Texas TRS contribution and SS question

[gretschdrum]

I contribute to the Texas Teacher's Retirement System (TRS) and have a question regarding deductions for my annual contribution. 

Prior posts state that you cannot deduct the monthly contributions because they are pre-tax contributions. I understand that. But those same posts say something about teachers not having any Social Security wages deducted. At the college where I teach, they absolutely deduct social security. Does that change things regarding the TRS deduction?

Also, the literature says that TRS is a 401a or 403b plan. My school's benefits coordinator says it is neither of those but didn't provide further details. Can anyone elaborate on that too?

[xmasbaby0]

Teachers and Social Security

There are 15 states (AK, CA, CO, CT, IL, LA, MA, ME, MO, NV, OH, TX) in which teachers do not pay in to Social Security, so you will not see Social Security withheld on the teacher’s W-2.  Instead, teachers in those states pay in to a Teacher’s Retirement System, which will show up elsewhere on the W-2 often in box 12 or box 14.

There are three states which have varying degrees of participation in SS for teachers, depending on school districts—GA, KY, and RI.

Why Does Social Security Leave Out Teachers in These 15 States?  

Some state government employees, including teachers, don't pay Social Security payroll taxes and aren't entitled to retirement benefits from Social Security. The history of this practice dates all the way back to Social Security's formation, when the law was intended to cover only private employees. At the time, it wasn't clear whether the federal government could force states to pay payroll taxes. Only in the 1950s did the rules change, allowing states to have the ability to join Social Security.

The majority of states elected to enroll their government workers in Social Security. At that point, those workers started paying payroll taxes, and they earned their retirement benefits in the same way as any other worker.

However, not every state participated. Now teachers in 12 states -- Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, and Texas -- don't have coverage arrangements with Social Security. In addition, three other states -- Georgia, Kentucky, and Rhode Island -- have varying degrees of coverage that differ by school district.

[gretschdrum]

Thanks for your reply, but I don't think you read my post.

I'm saying that my college DOES take out social security wages. On my W-2 you can clearly see where social security wages are withheld in box 4. 

So the question is, since SS is withheld, can my contribution to TRS be a deduction on my federal taxes?

[KeshaH]

Paying into Social Security doesn't change the deductibility of your retirement contributions. The contributions should already be deducted from your wages in box 1 of your W-2.

[xmasbaby0]

The money that went into the TRS is already on your W-2.  You entered it when you entered the information from the boxes of your W-2.    You do not enter it again anywhere else on your tax return.