If you are starting to think about retiring and drawing a pension from the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), you may find yourself wondering about your options if you’d like to later return to work. The choice is yours – you can certainly keep collecting a monthly pension from the ASRS and go back to work, but it’s important to make sure you proceed in a manner that doesn’t impact your pension.
Choosing Where to Work
Contribution rates have been set for fiscal year 2025-26 – which begins on July 1, 2025. The total contribution rate for FY 2025-26 will be 12.00%, a decrease from the current rate of 12.27%, which continues through June 30, 2025.
The decrease is due primarily to the continuation of strong investment returns. ASRS total fund returns (net of fees) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 were 9.0%.
As a member of the Arizona State Retirement System, you make contributions with each of your paychecks. Both you and your employer contribute equal amounts, which are invested to generate revenue and build the ASRS trust fund, which in turn pays your guaranteed lifetime pension benefit upon retirement. These contributions, plus interest, combine to form your account balance.
For more than 70 years, the Arizona State Retirement System has provided retirement security to Arizona’s public servants, including teachers, municipal workers, and other government employees. The ASRS proudly serves more than a 650,000 members, including more than 175,000 retired members.
