Arizona State Retirement System
University employees who meet the eligibility criteria must participate in the Arizona State Retirement System.
The Arizona State Retirement System is a defined benefit plan qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The ASRS uses a formula to determine your pension.
Faculty, administrators, academic professionals and other university staff are also eligible to elect this plan. University staff in an ASRS-mandated job classification will be automatically enrolled in the ASRS. Learn more about eligibility criteria.
Key ASRS details
- Begins the first day of the pay period following 182 calendar days of eligible employment or immediately if you have an ASRS account with monies on deposit or were hired before July 20, 2011. ASRS retroactive contributions may be required.
- Contribution rates shown below are subject to change each year on July 1.
- Long-term disability insurance benefits are included with this plan.
- Once you meet ASRS membership eligibility criteria in a fiscal year, you remain a member, and contributions continue until the end of the fiscal year, at which point you become ineligible.
- Participants with five or more years of credited service are eligible for a retiree health insurance subsidy.
- Retirement contributions are withheld from your paycheck before-tax and long-term disability contributions are withheld on an after-tax basis.
- While actively employed, you may not borrow from or withdraw contributions from your account.
Online registration instructions
Complete this step as soon as possible to ensure contributions deducted from your paycheck are correctly applied to your ASRS retirement account, even if you already have an account with another ASRS employer.
- Visit ASRS online registration.
- Click on the First Time Registering link.
- Read and agree to the terms and conditions.
- Enter your last name, social security number, date of birth and ASU's enrollment code: 2C700039.
- Follow the remaining screen prompts.
Registration gives you access to the following personal information in the ASRS system:
- Beneficiary information
- Latest account statements
- Personalized benefit estimates
- Electronic communications from the ASRS
Vesting
The ASRS does not have a vesting schedule. However, participants who meet the requirements may be eligible for the following benefits:
- Long-term disability
- Pension
- Premium benefit subsidy
- Retiree health insurance
- Service purchase
Contribution rates
Fiscal year | Contribution source | Retirement | Long-term disability | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2019–June 2020 | Employee and ASU | 11.94% | .17% | 12.11% |
| July 2020–June 2021 | Employee and ASU | 12.04% | .18% | 12.22% |
| July 2021–June 2022 | Employee and ASU | 12.22% | .19% | 12.41% |
| July 2022–June 2023 | Employee and ASU | 12.03% | .14% | 12.17% |
| July 2023–June 2024 | Employee and ASU | 12.14% | .15% | 12.29% |
| July 2024–June 2025 | Employee and ASU | 12.12% | .15% | 12.27% |
| July 2025–June 2026 | Employee and ASU | 11.86% | .14% | 12.00% |
Retirement
Participants are immediately vested in their own contributions but must meet the following criteria to receive a pension benefit. Read more about the ASRS pension benefit process.
Normal retirement if hired before July 1, 2011. | Normal retirement if hired on or after July 1, 2011. |
|---|---|
| 80 points—your age plus years of service with ASRS | Age 55 with 30 years of service |
| Age 62 with 10 years of service | Age 60 with 25 years of service |
| Age 65 | Age 62 with 10 years of service |
| Early retirement is at least age 50 with a minimum of five years of ASRS service. | Age 65 |
| Early retirement is at least age 50 with a minimum of five years of ASRS service. |
General Information
Phone: toll-free 1-855-278-5081 or 480-727-9900
Contact HR support online to submit an inquiry or check the status of your issue at any time.