WRS News Online - Nov 2017 Edition

When is the best time to retire – before the end of the year, or just after the start of the new year? Many members ask this question and our response is always the same: Picking a retirement date that provides the optimal annuity amount depends on your individual Wisconsin Retirement System account history.

Financial stress can affect your personal health in many ways as it spills over into your home life, career, and friendships. In fact, research shows that financial stress results in $100 billion in lost profits and employee productivity annually in the U.S.

Wisconsin Retirement System contributions will decrease slightly for most members in 2018. How will this affect your paycheck? The table below shows the rates, expressed as a percentage of your salary. Contribution rate changes, whether increases or decreases, are considered normal for retirement systems that pre-fund retirement benefits.

How will your health benefits change in retirement? What happens when you become eligible for Medicare? Find out everything you need to know about transitioning your group health insurance program benefits into retirement – and your health benefit options – with this new series of ETF videos and resource sheets.

If you have a domestic partner, the law that provided you and your domestic partner certain benefits when you registered has been changed by 2017 Wisconsin Act 59 (2017-19 biennial budget), which was signed on September 21.

Here's your chance to serve on the Teachers Retirement Board, an important Wisconsin Retirement System governing board. Any WRS teacher participant employed by a Wisconsin technical college is eligible to run for this seat on the board. Nomination packets are due Friday, December 15. Check out current TR Board member R. Thomas Pedersen's column on the benefits of serving.

Preparations big and small continue for ETF's move to the new Hill Farms state office building.

The Department of Employee Trust Funds is here to assist you with your Wisconsin Retirement System pension, health and other benefits. But how do you find a qualified expert when you need advice on personal finances and retirement financial goals? In short: do your homework before you hire.

Tell us why you are working to serve the public, your community and the people of Wisconsin. Take our survey today and learn more about how the WRS is strong for Wisconsin.

If you have your retirement estimate in-hand and want the opportunity to meet with a specialist to review your options and ask questions, save yourself the commute and get it done with an online appointment instead.

If you're considering making any of the following decisions related to your Wisconsin Retirement System benefits, please be aware of important deadlines associated with each of these processes:

When you focus on the good things, your upbeat attitude helps fight stress and depression. Research shows that practicing gratitude may also improve your social life and enhance your physical health. Join us Wednesday, November 15 for this Well Wisconsin webinar, The Greatness of Gratitude. Register via the Well Wisconsin portal.

The next Group Insurance Board meeting is set for Wednesday, November 15. ETF Board, Wisconsin Retirement Board, and Teachers Retirement Board will meet next on Thursday, December 14. Find out what the boards review and discuss, review past meeting minutes, and more here. Review 2018 SWIB meeting calendars and materials.

As of October 31, 2017, the preliminary return for the Core Trust Fund is 13.3% (Benchmark: 12.8%) and the Variable Trust Fund is 18.8% (Benchmark: 18.6%). To stay informed about investment performance:

The Department of Employee Trust Funds is set to move from its current Badger Road location to the new Hill Farms state office building March 26-30, 2018. After the move, our new physical address will be 4822 Madison Yards Way, Madison, WI 53705-9100.

SWIB invests for the financial security of more than 600,000 WRS employees and retirees and their families. Check out SWIB's new brochure, What is SWIB?, to learn more about SWIB's role in the WRS, investment strategies, and low cost of management. You'll also find key contacts for more in-depth information.

Will you have enough money to live the retirement of your dreams? A Wisconsin Deferred Compensation Program account helps you save early and often. Open an account with just $5 a paycheck and let your money work for you (while you work on setting retirement goals).