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, you have to determine how much you can start to save in your retirement plan. Saving for retirement costs less than you may think. See how your retirement plan savings rate may impact your take-home pay with our  Contribution Planner tool .  

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.