The following definitions are provided to help you understand terms we regularly use in our seminars, correspondence, and publications. These definitions are general, not technical, in nature. For detailed definitions, please see the Illinois Pension Code, Article 16.

M

Medicare

A program of the United States government that provides hospital and medical coverage to members, their survivors, dependents, and certain former spouses.

member

An active or inactive statutorily defined teacher who is required to make contributions to TRS and whose contributions remain in TRS with potential to provide a benefit at retirement.

Member Information and Beneficiary Designation (MIBD) form

The MIBD form is completed by new members entering TRS. It also allows members and annuitants to designate beneficiaries to receive a death refund and survivor benefits when the member or annuitant dies.

For a change of address, members and annuitants should complete a Change of Address form instead of an MIBD form. An MIBD form used for a change of address must be completed fully, even if the beneficiary designation has not changed.

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