You are not able to access your MOSERS defined benefit pension until retirement. However, if you no longer work in a MOSERS benefit-eligible position, and you are a member of MSEP 2011, you may be eligible to request a refund of your employee contributions. By taking a refund, you will lose all your credited service and future rights to receive pension and LTD benefits from MOSERS. By law, there is a 90-day waiting period before we can issue a refund.

The MO Deferred Comp 457 retirement savings plan permits in-service withdrawals from your account under the following circumstances; you experience a qualifying, unforeseeable emergency that causes extreme financial hardship, or if your account balance is $5,000 or less – you may elect a one-time, in-service distribution, provided you have not made a contribution during the prior two-year period. Please visit www.modeferredcomp.org for more information or if you have any questions please call (800) 392-0925. 

Thank you for your question. You are not able to access your MOSERS defined benefit pension until retirement. However, if you no longer work in a MOSERS benefit-eligible position, and you are a member of MSEP 2011, you may be eligible to request a refund of your employee contributions. By taking a refund, you will lose all your credited service and future rights to receive pension and LTD benefits from MOSERS.

The MO Deferred Comp 457 retirement savings plan permits in-service withdrawals from your account under the following circumstances; you experience a qualifying, unforeseeable emergency that causes extreme financial hardship, or if your account balance is $5,000 or less – you may elect a one-time, in-service distribution provided you have not made a contribution during the prior two-year period. Please visit www.modeferredcomp.org for more information or if you have any questions please call 800-392-0925. 

As a MOSERS benefit-eligible member, you have a defined benefit pension plan, which provides lifetime monthly benefit payments to you after you retire. It is based on the formula:

Final Average Pay x Credited Service x a Multiplier = Your Monthly Base Benefit

Remember, it is this formula, NOT contributions, that determines your monthly retirement benefit.

There are three sources of income that fund your MOSERS defined benefit pension plan:>/p>

1. Contributions from members of the MSEP 2011 and the Judicial Plan 2011, which are 4% of pay,
2. Your employer’s contributions, which are currently, 20.21% of covered payroll, and
3. MOSERS’ investment income. 

You can read more about plan funding on our website. If you leave state employment prior to normal retirement eligibility, you may request a refund of your employee contributions plus interest. (Your employee contributions consist of #1 above; #2 and #3 remain in the MOSERS trust fund.) Interest on employee contributions is calculated using the 52-week Treasury bill rate.

You may also participate in the State of Missouri Deferred Compensation Plan (MO Deferred Comp), which is a supplemental retirement savings program. Currently, the State does not match any contributions to MO Deferred Comp, but there are many other reasons that MO Deferred Comp is an important part of your benefit package.

Watch our New Employee Orientation video or a quick overview of your MOSERS benefits.