Yes, that is correct. The benefit you receive through MOSERS is considered a public pension for tax reporting purposes. If you are a Missouri resident, you may qualify for the Public Pension Exemption. Visit the Missouri Department of Revenue's Public Pension Exemption page or read our Missouri Public Pension Exemption flyer for more information. Additionally, you can visit the Taxes page on our website.

You can update both your Missouri state and your federal tax withholdings on the Substitute W-4P form and submit it to MOSERS. The fastest, easiest way to submit it is by logging in to myMOSERS. Or, you may send it to us via mail, email, or fax (see our Contact page for details). Please note that the amount of withholdings you elect does not change your tax liability. For additional information, contact the Missouri Department of Revenue.

A W-2 form comes from an employer, not from MOSERS.

MOSERS provides you with a 1099-R tax form. We mailed your 1099-R form on January 21. You can also access it online by logging into  myMOSERS You will find it under Personal Information and available for you to print. This form lists your 2020 retirement benefit income from MOSERS. You will need this form to file your income tax return. If you receive more than one benefit from MOSERS, you may receive more than one 1099-R from us. If you are unable to log in to myMOSERS, call us at (800) 827-1063 or (573) 632-6100 and we can mail you a replacement. For security reasons, we cannot email it to you.

Your W-2 form comes from your employer, not from MOSERS. You will need to reach out to your employer for your W-2.

MOSERS does provide you with a 1099-R tax form. We mailed your 1099-R form on January 21. You can also access it online by logging into myMOSERS You will find it under Personal Information and available for you to print. This form lists your 2020 retirement benefit income from MOSERS. You will need this form to file your income tax return. If you receive more than one benefit from MOSERS, you may receive more than one 1099-R from us

If applicable, all of the following deductions may be withheld from your MOSERS monthly pension benefit payment but they are all post-tax:

• Missouri income tax as specified on your W-4P (tax withholding form)

• Federal income tax as specified on your W-4P (Without this form, we are required to withhold federal taxes as if you are married claiming three allowances.)

• MOSERS optional life insurance premium

• Aflac insurance premium

• Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP) premium

• Department of Conservation’s health and life insurance premium(s)

• Miscellaneous deductions such as vision and dental insurance and Missouri State Employees Charitable Campaign (MSECC) contributions

However, information from ASI/MO Café indicates that in the year that you retire, you are entitled to pre-pay for health, dental, and vision coverage through the end of that calendar year. If you can afford to have money deducted from your paycheck before you retire or from any payout for unused annual leave, you can authorize a pre-tax lump-sum insurance deduction. There is also some information about it on MCHCP’s Retirement – State Members page. 

The COLA rate for 2021 is 0.987%. We calculate it every year in mid-January. This COLA rate applies to: 

• All retired members of MSEP 2000 and MSEP 2011
• MSEP retirees who have reached their 65% COLA cap
• MSEP retirees first employed on or after August 28, 1997

If you were employed before August 28, 1997, and retired under the MSEP, you will get a COLA of at least 4% each year (maximum 5%) until you reach your COLA cap. You reach the COLA cap when the sum of your COLAs equals 65% of your initial base benefit amount. After reaching your COLA cap, your annual COLA will be equal to 80% of the percentage increase in the average Consumer Price Index (CPI) from one year to the next, which, as noted above, is 0.987% for 2021.

The purpose of a COLA for any type of pay or retirement benefit is to help you cope with inflation. COLAs help you maintain your purchasing power as inflation increases the cost of various items you buy. See the article, The 2021 COLA is Here, and the COLA page on our website for more information. 

We will mail your 1099-R tax form to you by the end of January. After we have mailed it, it will also be available for you to view and print or save from your Document Express online mailbox after you log in to myMOSERS.

This form lists your 2020 retirement benefit income from MOSERS. You will need this form to file your income tax return. If you receive more than one benefit from MOSERS, you may receive more than one 1099-R from us. For more information please see our latest news item regarding 1099-Rs.