I know a woman who is a special ed teacher, got her teaching degree from UAA, loved Alaska and wanted to stay here.  She taught here for 5 years and got fully vested in the TERS 401k program.  She said she had to think about her financial future, and decided to move to Iowa to continue her career because Iowa has a pension retirement system and Alaska doesn't.  Furthermore, Iowa would even let her "buy" her 5 years into the Iowa pension system by transferring her 401k funds into their system.   Gone she is....