Webinar Catalog

Thinking about retiring in the next 12 months? We’ll walk you through the process. You’ll learn how to:

• Choose a termination date.
• Request a retirement estimate.
• Read the retirement estimate.
• Schedule a retirement appointment.
• Submit a retirement application.

Adding money to your WRS account, via additional contributions, can enhance your eventual WRS retirement benefit. Learn how contributions grow with effective rate interest crediting, how to deposit (payroll deduction or direct pay), and much more.

When you get your retirement estimate, you’ll see that there are many options for receiving your retirement benefit. You can choose to receive the payment for your life or extend it beyond your life to your loved ones. The choice is yours. We’ll discuss how each option impacts the size of your payment and affects your loved ones.

Death is never easy to talk about, but it’s important to know where your money is going. We’ll discuss:

• How to update your account so your loved ones may receive money after your death.
• Important times to make sure your account is up to date.
• What happens if you forget to update your account.
• How to check who you currently have on file.

You may increase your retirement benefit by buying service if you have worked for:
•    other government employers.
•    the WRS and taken a separation benefit.

We’ll discuss:
•    The types of service you can buy
•    How and when you can buy service
•    An online tool that lets you see how much buying service can increase your retirement benefit.

Did you know that when you retire can change how much money you get in retirement? We'll discuss how retiring throughout the year can change your retirement benefit. We'll also answer one of the most common questions we receive: "Should I retire in December or January?"

Curious about how much money you’ll get during retirement? Our most-used online tool, the retirement calculator, lets you see how much money you may get in the future. We’ll discuss:

• How to get to the calculator.
• What information you’ll need handy when using the calculator.
• How to use the calculator.
• What the results mean.

If you choose to continue your life insurance after you retire, you’ll see some changes. We’ll discuss:

• Your ability to continue coverage into retirement.
• How your coverage will change.
• How to convert your plan to pay for health or long-term care insurance through the WRS.

**Please note: This webinar only applies if you have life insurance coverage under the State of Wisconsin Group Life Insurance Program (Securian Financial Group). Check with your employer if you are not sure.

When you first retire you may experience several changes. We'll help prepare you for some of these changes by discussing:

• When and how to change your retirement benefit payment option.
• When you’ll receive tax information.
• What mailings you will receive.
• Why your monthly payment may change.
• Rules you must follow if you return to work for a position under the WRS.

Are you new to the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)? In this webinar we’ll let you know what to expect. We’ll discuss:

• Who is in the WRS.
• What happens to the money you put in to the WRS.
• How to become vested in the WRS.

Planning to retire in the next 1 – 10 years? Then this is for you. We’ll discuss:

• The money you and your employer have put towards your retirement account.
• How your retirement account grows through investments.
• When you can retire.
• Options for receiving your retirement benefit.
• Rules you must follow if you return to work after retiring.
• What happens to your account after you die.
• Changes to your health and life insurance in retirement.

Learn in a way that fits your schedule. Go to this public presentation in a city near you or attend a live webinar!

Thinking about returning to work after retirement? We’ll discuss the rules you need to follow to make sure you don’t lose your benefits.

Your annual statement of benefits shows you the current state of your WRS account. Not sure about something on your statement? Watch this webinar with your statement in hand. We’ll walk you through each section.

Does putting money in the Variable Fund make sense for you? You and your employer put money in to your WRS account to save for your future. The money in your account is then invested to increase your savings. By default, your money goes in to the Core Fund, but you can put some or all your money in the Variable Fund. In this webinar we’ll discuss:

• What Variable Fund is and how it is different from the Core Fund.
• How to put money in and take money out of the Variable Fund.
• How the timing of when you put money in or take it out may change your retirement benefit.

Is retirement still 5 years away or more? It’s never too early to start planning. We’ll discuss:

• The money you and your employer have put towards your retirement account.
• How your retirement account grows through investments.
• How you can increase your retirement benefit.
• What it means to take money out of your retirement account before retiring.
• When you can retire and options for receiving your retirement benefit.
• What happens to your account after you die.
• How life events can affect your account.

Each year you may see changes to the amount of your retirement payment. In this webinar, we’ll discuss:

• Why your retirement payment is changing.
• How these changes are determined.
• How having money in the Variable Fund may result in you seeing larger changes.

How much you and your employer pay in to your WRS account may change each year. In this webinar we’ll discuss why the amount changes and how it is calculated.

Have you requested a retirement estimate? Thinking about it? In this webinar we’ll discuss how we calculate your retirement benefit.