Dupage Policy Journal

Former state school employee Julie Mizen, who retired in May 2016, saved $150,517 toward a pension over 35 years working for public schools, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois records show.

Over 30 years of retirement, Mizen would collect as much as $3.59 million, according to a projection by Local Government Information Services (LGIS), which publishes DuPage Policy Journal.

The projection assumes Mizen received $75,475 in the first year of retirement, then 3 percent annual increases thereafter, compounded.

After 2 years of retirement, Mizen will have already received $153,214 in retirement benefits, or more than the sum total of the retiree's contributions to the teachers' pension fund.