Welcome!
The ASRS is a trusted, sustainable, and well-managed retirement system that provides long term disability, retiree health insurance, and lifetime pension benefits to educators, municipal, and state government employees who have dedicated their careers to serving the citizens of Arizona.
Get Registered
As a member of the ASRS, your employer will soon begin (or has already begun) to deduct contributions from your paycheck towards your retirement. If you haven’t already, it’s important to take a moment and complete your registration with the ASRS. This keeps your account secure, and allows online access to your account where you can estimate retirement benefits, keep your contact information up-to-date, and register for educational webinars. (Important: even if you are currently an ASRS member working for a new ASRS employer, you’ll need to complete the registration process again, using your new employer’s enrollment code.)
⏵Registering is quick and easy. Here’s how:
Step 1:
Visit Secure.AzASRS.gov and click on the “First Time Registering?” link near the bottom of the page.
Step 2:
Follow the registration process using your Employer Name and Enrollment Code.
If you've lost your enrollment code please contact your employer.
Member Benefits
Lifetime Pension Benefit
Once you’ve retired and start receiving your pension benefit, that benefit is guaranteed for life.
Learn more at: Annuity Options
Long Term Disability
Part of your contributions each pay period fund the ASRS long term disability program.
Learn more at: Long Term Disability
Retiree Health Insurance
The ASRS offers a variety of health insurance plans to both Medicare and non-Medicare eligible retirees
Learn more at: Health Care
Survivor Benefits
Survivor benefits are benefits that pass on to your beneficiary in the event of your death.
Learn more at: Survivor Benefits
Above are a few of the primary benefits available to ASRS members. Visit the Member Education section of our website to learn more about service purchase, refunding your account, managing beneficiaries, and more.
Member Contributions
Member and employer contributions is how the ASRS funds all the benefits we offer our members. These benefits include lifetime pension benefits for retirees, long term disability, survivor benefits, and more. Contributions are mandatory for all members, except for those who file a 65+ waiver, or don’t meet the 20/20 membership criteria. (See the FAQ's for more information on both.)
Retirement Plans: A Comparison
How does an ASRS pension compare to a retirement savings account such as a 401(k)? In technical terms, your ASRS pension plan is a 401(a) Defined Benefit plan, while a 401(k) is classified as a Defined Contribution plan. There are many differences between the two.
Get Connected
The secure portal to your personal retirement account. Log into your myASRS account to update contact information, estimate your retirement benefits, view account details, or send our experienced retirement specialists a secure message if you have questions regarding your account.
Visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! Connect with other ASRS members, watch helpful videos produced by the ASRS, and enjoy some fun content!
FAQ's
Is participation in the ASRS mandatory?
A couple of exceptions:
- 65+ Waiver. If you’re new to the ASRS and 65 or older on your first day of employment, you can waive ASRS membership. Please note: this is irrevocable, and your waiver must be completed within 30 days of the start of your employment.
- The 20/20 membership criteria. If you’re hired to work less than 20 hours a week for less than 20 weeks in a fiscal year, you may be exempt from contributions. In addition, If you’ve previously retired with the ASRS, are returning to work for an ASRS employer, and wish to continue receiving your pension benefit while employed, you’ll need to work less than the 20/20 membership criteria.
- Check with your employer! While contributions are required for the vast majority of members, there are a few other exceptions. Your employer has tools to determine your contribution status.
Is my ASRS account like a 401(K)?
Your ASRS pension benefit isn’t based on your account balance and never “runs out.” In fact, most ASRS retirees end up receiving more in pension benefits over the course of their retirement than they ever paid in contributions throughout their career.
This isn’t to say a 401(k) is a bad thing - we highly advocate for our members to have some form of personal savings outside of their pension benefit to help complete their retirement income.
A closer look at how your pension benefit and a 401(k) compare.
Will I ever get a cost-of-living adjustment after I retire?
What are “annuity options”?
Is my future retirement safe?
Do I have to do anything to enroll?
How much do I contribute?
How is my future pension calculated?
For a personalized pension benefit estimate, you can log into your secure myASRS account and select the Retirement option under the Your Benefit Estimates section from the left-hand menu. There, you can see what your projected normal retirement benefit may look like, or play with variables such as early retirement, higher or lower average monthly compensation, and varying annuity types.