Recent changes by the STRS Ohio Board will result in more money for Ohio educators and fewer years of work required to qualify for an unreduced benefit. Hopefully we will see a permanent COLA return in the future.
The STRS Ohio Board approved the following benefit changes for STRS Ohio members:
Retirees and benefit recipients: Effective July 1, 2026, eligible benefit recipients will receive a 1.6% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in fiscal year 2027. Retirees who started receiving benefits on June 1, 2022, or earlier will receive a COLA that will be added to the base benefit on the retirement date anniversary and each month thereafter.
The STRS Ohio Retirement Board also set priorities for members (see chart below).
Active members: The board extended the current required years of service by an additional 5 years. Retirement eligibility criteria are now as follows:
Financial advice from REAL people who know the system from the inside - a former Ohio STRS Ohio employee and OPERS member, and a former Ohio police officer and OP&F member.
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