Upcoming Deadlines for Benefit Changes Effective 2026

Make sure you are aware of the following important deadlines for making changes to your insurance and retirement benefits effective January 2026.

Insurance

If you made changes or submitted applications for the Group Health Insurance Program during the recently concluded open enrollment, it is still possible to withdraw those changes or applications.

The decision to withdraw should be made by December 31, 2025.

Active employees: Notify your employer’s human resources office or benefits specialist.
Retirees: Contact ETF in writing.

Increasing Retirement Benefits

Below are deadlines associated with additional contributions and buying creditable service.

Additional Contributions

Active employees can increase retirement benefits by making additional contributions to their WRS account.

For additional contributions to earn the rate of interest effective January 2026, the following transactions must be completed—with no subsequent bank rejections or holds—by the deadlines below:

Online payment must be successfully submitted by 8:00 p.m. (Central Time) on December 31, 2025.
Checks mailed to the U.S. Bank lockbox must be received by the bank no later than December 31, 2025.
Checks dropped off at ETF must be received by 4:30 p.m. (Central Time) on December 30, 2025.

Payments received after the deadline will not be refunded. Instead, these will be eligible for earning interest in 2027.

Buying Creditable Service

Another way to increase retirement benefits is to buy creditable service.

To purchase forfeited, qualifying, or other government service based on 2025 calendar year at current cost, applications and payments must be received by January 2, 2026.

Variable Fund

For WRS members wanting to cancel their Variable Fund participation effective January 2026, you have until January 2, 2026 to submit to ETF the Canceling Variable Participation (ET-2313) form. Forms received after deadline will take effect in January 2027.

Here are a few reminders:

Those participating in the Variable Fund remain in it—even into retirement—unless they cancel participation.
Once participation is cancelled, you cannot rejoin in the Variable Fund unless you close your WRS account (by taking a separation or lump-sum retirement benefit) and later return as a new WRS-covered employee (where you may opt to join again in the Variable Fund).