Habersham County School District's retirement program is made up of four (4) parts - Teachers Retirement System (TRS), Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS), Tax Sheltered Annuity plans, and Social Security.  

TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM OF GEORGIA

TRS covers all teaching, administrative, clerical and other professional personnel. Teachers Retirement System eligible employees contribute 6% of their gross monthly salary to TRS.  In addition, the BOE contributes 21.14% of your gross salary to your TRS account.

Please click on this link for TRS information: www.trsga.com/active-member 

Have you been with TRS less than 5 years? Click on this link: New Hire

Have you been with TRS between 5 and 24 years? Click on this link: Mid-Career

Have you been with TRS 25 years or more? Click on this link: Pre-Retirement Members

Ready To Retire under TRS? Click on this link for the TRS Retirement Process:  I'm Ready to Retire

PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM

PSERS covers all non-TRS employees including bus drivers, food service, maintenance, warehouse and custodial employees.  PSERS employees contribute $10.00 per month September through May (applies to employees hired after 7/1/2012).  The Board has established a voluntary Supplemental Retirement Plan for PSERS employees that will match some employee contributions.

Click on this link for PSERS information: Public School Employees Retirement System

Ready to Retire under PSERS? Click on this link and then click Active Members: PSERS Forms

TAX-SHELTERED ANNUITY PLANS

Two plan options are available for benefits-eligible employees:  403(b) account, 457(b) accounts.  Participation in tax-sheltered annuity plans is voluntary and is open to all benefits-eligible employees (those employees who work 20 hours or more per week).   Since participation in tax sheltered annuity plans is voluntary, benefits-eligible employees may make changes to their plan(s) at their discretion (subject to IRS rules and regulations) during the calendar year by contacting the specific plan representative or plan home office and submitting written authorization of changes to the HCSD Payroll Department. 

Universal Availability requires an employer to give notice to employees of their right to make elective deferrals to tax sheltered annuities.  To ensure compliance with this requirement, HCSD offers an Annual Open Enrollment period for employee benefits during which benefits-eligible employees may make such elections and/or changes to their tax sheltered annuity plan(s).  Open Enrollment typically runs for a period of 3-4 weeks from mid-October to mid-November.    

Employees participating in voluntary tax sheltered annuities must understand and accept HCSD is not an investment advisor and hereby further agree to hold HCSD harmless for any errors and omissions with respect to these plans.    

SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security replaces about 40 percent of an average wage earner's income after retiring.  The BOE contributes 6.2% of pay and the employee contributes another 6.2% of pay to fund your Social Security benefits. Please see Social Security - Understanding the Benefits document below.

Please email benefits@habershamschools.com if you have any questions.