Designating someone you trust to help manage your MOSERS benefits can help ensure your wishes are carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The Designation of Agent may be completed by any active member, beneficiary, or retiree and should be included in your estate planning documents, regardless of your age or marital status.

The Designation of Agent allows you to choose who will manage your MOSERS benefits if you become incapacitated or disabled. A designated agent can make the following decisions for you:

• Apply for long-term disability benefits.
• Apply for early or normal retirement benefits.
• Make retirement decisions, such as electing a benefit payment option.

• Name or update beneficiaries for retirement or insurance payments (by permission only).
• Decide where your benefit payments are sent.

This process can be completed at any time by logging in to myMOSERS. We encourage you to discuss the designation with your agent and let them know what authority they will have.

The Designation of Agent will go into effect when MOSERS receives written notification from your doctor stating that you are incapacitated or disabled (unable to make decisions yourself).

You can designate an agent at any time by logging in to myMOSERS. Select Agents/Authorizations from the Member Dashboard, then select the green plus sign to designate your agent. Enter all required fields, then save.

There is sometimes confusion between a durable power of attorney and a designated agent. The Designation of Agent does not give your agent broad powers (control over your other financial affairs) like those usually found in a durable power of attorney.* It applies only to your MOSERS benefits.

If you have appointed someone to make financial decisions on your behalf under a durable power of attorney, proof must be submitted to MOSERS and approved by our legal department before we can honor it.

*If you are interested in giving your agent broad powers, please consult with an attorney who can advise and help you prepare a durable power of attorney.

You may want your spouse or another trusted family member or friend (or attorney or service provider) to be able to discuss your benefits with MOSERS. Without an Authorization to Release Information on file, MOSERS staff is not allowed to share or even confirm any information about your benefits with anyone. An authorization can be permanent or temporary.

You can log in to myMOSERS to complete an Authorization to Release Information. Select Agents/Authorizations from the Member Dashboard, then select the green plus sign to provide an authorization to release information. Enter information in all required fields, including the Information to be Released and Release Time Frame, then save.

• Designated Agent: The person you authorize to make benefit decisions for you if you become incapacitated or disabled. This applies only to your MOSERS benefits.
• Authorization to Release Information: All personal information and member documents are strictly confidential and will not be shared with others without your authorization. This form allows MOSERS to release specific information authorized by you to another person or organization.
• Beneficiary: The person or organization you designate to receive benefit payments, life insurance proceeds, or any remaining employee contributions after your death. You may change your life insurance and contribution beneficiaries at any time by logging in to myMOSERS.
• Durable Power of Attorney: A document giving another person authority to manage your business or financial affairs if you become mentally incompetent (can also be specifically designated for health care choices).