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  • Annual Benefit Statements

    Feb 8, 2023, 7:56 AM By MOSERS

    When will the 2022 Annual Benefit Statements be available?

    We send Annual Benefit Statements in March to all active members. You can access last year’s statement by logging in to myMOSERS, clicking on Online Documents, and selecting Document Express. It is available to print or save as a PDF. Once all 2023 statements are sent, we will send you an email and you will be able to access this year’s statement by logging in to myMOSERS. If you have opted to receive paper notifications, we will mail your statement to you. Please be sure your email address and mailing address is up to date with us!

    Retirees get their Annual Benefit Statement each year on the anniversary of their retirement date or BackDROP date. We send benefit statements to elected officials and members on LTD in July, and we send statements to vested former state employees once every 5 years. 

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  • Do I have to pick my plan a year before I retire?

    Oct 20, 2022, 10:51 AM By MOSERS
    I am eligible for retirement 2/1/2024, I have heard that if I don't pick my retirement plan by this February (2/1/2023) a plan will be picked for me? The seminars and webinars are full, from now to end of December. I am worried I may not get the retirement option I want now!

    All eligible state employees are members of a retirement plan based on when they are first employed in a MOSERS benefit-eligible position and their vested status.

     Our records indicate that you are a member of MSEP. State law allows members of MSEP to choose either MSEP or MSEP 2000 at the time of retirement. A plan will not be picked for you. Your plan is not dependent upon if you attend a Ready to Retire seminar or not. Additionally, you are not required to make that decision a year in advance.

     It is important for you to learn about the retirement process and your choices at retirement. Below are options:

    • We have a Ready to Retire webinar on December 1, 2022, which we have opened up to additional attendees. You may register via myMOSERS or contact us at MOSERSEducation@mosers.org.
    • At any time of year, you may call or make an in-person appointment to meet individually with a MOSERS benefit counselor to discuss your options.
    • In mid-December, we will post the education schedule for next year to our website. We encourage you to watch for that and, as soon as possible, register to attend an in-person seminar or webinar.
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  • Benefit Formula Breakdown

    Dec 16, 2021, 10:16 AM By MOSERS
    I have a new supervisor and she is curious on how to give staff the correct information about how Moser's comes up with retirement amounts to be paid. Could you send me the information on how this is figured out like a step-by-step so she will be able to answer some of the questions she will be getting? Also, would you send me an e-mail of what & when I need to do as far as my retirement? I believe I can retire Nov. 1, 2023.

    This is a great question. Below is a breakdown of the benefit formula.

    If you are a general state employee (including college and university employees), when you apply for retirement, your monthly base benefit* is calculated using a formula, as defined by law, that takes into account the following factors:

    • Final Average Pay (FAP) – The average of your highest 36 consecutive months of compensation
    • Multiplier – The multiplier established by the legislature (1.6% or 0.016 for MSEP; 1.7% or 0.017 for MSEP 2000 and MSEP 2011)
    • Credited Service – Your years and months of credited service earned, purchased, or transferred, and unused sick leave (if applicable)

    * Base benefit is the amount before any reductions, taxes, or other deductions.

    Examples - Using the multiplier for MSEP 2000 or MSEP 2011 retirees:

    $3,000 (FAP)   x   0.017 (Multiplier) 15 years (Credited Service)   =   $765 monthly base benefit

    $3,500 (FAP)   x   0.017 (Multiplier) 17.5 years (Credited Service)   =   $1,041.25 monthly base benefit

    $4,000 (FAP)   x   0.017 (Multiplier) 30 years (Credited Service)   =   $2,040 monthly base benefit

    $_____ (FAP)   x   ____ (Multiplier) x ____ years (Credited Service) = $_______ monthly base benefit

    There is also the Temporary Benefit, which is available if you retire under the "Rule of 80" (MSEP 2000) or the "Rule of 90" (MSEP 2011), and it provides you with an additional benefit until age 62 along with your base benefit. The formula for the Temporary Benefit is: Final Average Pay (FAP) x .008 (Multiplier) x Credited Service. At age 62, it ends but your base benefit continues.

    You can log in to myMOSERS to generate a benefit estimate or contact a MOSERS benefit counselor. 

    Since you are only two years from retirement, we encourage you to attend a Ready to Retire session to learn about the process. Registration is now open for 2022 sessions. Log in to myMOSERS to sign up. You can also contact a MOSERS benefit counselor to make a 1-on-1 appointment. Check out our Ready to Retire page and the Retirement Guide for more information.  

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  • Authorization to Release Information form

    Oct 21, 2021, 11:47 AM By MOSERS
    What is the purpose of the "Authorization to Release Form" ? 

    The Authorization to Release Information form gives us your permission to share or discuss your benefit information with someone else. You may amend or revoke it at any time. You can also set it up to automatically revoke after 90 days. You may submit it at any time by logging in to myMOSERS. During the retirement process, we encourage you to submit this form but it is optional.

    Common Reasons to Complete this Form

    • Another Person Takes Care of Your Finances - Some members prefer to have a spouse, other family member, advisor, or some other trusted person assume the responsibility for getting information from MOSERS about their benefits either because that person is well versed in such matters or because it is simply easier for that person to understand or get the information in person, over the phone, or via email.
    • Housing - If you move, your new housing provider may require proof of your income.
    • Military Leave or Other Extended Absence - If you will be away from home for an extended period of time, you may wish to authorize another trusted person to be able to get information from MOSERS on your behalf.
    • Change in Marital Status - If you previously completed an Authorization to Release Information form and later get married, divorced, remarried, or have another life event, you may want to consider completing and submitting a new form.
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  • Returning to state employment under the same plan

    Jul 7, 2021, 10:47 AM By MOSERS

    Confidentially, please provide the outcome for these scenarios:
    An employee started in 2002, MSEP 2000, left in 2021, returned in 2023.  Would they be able to return to the MSEP 2000 plan or would they have to go to the MSEP 2011 plan?  80 and out or 90 and out? 0 or 4% withheld?

    Previously, under MSEP 2000, 80 and out, retire at 52 with 28 years of service. But let's say they don't return to state work, they have 19 years of service, when is there new normal retirement date, born 1977, 62?

    In the scenario you describe, the answer is yes, a vested member of MSEP 2000 who leaves state employment and returns to state employment will still be in MSEP 2000. Their prior service would immediately be reinstated upon reemployment. They would be eligible for normal retirement under the Rule of 80/”80 and Out” or age 62, whichever came first. As a member of MSEP 2000, they would not be required to make the 4% employee contributions.  

    In the scenario you describe, if the employee did not return to work, they would be considered an inactive vested member of MSEP 2000 and would become eligible for normal retirement at age 62.

    Note: If an inactive vested member of MSEP or MSEP 2000 elected a buyout in 2017 or 2018 then returned to state employment, they would be a member of MSEP 2011, would be required to make the 4% employee contributions and would have to meet the retirement eligibility for MSEP 2011.

    We encourage members to contact a MOSERS benefit counselor to discuss their individual situation and learn how various scenarios would impact their benefits. 

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Disclaimer

We strive to provide the most accurate information possible in our answers to Rumor Central questions. However, occasionally, laws, policies or provisions change and individual circumstances may vary. Please contact a MOSERS benefit counselor or see the handbooks in our website Library for more detailed information. If there is any difference between the information provided in this blog or on the MOSERS website and the law or policies that govern MOSERS, the law and policies will prevail. See our Privacy, Security & Legal Notices for more information.