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New Employee Benefit Enrollment

Mar 25, 2024, 2:35 PM By MOSERS

I am a new employee and I have set up my retirement. I have received one paycheck so far and my question is, is it too late to make changes? Do I need to wait for open enrollment?

As a new employee with the state of Missouri, you should have received instructions to enroll in SEBES, the Statewide Employee Benefit Enrollment System. Visit www.sebes.mo.gov and log in with your SEBES password before the deadline, which is 31 days from your hire date. After the deadline, you must contact the appropriate benefit provider(s) directly to determine eligibility.
Once you are enrolled, you have access to a defined benefit pension, life insurance, and long-term disability benefits through MOSERS. We also have webinars available for new state employees who would like to learn more about their pension, life insurance, and long-term disability benefits. You can register via GoTo Webinar for a daytime webinar or evening webinar.
In addition to these benefits, you are automatically enrolled in the MO Deferred Comp plan at the minimum of 1% contribution per pay period. Your contribution can be adjusted at any time and is made through automatic payroll deductions. If you choose to opt out of the deferred compensation plan's auto-enrollment, you must do so by adjusting your contribution to zero within 30 days of your hire date. Employees who opt out within this time frame will receive a refund of any contributions they made to their MO Deferred Comp account. Please visit www.modeferredcomp.org for more information, or if you have any questions, please call (800) 392-0925.
Life Income with Guaranteed Payments Option

Mar 18, 2024, 9:27 AM By MOSERS

Please explain the guaranteed benefit options. Is it correct that the term is only for payment to my beneficiary if I should die prior to the end of the guaranteed term? Asked another way, if I outlive the guaranteed term, do I continue to receive benefits until my death?
Your retirement benefit from MOSERS is a lifetime benefit for you, the member, regardless of the benefit payment option you elect at retirement. Depending on your marital status, you will choose between different payment options such as the life income annuity, joint & survivor, and guaranteed payment options when you file your Retirement Election form.
- The guaranteed payment options allow you to name anyone as your beneficiary(ies) (does not have to be your spouse).
- Your retirement benefit will be reduced, and if you should pass before all the guaranteed payments have been made, any remaining payments will go to your beneficiary(ies).
- You must name a beneficiary or beneficiaries (person, trust, corporation, organization, charity, or your estate) to receive any remaining guaranteed payments.
No survivor payments will be paid if you have received all payments in the guaranteed period (other than the final payment).
Purchasing Active-Duty Military Service

Mar 18, 2024, 8:57 AM By MOSERS

I am needing to see about purchasing my military time. Where do I get the forms?

Members of MSEP or MSEP 2000 may purchase up to four years of active-duty military service, including active-duty military training. You must be vested in MOSERS to be eligible to purchase military service. This information is included in our Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP (Closed Plan) Members or Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP 2000 Members materials. Purchase of prior military service is not available to members of MSEP 2011 or the Judicial Plan 2011.

Contact a MOSERS benefit counselor to get additional information and to request an Application to Purchase Active-Duty Military Service. Once you complete the application, MOSERS will provide you with an estimate of the cost to purchase service and how doing so will affect future benefit payment amounts.

You must complete any purchase of military service prior to applying for retirement. If you have money in your MO Deferred Comp account, you can use those funds to purchase prior military service (exception: Roth 457 assets cannot be used to purchase service credit). If you have questions about accessing your funds, contact MO Deferred Comp.
Are Retirees Eligible for Travel Assistance?

Feb 26, 2024, 8:34 AM By MOSERS

I recall that as a state employee there was some type of Travel Assistance benefit, I forget the name of the company, but it was like a traveler assistance service if you were on a trip and ran into trouble. I don't recall more details than that. Is there something like that for retirees as well?
MOSERS members who have basic life insurance through MOSERS are eligible for Travel Assistance when traveling more than 100 miles from home. Eligible spouses and children younger than age 25 are also covered. The service is provided by Assist America, Inc. For more information, check out the Travel Assistance Service Overview.

Travel assistance includes:
- 24-hour phone support with registered nurses.
- Emergency ticket, passport, and credit card replacement.
- Emergency medical evacuation, plus return travel for companions or return of dependent children during prolonged hospitalization.
- Connection to interpreters, consular office, and local attorney.
- Pre-trip services, such as passport and visa assistance.
Travel Assistance is not travel insurance. Travel Assistance provides specific support services while traveling. Travel insurance provides monetary compensation for losses that occur while traveling.
Leaving State Employment and Your Pension

Feb 26, 2024, 8:32 AM By MOSERS

I started with the State of MO in 2008. If I leave before my early retirement, do I simply walk away from any pension, or is there some type of pension available to me when I reach a certain age? Basically, is my pension an all-or-nothing situation?

If you are a vested member of MSEP or MSEP 2000 and leave state employment before you are eligible to retire, your pension stays secure with MOSERS and will be available to you when you meet the age requirement and complete the retirement process. Retirees receive a lifetime payment based on a.) a formula set by law and b.) the option they elect at retirement. See Leaving State Employment for more information.

There are no forms for you to complete with MOSERS when leaving your position; however, we ask that you keep your contact information current with us as you will receive periodic mailings regarding your retirement information. If you have address, email, or phone number changes, please log in to myMOSERS and to update your personal information or contact our office at (800) 827-1063.

If you are a vested member of MSEP 2011 and leave state employment before you are eligible to retire, the above information is true unless you take a refund of your employee contributions. If you take a refund, you will forfeit your future rights to receive a pension (lifetime monthly retirement benefits) from MOSERS. Missouri law requires MOSERS to pay your refund within an administratively reasonable period but no sooner than 90 days from the date your state employment ended.
How to Schedule an In-Person Meeting with MOSERS Before Retirement

Feb 16, 2024, 4:20 PM By MOSERS

I couldn't find anything about this on your site, only how to enroll in webinars and such. I am planning on retiring on 11/1/24 and would like to come down sometime this Summer for an in-person MOSERS retirement meeting. How would I go about setting this up, and what would be the best time frame based on my planned retirement date?

You can schedule an appointment in advance to meet with a benefit counselor in our office. Our benefit counselors can print off benefit estimates while you are here, discuss your retirement options, show you how to retire online, and assist you with any other questions you may have about the retirement process. To schedule an appointment, call (800) 827-1063 or (573) 632-6100. We encourage you to schedule this sooner rather than later to give yourself time to process the information and schedule an additional meeting if you like.

Keep in mind that there must be one entire month between the date we receive your application and your retirement date. Using your example, if your retirement date is November 1, your Retirement Application is due no later than September 30 and your Retirement Election Form is due no later than October 31. You can submit your retirement application as early as 4 months (120 days) prior to your retirement date.

We also encourage you to attend a Ready to Retire in-person seminar or webinar before you retire. You can find dates for all our in-person seminars and our webinars by going to the Education page of our website and clicking on Ready to Retire. Once you find the session you want to attend, log in to myMOSERS to register.
Can I take a loan out of my retirement savings account?

Feb 15, 2024, 4:00 PM By MOSERS

I would like to know if there was a way to take a loan out of my retirement account.
Your contributions to MOSERS defined benefit pension are not available for loans or partial withdrawals.
In addition, if you have an account with MO Deferred Comp, loans are not permitted. However, the MO Deferred Comp 457 retirement savings plan does permit 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.
Will Proposed Legislation Affect My Benefit?

Feb 6, 2024, 3:30 PM By MOSERS

Based on the Governor's State of the State address, he proposed an increase of wages for state workers. Does that include retirees also? If not, what is MOSERS doing to be included in that increase?

Any proposed legislation would have to be passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate then signed by the Governor to become effective. We're not currently aware of any proposed legislation that would increase retiree benefits. However, it's important to note that all general state employees receive cost-of-living-adjustments (COLAs) each year as part of the existing plan provisions.

You can follow bills potentially affecting MOSERS through the legislative process on our website by viewing the 2024 Weekly Legislative Tracking sheet.
How Can I Change My Tax Withholding?

Feb 6, 2024, 3:10 PM By MOSERS

I may be interested in changing my federal withholding. It's been awhile since I did that, and it appears that I can't change it directly on the website like I did in the past. Is there any way I can see my current withholding status online? I used to be able to do that, but don't seem to be able to now.
You may at any time contact a MOSERS benefit specialist at (800) 827-1063 to discuss your current withholding election. Your withholding election may be changed during the year by completing the Tax Withholding Authorization and IRS W-4P forms. You are correct that you used to be able to complete and submit the form online. However, effective January 1, 2023, members are required to use the IRS form rather than the substitute W-4P form we previously had on our website. We are working on programming now that will allow electronic submission later in 2024.

Until then, if you need to change the amount of taxes being withheld, please submit both the MOSERS form (Tax Withholding Authorization) and the IRS form (W-4P). You can return the forms to us by:
- Faxing them to (573) 632-6103,
- Scanning them and sending them as an attachment via email to mosers@mosers.org,
- Submitting them using the Document Upload feature after you have logged in to myMOSERS
- Depositing them in the drop box outside of our office or bringing them in to the receptionist, or
- Mailing them to us at MOSERS, PO Box 209, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0209
MOSERS staff cannot provide tax advice and cannot advise you on how to fill out tax forms or your tax liability as it pertains to your MOSERS pension. We suggest you contact the IRS and/or a qualified tax advisor to determine your withholding amounts.
Which Universities are MOSERS Covered Employers?

Feb 6, 2024, 2:20 PM By MOSERS

What universities in Missouri do you serve?
MOSERS administers retirement benefits (defined benefit pension and deferred compensation plans) for benefit-eligible employees of the following universities.
- Harris-Stowe State University
- Lincoln University
- Missouri Southern State University
- Missouri State University
- Missouri Western State University
- Northwest Missouri State University
- Southeast Missouri State University
- Truman State University
- University of Central Missouri
We administer retirement benefits, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance for benefit-eligible employees of State Technical College of Missouri.

We do not administer life insurance or long-term disability benefits for university employees, except for eligible employees of Lincoln University.

See our list of MOSERS Covered Employers and our Benefit Providers flyer for more information.

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We strive to provide the most accurate information possible in our answers to Rumor Central questions. However, occasionally, laws, policies or provisions change and individual circumstances may vary. Please contact a MOSERS benefit counselor or see the handbooks in our website Library for more detailed information. If there is any difference between the information provided in this blog or on the MOSERS website and the law or policies that govern MOSERS, the law and policies will prevail. See our Privacy, Security & Legal Notices for more information.

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