Social Security and STRS Ohio

Do Ohio teachers get Social Security?

Not for their teaching. Ohio public employees don't take part in Social Security for their government service; their retirement comes from a state system, which for teachers is STRS Ohio. Any Social Security you have comes from other work or a spouse's record, and only the Social Security Administration can tell you what it is. LSC p. 2

So your STRS Ohio pension is your main retirement income from teaching. The STRS Ohio calculator (filled in here with a $80,000 salary, retiring at 60 with 30 years) shows what it would pay, and the benefit table shows the percent of salary at every age and year of service.

Medicare at 65

Not paying Social Security tax on your teaching doesn't take Medicare off the table: STRS Ohio's own health plans assume you'll be on it. These are the rules from STRS Ohio's brochures. Health care itself needs at least 20 years of service if you retire now; the retiree health care guide has the premiums and the subsidy by years of service.

• STRS Ohio requires everyone on its medical plans to enroll in Medicare at 65, or earlier if eligible. Medicare Part B is required; Part A is required too if you can get it premium-free. If you decline either, you lose STRS Ohio medical coverage.Plan Summary, pp. 22-23
• Teachers still working when they become eligible for Medicare may delay enrolling while covered by an employer health plan, but must sign up by the date STRS Ohio medical coverage begins and send STRS Ohio proof of enrollment.Preparing for Retirement, pp. 6-7
• Under Ohio law the STRS Ohio board may, but doesn't have to, reimburse Medicare Part B premiums. In 2026 STRS Ohio's Medicare plan premiums are reduced by a $30 monthly Part B credit.LSC p. 5; 2026 Monthly Premiums

Buying service credit for other work

If you worked in a job that paid into Social Security, that alone usually doesn't stop you buying STRS Ohio credit for it. The details and limits are on the buying service credit page.

• Service credit you buy can't be work that is already counted in another benefit or annuity, but Social Security doesn't count for this rule. Ohio school board service is the exception: it can't be bought if Social Security contributions were made on it.Plan Summary, pp. 16-17 and 18-19

What to ask the Social Security Administration

The STRS Ohio brochures saved for this site don't explain how Social Security treats an STRS Ohio pension, so we don't state a rule here. Questions worth taking to SSA, with your own record in hand:

• How many Social Security work credits you have from jobs outside Ohio public schools, and what they pay.
• Whether a spouse's or former spouse's record gives you a benefit, and how your STRS Ohio pension is counted.
• Whether you qualify for premium-free Medicare Part A on your own or a spouse's work, which decides whether STRS Ohio requires Part A.

• Check with STRS OhioOhio teachers don't pay into Social Security for their STRS Ohio work. If you have Social Security from other work, ask the Social Security Administration how your STRS Ohio pension affects it.LSC p. 2STRS Ohio's Social Security page couldn't be saved and no brochure covers it (needsValidation social-security-details).
• STRS Ohio's Retiree Series meetings have included Social Security among their topics.Plan Summary, pp. 50-51

Related: taxes on your STRS Ohio pension and leaving teaching.

Questions