibility even if the requirements rise.
Source: STRS Ohio, Understanding Your STRS Ohio Benefits: Plan Summary, 2026|2027 (form 20-101, Aug. 2026), pp. 4-5, 14-15, 16-17, 22-27, 22-23, 24-25, 24-27. Also: STRS Ohio Service Retirement and Plans of Payment (Defined Benefit Plan), 2026|2027 (form 15-126, 6/26), pp. 1, 2-3, 30-35, 32-33, 32-35. Also: STRS Ohio Eligibility Requirements, Saved by the user Nov. 12, 2026. Also: STRS Ohio Benefit Calculation Table (June 1, 2025-May 1, 2035), Saved by the user Nov. 12, 2026. Background: STRS Ohio Actuarial Valuation as of June 30, 2025 (Cheiron); Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3307. Last reviewed .