Destination Retirement
The key to successfully navigating the retirement process is knowing what to do and where to start.
- Begin by contacting your employer's human resources office. There may be certain actions you need to take regarding termination, and you may need their assistance in completing some of the required forms.
- Next, understand which state and federal benefits are part of your total compensation package, who administers each benefit, and which administrators you’ll need to stop and visit along the way.
- Use this retirement itinerary as a checklist of places to go and things to do.
Retire online at myMOSERS or request a personalized Retirement Application. To receive benefits, you must complete the two-step retirement process and make important decisions related to the forms below.
Step 1 – Retirement Application and Benefit Payment Details
- Retirement Application – Choose your retirement date and provide information about yourself and your spouse if married.
- Direct Deposit Authorization – Authorize the electronic transfer of your monthly pension payment.
- Tax Withholding Authorization and IRS W-4P Form – Withhold taxes from your pension benefit. MOSERS staff cannot advise you on your taxes or how to fill out tax forms. We suggest you contact the IRS and/or a qualified tax advisor prior to applying for retirement.
Life Insurance Coverage
Employees of the Department of Conservation and universities should contact their employer.
- Designation/Change of Beneficiaries for Your Basic & Optional Life Insurance – Review and/or update your beneficiaries.
- Retain/Decrease/Teminate Optional Life Insurance – Retain, decrease, or terminate your optional life insurance.
- Retain/Terminate Dependent Child Life Insurance – Continue coverage for your dependent children.
- Port/Convert Member Life Insurance – Port or convert a portion of your life insurance coverage, if eligible, within 65 days of terminating employment. Contact The Standard at (844) 505-6026 or CBT@standard.com to begin the process.
Benefit Considerations
- Designation of Agent – Designate someone to manage your MOSERS benefits in case you become incapacitated.
- Authorization to Release Information – Authorize the release of specific information to another person or organization.
- Contribution Beneficiaries – Designate a beneficiary for your employee contributions. This only applies if you are a member of the MSEP 2011 plan. Update at myMOSERS or call MOSERS to request a form.
Step 2 - Retirement Election Form
- Retirement Election Form – Make specific choices regarding your retirement plan and pension payment options. During this process, if you are a member of the MSEP & MSEP 2000 you will make decisions on BackDROP.
- BackDROP Distribution Form – Eligible MSEP & MSEP 2000 members, if taking BackDROP will choose to receive your BackDROP payment in cash, as a rollover, or as a combination.
MO Deferred Comp Plan
The State of Missouri's Premier Retirement Savings Plan
Contribute your accrued annual leave payout and/or roll your BackDROP lump-sum payment to the MO Deferred Comp Plan at retirement by submitting the forms listed below. You can keep money in this account throughout your retirement.
Supplemental Retirement Savings
- Accrued Vacation and Other Leave Deferral Change – Contribute all or part of your accrued annual leave payout to your deferred comp account. Submit this request to your payroll department prior to the first day of the month you are retiring. (optional)
- BackDROP Distribution Form – Choose the rollover option during Step 2 - Retirement Elections process to roll all, or part of, your BackDROP distribution payment into your MO Deferred Comp account. Available to eligible MSEP & MSEP 2000 members only.
Accessing Your Money
- Contact MO Deferred Comp – Begin withdrawing your funds from MO Deferred Comp. Please note, the IRS Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules mandate that you begin taking distributions from deferred comp in the calendar year in which you reach age 73, if you are no longer employed by the state.
3349 American Avenue, Suite A
Jefferson City, MO 65109
(573) 893-1053 • (800) 392-0925
Visit our office
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Reach us by phone
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Social Security Administration
Retirement Benefits and Medicare
Social Security pays retirement, disability, family, and survivor benefits. Medicare helps pay for inpatient hospital care, nursing care, doctors' fees, drugs, and other medical services and supplies for people age 65 and older, as well as for people who have been receiving Social Security disability benefits for two years or more. Visit the Social Security Administration's website to find out about the useful services they provide and how to set up a My Social Security account.
Receiving Your Benefits
- Social Security Retirement Benefits – File online at www.ssa.gov/retire three months before you want your benefits to begin. Your age affects your benefit amount.
- Medicare Parts A-B – Visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/medicare to learn more about enrollment periods and file online. You may file three months prior to turning age 65 if you are not already receiving Social Security benefits by that time.
(800) 772-1213
Hours
Monday – Friday
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP)
Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans
Employees of the Department of Conservation and universities should contact their employer.
You may participate in an MCHCP plan at retirement if eligible to receive a monthly retirement benefit from MOSERS or another retirement system whose members are grandfathered for coverage under the plan by law. Eligible employees may continue or enroll in coverage, transfer to their spouse’s MCHCP coverage, or cancel coverage at retirement.
Medical, Dental, and Vision Plans Decisions
- MCHCP – Visit the MCHCP website or contact Member Services to learn more about your coverage options in retirement.
- Retiree Enrollment Form – Complete and submit this form within 31 days of your retirement date. If Medicare eligible, submit 60 days prior to your retirement date, along with a copy of your Medicare card. If receiving payment for unused annual leave, Cafeteria Plan participants have the opportunity to prepay current year premiums pre-tax. Complete and submit at least 30 days prior to your retirement date if using the pre-tax option.
PO Box 104355
Jefferson City, MO 65110-4355
(573) 751-0771 • (800) 487-0771
Visit our office
832 Weathered Rock Court
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Reach us by phone
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Missouri State Employees’ Cafeteria Plan
(ASIFlex/Central Bank)
Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA)
You have two options if you enrolled in a HCFSA for the year in which you will be retiring: Contact ASIFlex for more information.
- Prepay your remaining contributions for that year from your final paycheck(s). This allows you to use the plan for the full year. Pre-tax payroll deductions provide the best tax savings; OR
- Stop your coverage when you retire. If you do not elect to prepay, contributions stop, and coverage terminates at the end of the month in which the last contribution is made. Expenses must be incurred during your coverage period.
Important Coverage Changes
- MOCafe Change of Election Form – Use Section C to authorize a pre-tax lump-sum payment or stop coverage at retirement. Allow time for your payroll representative to make any deduction adjustments on your last paycheck(s).
PO Box 858
Columbia, MO 65205-0858
(573) 442-3035 • (800) 659-3035
Fax: (877) 879-9038
Missouri Voluntary Life Insurance Contractor (MoVLIC)
McDaniel Hazley Group, Inc. (MHG) • Universal Life Insurance
You may have purchased this universal life policy in addition to the term life insurance provided by the state through MOSERS.
Important Coverage Changes
- MoVLIC – Contact MoVLIC when you are ready to retire to change your status and stop monthly payroll deductions.
435 Nichols Rd, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64112
(866) 668-5421
Worksite Innovations
You may have purchased this supplemental insurance through AFLAC, AFLAC Group, or Assurity in addition to the term life insurance provided by the state through MOSERS.
Important Coverage Changes
- Worksite Innovations – Contact Worksite Innovations when you are ready to retire.
(888) 339-3593
3219 Emerald Lane, Suite 800
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Hours
Monday – Friday
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.