EP 2 - How TRS & PERS Plan 2 Work In Washington

28/11/2023 10 min

Listen "EP 2 - How TRS & PERS Plan 2 Work In Washington"

Episode Synopsis

In this episode of the Washington State Retirement Planning podcast, host Ethan Meikle breaks down the Plan 2 pension for Washington state employees in the TRS and PERS systems. He discusses in detail how the pension system works, including how to calculate the benefit formula, vesting requirements, and the age at which pension benefits can be accessed. He explains that Plan Two provides a 2% increase for every year worked with no cap on the number of years, unlike Plan 1. Furthermore, the amount you receive is calculated based on the average of your top five years of income. This amount is guaranteed for life and subject to an annual increase of between 0% and 3% to cover inflation. Lastly, Ethan highlights the importance of setting up an outside retirement account to supplement the fixed income provided by the plan. Outline of this Episode00:15 Introduction to the Podcast00:47 Understanding Plan Two01:26 How Plan Two Works02:07 Calculating Your Benefits03:10 When Can You Start Collecting Benefits04:52 Vesting Period in Plan Two06:38 Survivorship Options in Plan Two07:39 Downfalls of Plan Two08:08 Importance of Outside Retirement Account08:36 Conclusion and Additional Resources⁠⁠Free Washington Retirement Planning Community⁠⁠⁠Plan 3 Investment Advice⁠⁠Schedule Meeting⁠More free resources at ⁠WATRSPERS.com⁠