When Health Challenges Change Your Plans: Your Guide to Disability Retirement
A serious illness or injury can change your ability to work. When that happens, PSRS/PEERS offers disability retirement benefits to help protect your financial future. The cause of your disability does not have to be work related.
Who Is Eligible
To receive disability retirement benefits, you must:
- Become permanently disabled while working in a covered position or within one year of leaving, if your condition began during covered employment
- Be unable to work in any gainful occupation. This means work that would replace a significant portion of your salary and is reasonably available in your area.
- Be under age 60
- Have at least five years of service
- Have ended all covered employment
PSRS/PEERS does not offer temporary or partial disability benefits.
How to Apply
If your medical condition will prevent you from returning to PSRS/PEERS‑covered work, you should apply as soon as possible. You can request a benefit estimate and a disability retirement application packet from PSRS/PEERS.
Keep in mind:
- Your retirement date may be retroactive for a limited time if you meet all requirements.
- Your retirement cannot begin until all covered-employment or leave ends.
Learn more
For more information on how these benefits work and the support provided to loved ones, visit the Disability Retirement sections of our website: