As a North Dakota educator, you’re automatically enrolled in the Teachers’ Fund for Retirement (TFFR), a defined benefit pension plan designed to provide guaranteed monthly income for life when you retire. TFFR rewards your service, helping you build financial security you can count on.
How TFFR is Different
Unlike retirement plans that focus on individual accounts and personal investment choices, TFFR:
- Offers guaranteed monthly income for life
- Is based on salary and years of service, not market swings
- Has built-in disability and survivor benefits
- Doesn’t require investment decisions or management
Own Your Financial Future
Use these resources designed specifically for new TFFR members to understand how your benefit works, track your progress, and make informed decisions early in your career.
Your MyTFFR Account
Make the most of your TFFR membership with MyTFFR Member Self Service, your secure, online member portal. With your retirement information at your fingertips, you can stay informed and plan with confidence throughout your career.
Through MyTFFR, you can:
- Update your contact information
- Conduct an annual review
- Confirm your service credit and reported salary are accurate
- Maintain your account profile
- Manage your beneficiaries
- Run a benefit estimate
Frequently Asked Questions
No. TFFR is professionally managed. Your benefit is not tied to an individual investment account.
Yes. Once you are vested and choose to retire, you will receive a guaranteed monthly payment for as long as you live.
Vesting is earning the right to a guaranteed monthly retirement benefit from TFFR. To become vested in TFFR, Tier 2 members must earn 5 years of service credit in North Dakota.
Your TFFR benefit is designed to grow with you over the course of your career. It is based on a formula set in state law:
Primary Beneficiary – If married, you must name your spouse as your primary beneficiary, unless consent is provided. If single or have consent, you can name any person, organization, church, charity, or estate.
Contingent beneficiaries (optional) – Contingent beneficiaries can be named and are entitled to a benefit if your primary beneficiary is deceased.
When to contact RIO
Your retirement is guided and protected by RIO. Let us continue to serve as a trusted resource, from your first year of work to retirement and beyond.
When you need assistance, we encourage you to contact Retirement Services using MyTFFR. Through the portal, you can send a secure message that’s accessible by our whole team. Once you are signed in, select the Contact Us tile on your Dashboard.
Need another way to reach us, visit Contact RIO.