STRS Ohio offers service retirement, disability and survivor benefits to members and/or their qualified beneficiaries. A brief description of each is offered below.

Service Retirement Benefit
Members qualify for a lifetime service retirement benefit after meeting one of the following eligibility requirements:

Age	Years of Service Credit
Any age	30
55	25
60	5

Members who retire with less than 30 years of service credit and before age 65 will receive a reduced benefit. Full benefits are paid when a member has 30 years of service credit or is age 65.

Click here for information on how to apply for a service retirement benefit.

Click here for more information on the service retirement benefit.

Disability Benefit
Members with 5.00 years of service credit may apply for disability benefits if the disability is expected to last more than 12 months from the date of receipt of the disability benefit application by STRS Ohio. There are two types of disability benefits. Members who joined STRS Ohio after July 29, 1992, are covered under the Disability Allowance Program. Members who joined STRS Ohio on or before July 29, 1992, chose to participate in either the Disability Allowance or Disability Retirement Program.

Click here for information on how to apply for a disability benefit.

Click here for more information on the disability benefit.

Survivor Benefit
Once members meet the eligibility requirements, valuable benefits protection is in place for qualified survivors. These benefits are available to survivors of STRS Ohio members who die before retiring.

There are three types of monthly benefits available to your qualified survivors. The amount payable to qualified survivors depends on specific eligibility requirements.

Dependent-Based Benefit
This benefit is payable when a member dies before service retirement. The member must have at least 1.50 years of service credit before death. The benefit is based on the number of qualified dependent survivors and final average salary.

Service-Based Benefit
This benefit is payable when a member with 20 or more years of service credit dies before service retirement. The benefit is based on the final average salary and service credit.

Protection for qualified survivors under the dependent-based and service-based monthly benefit continues for 27 months following the member’s last contributing service (if the account has not been withdrawn) or while the member is receiving a disability benefit.

Retirement-Based Benefit
This benefit is payable when a member dies before retiring with STRS Ohio but after meeting one of the following requirements: the attainment of age 60 with five years of service credit; age 55 with 25 years of service credit; or any age with 30 years of service credit. The benefit takes into account years of service credit and final average salary.

If a member’s death occurs after the 27-month protection period and the member was not receiving a disability benefit, the retirement-based benefit plan is the only plan which allows monthly benefits to be paid to the member’s surviving spouse or a named financially dependent individual.

If a sole qualified survivor is eligible for more than one type of benefit, this survivor may elect which benefit he or she wants to receive.

If there are one or more children who are qualified survivors, the primary beneficiary must select between the dependent-based and the service-based benefit. However, once the children no longer qualify for benefits (due to age or marital status, for example), the primary beneficiary may change to the retirement-based benefit, provided the deceased member was eligible for retirement at death.

In providing estimates, STRS Ohio will assume a qualified survivor wants to receive the benefit providing the highest monthly payment unless directed otherwise.

Click here for information on how to apply for a survivor benefit.

Click here for more information on the survivor benefit.