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Explore your plan

By deciding to plan and save for your retirement, you’ve made a decision you can feel good about. You've realized that a sound savings plan is key toward helping you achieve a more secure future. The first step is through your participation in your workplace retirement plan.

Mandatory programs: Helping you put your future first

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS): All eligible employees will be automatically enrolled in the TRS, a defined benefit plan, on their first day of employment.

Optional Retirement Program (ORP): The ORP, a defined contribution plan, may be chosen by certain employees in lieu of the TRS. Generally, you will be informed of your eligibility to participate in the plan at the time of your initial employment. View the Texas A&M University System Optional Retirement Program (ORP) Plan Highlights.

Voluntary programs: Additional ways to save

Texas A&M University System Tax-Deferred Account (TDA) Program and Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP): These supplemental investment plans are offered to both TRS members and ORP participants. In both plans, you can choose to save money on a pretax basis. You may also choose to save money on an after-tax basis through a Roth TDA.

These voluntary investment vehicles offer an opportunity to save additional retirement dollars. There are federally-established limits on the amount of pretax or after-tax contributions that an employee can make per tax year. View the Texas A&M University System Tax-Deferred Account (TDA) Plan Highlights (PDF)

For more information, visit Texas A&M University’s Retirement Programs site .

There are significant differences between the ORP and the TRS. Please be sure to undertake a comprehensive review of these differences.

Be generous to yourself and your future

The sooner you start saving, the better. Once you decide to save for your retirement, the next step is to decide how much to save. Saving for retirement costs less than you may think. See how your retirement plan savings rate may impact your take-home pay with our  online tools (PDF) . And, how easy it can be to fit retirement savings into your budget and how much more you can save over time by starting now.

Once you decide how much you can save, either a flat dollar amount or a percentage of your wages will be automatically invested in your account each pay period. But before you do that, it is important to become educated on general financial, investment and retirement information in order to make informed decisions.

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Resources for your retirement needs

Online Planning Tools Available

Learn what online tools and apps are available to help you plan.

Annual Contribution Limits

Find out how much you could save for your retirement each year.

Understand Your 403(b) Plan (PDF)

Discover the basics of this tax-deferred retirement plan with this helpful Q&A.

Understand Your 457(b) Plan (PDF)

Learn more about this governmental plan for state or local employees.

Mutual funds in the Lincoln Alliance® program are sold by prospectus. An investor should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the investment company before investing. The prospectus and, if available, the summary prospectus contain this and other important information and should be read carefully before investing or sending money. Investment values will fluctuate with changes in market conditions, so that upon withdrawal, your investment may be worth more or less than the amount originally invested. Prospectuses for any of the mutual funds in the Lincoln Alliance® program are available at 800-234-3500.

The Lincoln Alliance® program includes certain services provided by Lincoln Financial Advisors Corp. (LFA), a broker-dealer (member FINRA) and an affiliate of Lincoln Financial Group, 1300 S. Clinton St., Fort Wayne, IN 46802. Unaffiliated broker-dealers also may provide services to customers. Lincoln Investment Advisors Corporation (LIAC) is the investment management organization of Lincoln Financial Group.

This material is provided by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company, Fort Wayne, IN, and, in New York, Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York, Syracuse, NY, and their applicable affiliates (collectively referred to as “Lincoln”). This material is intended for general use with the public. Lincoln does not provide investment advice, and this material is not intended to provide investment advice. Lincoln has financial interests that are served by the sale of Lincoln programs, products and services.