calculators
publications
news
about us
frequently asked questions
contact us
site map
video library
links
home
home
members retirees employers governing boards careers
 
Publications

Telephone Message Center

For Recorded Messages Call 1-800-991-5540 or 264-6633 (Local Madison)

ET-7348, Rev. 08/2007

Introduction to the Telephone Message Center

The Department of Employee Trust Funds offers a toll-free Telephone Message Center to answer many frequently-asked questions. The Center’s recorded messages provide detailed information on benefits from the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) including health, life and disability, plus information that applies to members receiving a monthly WRS retirement or annuity benefit.

You can use the Telephone Message Center if you have a touch-tone phone. To reach the Center toll-free, dial 1-800-991-5540 or (608) 264-6633 (local Madison). Once you reach the message center, you must press ‘1’ to access the messages listed. You can listen to a message at any time by slowly pressing the five-digit number of the message (shown below in parenthesis) or by following the menu options.

The Telephone Message Center is available 24 hours a day on a toll-free basis. To talk directly with a benefits specialist call toll free 1-877-533-5020, or (608) 266-3285 (local Madison). If you are speech, hearing or visually impaired and need assistance, call the Wisconsin Relay System at 7-1-1, 1-800-947-3529 (English) or 1-800-833-7813 (Espanol).

Menu of Messages

NOTE: 5-digit numbers that follow the message topics are the message numbers, NOT telephone extensions.

1 Account Information (10100)

  1. Annual Statement of Benefits (10105)
    1. General Information (10106)
    2. Current Year Earnings and Service (10107)
    3. Employee Contributions (10108)
    4. Creditable Service (10109)
    5. Separation Benefit (10110)
    6. Death Benefit (10111)
    7. Money Purchase Balance (10112)
    8. Retirement Benefit Projections (10113)
    9. Additional Contributions (10114)
  2. Beneficiary Designations (10905)
  3. Current Core and Variable Rates for Active and Inactive Accounts (10120)
  4. The Variable Fund (10125)
  5. Variable Fund Cancellation (10130)
  6. Abandoned Accounts (10135)
  7. Release of Information (10910)

2 Separation Benefits (10200)

  1. Eligibility for a Separation Benefit (10205)
  2. Consequences of Taking a Separation Benefit (10210)
  3. How Much Your Separation Benefit Will Be (10215)
  4. Applying for a Separation Benefit (10220)
  5. How Long It Takes to Get a Separation Benefit (10225)
  6. Tax Liability and Rollovers of Separation Benefits (10230)
  7. Separation Application Cancellation (10235)

3 Retirement Benefits (10300)

  1. Eligibility for a Retirement Benefit (10305)
  2. Applying for a Retirement Benefit (10310)
  3. Calculation of Retirement Benefits (10315)
  4. Effective Date of Benefit and When to Expect Your First Check (10320)
  5. Amount of Initial Payment and Final Calculation of Benefit (10325)
  6. Retirement Annuity Options (10330)
    1. For Annuitant's Life Only Option and Life Annuities with Guaranteed Payment (10331)
    2. Joint and Survivor Options (10332)
    3. Accelerated Payment Options (10333)
  7. Canceling Your Retirement Application (10340)

4 Disability Benefits (10400)

  1. Regular Disability Benefits (10401)
  2. Duty Disability Benefits for Protective Occupation Employees (10410)
  3. Long-Term Disability Insurance Benefits (10415)

5 Survivor Benefits (10500)

  1. Non-Annuitant Death Benefits (10505)
  2. Annuitant Death Benefits (10510)
  3. What to Do When a Participant Dies (10511)

6 Effects of Divorce on Your WRS Account and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs) (10600)

  1. Determining the Value of a WRS Account for Divorce Purposes (10605)
  2. Alternate Payee Benefits (10625)

7 General Annuitant Information (10700)

  1. Electronic Deposit of Monthly Payments (Automated Clearing House) (10705)
  2. How to Change Your Address (10725)
  3. How to Change Your Income Tax Withholding (10730)
  4. Annuity Adjustments After Retirement (10735)
  5. Current Core Dividend and Variable Adjustment Rates (10740)
  6. Annual Annuitant Tax Statements (1099-R's) (10745)

8 Insurance (10800)

  1. Health Insurance for Non-Annuitants (10805)
  2. Health Insurance for Annuitants (10820)
    1. State Employees Sick Leave Credits to Pay Health Insurance Premiums (10821)
    2. Age-65 Medicare Coverage (10822)
    3. Annual Dual-Choice Enrollment Period and Changes in Family Status(10823)
    4. Local Annuitant Health Program (10824)
  3. Life Insurance (10835)
    1. Continuation or Conversion of Coverage After Terminating Employment (10838)

9 Topics of General Interest (10900)

  1. Military Service Credit (10915)
  2. Regular Voluntary Additional Contributions (10921)
  3. Buying Creditable Service (10930)
  4. Using Your Retirement Account for Loan or Collateral Purposes (10940)
  5. Scheduling a Benefit Counseling Appointment (10955)
  6. Current Topics of Interest (10980)