Disability Benefits

STRS Ohio offers a disability benefit program for members participating in the Combined Plan who develop a physical or mental condition that prevents them from performing their most recent job duties. Under this program, members combine the defined benefit and defined contribution portions of their account to receive a monthly benefit. The percentage of the final average salary^* (FAS) a member may receive as a benefit is calculated by multiplying the number of years of service credit the member has earned or purchased by 2.2%, with a minimum benefit of 45% and a maximum of 60% of FAS.

As an alternative to receiving monthly disability benefits, members may apply for service retirement benefits if eligible or terminate employment and withdraw the defined benefit and/or defined contribution portions of their account. For more information, refer to the Service Retirement and Plans of Payment brochure. For additional information about withdrawing your account, see the Account Withdrawal section.

To qualify for disability benefits, an STRS Ohio member must:

• Meet either of the following:

  — Existing members on June 30, 2013, must have at least 5.00 years of qualifying service credit^** on account with STRS Ohio and submit a completed application packet within two years of the last date of contributing service with STRS Ohio, OPERS or SERS.

  — New members on or after July 1, 2013, must have at least 10.00 years of qualifying service credit^** on account with STRS Ohio and submit a completed application packet within one year of the last date of contributing service with STRS Ohio, OPERS or SERS.

• Have not withdrawn any portion of the account.
• Not be receiving service retirement benefits.

Read the Disability Benefits brochure for more information.

Click here to estimate your disability benefit.

^*Final average salary (FAS) is the average of your five highest years of Ohio public earnings.

^**Qualifying service credit includes earned credit with STRS Ohio and interrupted teaching due to military service.

Medical Criteria

The medical criteria for a disability benefit are:

• A disabling medical condition prevents the individual from performing his or her most recent job duties; and
• The condition is expected to last at least 12 continuous months from the date STRS Ohio receives the completed Disability Application Packet; and
• The disability has occurred since membership began or, if the individual previously withdrew his or her STRS Ohio account, since returning to covered service with STRS Ohio. If the condition existed at the time the individual became a member, it must have increased in severity since that time as to make the condition disabling under the criteria above.

Disability Benefits Presentation