It’s Your Choice Open Enrollment and Changes for 2016
During the It’s Your Choice open enrollment period,
October 5-30, eligible employees will have the opportunity to enroll, change
health plans and make other coverage changes for the state and local group
health insurance programs. Take the time to learn about important changes for
2016 affecting medical, pharmacy and dental benefits. More It's Your Choice>
ETF
is in the midst of designing a new benefits administration system, called
myETF. We are designing myETF with your needs in mind. Please complete our
short Member Online Services
Survey by September 30. We’ll use your feedback to create new and improved online
services. More myETF>
What Does the Future Hold for Investment Returns?
by Michael Williamson, SWIB Executive Director
Like
many public pension funds, the Wisconsin Retirement System sees a majority of its
income – about 76% – come from returns generated by the investments SWIB makes.
But an ever-changing global financial environment has meant more volatility in investment returns. What does the future hold? More Investment Returns>
SWIB Keeps Close Eye on Private Equity
Managing more Wisconsin Retirement System funds
in-house is the best way for SWIB to control costs. However, there are times
when SWIB uses outside managers for certain investments. The issue of fees and
expenses charged by external managers has gained national attention recently. More Private Equity>
EMPOWER
Take Charge of Your Retirement Financial Security
The EMPOWER
campaign continues to inspire, motivate and educate women to take charge of
their retirement financial security. Our ultimate goals are straightforward:
1.Increase
the number of women investing in their own retirement security; and
2.Increase
the amount they are saving for their retirement More EMPOWER>
Legislative Update
by Tarna Hunter, ETF Legislative Liaison
The biennial budget bill was signed into law (2015 Wisconsin Act 55) on July 12 and it contains a number of provisions that relate to you, ETF and our administration of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. These include: changes to the health insurance program for 2016. More Legislative Update>
Board Corner
Nominations Sought for Board Seats
Nomination
materials for teachers interested in running for election to the 13-member
Teachers Retirement Board are now available. Any active teacher member of the
Wisconsin Retirement System – excluding those employed by the Milwaukee Public
School District – may compete for the three seats available. More Board Election>
Teachers: Consider Serving on Board
by Patrick Phair, Teachers Retirement Board member
Being a member of the Teachers Retirement Board is an honor and an enriching experience. Working with fellow teachers and trustees from throughout the state to keep the pension program strong and viable for future generations may seem daunting at first, but the reality is the Wisconsin Retirement System is in great shape. More TR Board>
ETF Ombudsperson Services
We Are Here to Help You
For 25 years ETF Ombudspersons have been assisting with benefits-related problem resolution while providing overall education, guidance, and support. Their best advice? Learn as much as possible about your Wisconsin Retirement System benefits and always be a strong advocate for yourself and your family. More Ombuds>
Contribution Rates to Decrease in 2016
Wisconsin Retirement
System required contribution
rates for employers and
employees will decrease slightly next year, primarily due to trust fund
investment gains. The accompanying table shows contribution rates effective
January 1, 2016. How do contribution rates affect you and why do rates change
every year? More Contribution Rates>
Other News & Features
Drummond Named Among Best 40 Under 40
In the financial
world, hundreds of thousands of money managers and analysts oversee billions of
dollars in investments. Many of those people go unnoticed. For a select few – like SWIB’s Derek Drummond – their work and
accomplishments make others sit up and take notice. More Drummond>
ETF Webinars and Other Learning Opportunities
ETF’s
two-hour Wisconsin Retirement System public presentation is also being offered
as a webinar on September 22, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This presentation is
designed for members who are within five
years of retirement. Topics covered include WRS annuity options,
return-to-work rules, post-retirement annuity adjustments, the Core and
Variable Trust Funds, the importance of keeping a beneficiary form up to date,
purchasing service before retirement, the difference between a joint survivor
and a beneficiary, and how “life event” changes affect WRS retirement benefits. Register for this webinar or find out about other
learning opportunities.
Continuing to Improve SWIB Transparency
In order to make more information easily
accessible to Wisconsin Retirement System members, SWIB is now posting open meeting materials for Board of Trustee
meetings – including meeting minutes – online. More Transparency>
It’s Your Choice E-Alerts:
Health & Wellness
We’re
offering a new way for you to stay informed about health insurance and other
relevant topics with It’s Your Choice E-Alerts:
Health & Wellness. The e-alerts will replace the It’s Your Benefit printed newsletter for state and local government
employees and retirees. Sign up for this free notification viaETF E-mail Updates.
Category Change for Some Employees
Effective January 1, 2016, the Elected Official/Executive/Judge employment category will be the same as the General
Category. This change will decrease Wisconsin Retirement System required
contribution rates for both the employees in this category and their employers.
For 2016 this will change the combined contribution rate from 15.6% to 13.2%. More
Employee Category Change>
Workshop:
What Every Woman Should Know About Social Security
Join
ETF and the EMPOWER campaign September 10 for a free educational workshop and webinar, designed to help women understand the basics of Social Security. Topics
include when and how to apply for Social Security, benefits available to
survivors and ex-spouses, information about Medicare. More Social Security>
WRS Calculators
Request Benefit Estimate