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Survivor Benefits and Remarrying
Jun 7, 2021, 9:44 AM By MOSERSI am receiving survivor benefits from my husband who died in 2009. I am considering remarrying. If I do, will I continue to receive the monthly benefit?Yes, since your spouse elected a survivor benefit for you at retirement, you will continue to receive your survivor benefits each month for your life, even if you remarry.
Please update your personal information with us if your name, address or bank information changes. You can do so by contacting us and our benefit staff will assist you. Also, please be sure to review and update, if necessary, who you have designated to receive your final survivor benefit payment. Your final benefit payment is paid on the last working day of the month in which you die.
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Transferring Credited Service from MPERS to MOSERS
Jun 7, 2021, 8:00 AM By MOSERSSo my husband currently work at MoDot but is thinking about applying for MDOC. Would his retirement, time of service, and 80 and out still apply if he came to work for DOC. He is currently on MPERS. Thank you.Yes, he can transfer his credited service with MPERS to MOSERS. If he is a vested member of MSEP or MSEP 2000, the Rule of 80 (“80 and Out”) will still apply for normal retirement eligibility.
To apply for the transfer of service, if he is a vested member of MSEP, MSEP 2000 or MSEP 2011, once he is hired by the Department of Corrections, he must simply notify MOSERS in writing. He should include his name, Social Security number, and his dates of service under MPERS. We will verify his previous service with MPERS. MPERS will send MOSERS the equivalent amount of employer (state) contributions made for this service. We will send him a notice confirming the transfer when the process is complete. This is a free transfer of service; there is no cost to the member.
If he is not vested, he can transfer his service after one complete year of service under MOSERS. Also, for members of MSEP 2011, the retirement eligibility requirements are different.
If he is looking at other options, you can review the complete list of MOSERS covered Employers on our website. See our Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP (Closed Plan) Members or Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP 2000 Member for additional service transfer and purchase options.
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Medical Insurance
Jun 3, 2021, 3:40 PM By MOSERSi am looking for health insurance help. who do i contactYou will need to contact your medical insurance provider for help with health insurance-related inquires. For most state employees, that is Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP).
If you are employed at a college, university, or the Department of Conservation, contact your human resources/employee benefits office.
If you are unsure, see our Benefits Providers Table to determine who administers your benefits.
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Early Retirement
May 27, 2021, 11:14 AM By MOSERSI am just curious if I wanted to retire early are you offering anyone an early out. Just wondering here that is all. I can retire in March of 2022, so it will be here before you know it if I elect to go that route, I may have to do a backdrop. Thanks for your assistance in this matter.
Early retirement is an existing option available to most MOSERS members (but not available to legislators or statewide elected officials). As a general state employee, if you elect early retirement, your base benefit will be reduced by one-half of one percent (.005) for each month your age at retirement is younger than your normal retirement age.
We are not aware of any proposed early retirement incentives for state employees. Any such incentive would require legislative authorization. There were no early retirement incentives that passed during the recent regular legislative session that ended on May 14, 2021. Anytime the Missouri General Assembly is in session, you can follow any bills affecting MOSERS on our Legislation page.
View Pension Plans on our website for more information including details on normal (unreduced) and early (reduced) retirement eligibility for MSEP, MSEP 2000, and MSEP 2011.
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Accelerated Benefit
May 26, 2021, 3:29 PM By MOSERSI was wondering if it’s possible to borrow against a life insurance policy and if so how? Thank you.Your life insurance through MOSERS is term-life insurance, which means it has no cash value and you cannot borrow against it. However, if you are terminally ill with a life expectancy of less than 12 months, you may be eligible to receive a portion of your life insurance benefit (Accelerated Benefits) prior to your death, provided you meet certain conditions. For more information, please see the Life Insurance page on our website and the Accelerated Benefit Instructions.
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Purchasing Military Service
May 17, 2021, 2:26 PM By MOSERSI would like to buy military time and I would like the forms can you help me. Thank youAs a member of MSEP or MSEP 2000, you may purchase up to four years of active-duty military service credit for service performed prior to last becoming a member of MOSERS. This may include active-duty military training. If you are eligible, please submit the Application to Purchase Active-Duty Military Service. View our Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP (Closed Plan) Members or Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP 2000 Members for more information. Any purchase of service must be completed prior to when you apply for retirement.
If you have money in your MO Deferred Comp account, as a member of MSEP or MSEP 2000, you can use those funds to purchase prior military service (exception: Roth 457 assets cannot be used to purchase service credit). If you have additional questions about purchasing service, contact a MOSERS benefit counselor. If you have questions about accessing your funds, contact MO Deferred Comp.
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Important Tax Information
May 14, 2021, 10:38 AM By MOSERSTurbotax is asking me for "Plan cost at annuity starting date" and I have no idea what this is. Can you help me?For your MOSERS benefit, "plan cost at annuity starting date" is the total after-tax contributions used to calculate the exclusion amount (amount of your monthly benefit excluded from taxable income). It is important to note that this total doesn’t include your Employee Contributions, as they are paid in pre-tax. However, the total may include any purchases you made with after-tax funds or payroll deductions.
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Final Average Pay with a Second Job Appointment
May 14, 2021, 8:22 AM By MOSERSSome of our employees are working a second job direct care appointment with our facility in addition to their regular direct care appointment. As this is different from earning overtime that becomes comp time, their earnings are shown on their normal payroll as income earned. How will this benefit our employees working these second job appointments on their Final Average Pay (FAP) to calculate their pension benefits?Pension benefits are calculated using a formula, which is: Final Average Pay (FAP) x a Multiplier* x Credited Service = Monthly Base Benefit
The additional earnings for working in a second job may increase their final average pay. Statutorily required employer and employee contributions must be paid to the System on any such compensation. See MOSERS Board Rule 2-8 for details.
However, state law says an employee can earn only one day of service credit for each day worked so it would not increase their credited service in terms of retirement eligibility or for calculating their benefit amount.
Below is a simplified example showing how working in an additional position could potentially impact an employee’s benefit. Employees should contact a MOSERS benefit counselor to get an estimate for their particular situation:
Working in one full-time position making $28,307 per year and retiring in MSEP 2000 with 25 years of service:
$28,307/12 months = $2,358.92 as monthly final average pay
FAP ($2,358.92) x Multiplier (0.017) x Credited Service (25) = $1,002.54 monthly base benefit in retirement
Working in one full-time position making $28,307 per year and retiring in MSEP 2000 with 25 years of service plus working in a part-time position at the same rate of pay (an extra 1,000 hours at $13.61 per hour per = $13,610 per year for 3 years):
$41,917/12 months = $3,493.08 as monthly final average pay
FAP ($3,493.08) x Multiplier (0.017) x Credited Service (25) = $1,484.56 monthly base benefit in retirement
*The multiplier for MSEP is 1.6%; the multiplier for MSEP 2000 and MSEP 2011 is 1.7%.
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Refund of Employee Contributions
May 14, 2021, 8:22 AM By MOSERSI have worked part time for a few years and will be soon leaving. Do I get the money I’ve put into mosers back?If you leave state employment prior to becoming eligible for normal retirement, you may request a refund of your employee contributions plus any credited interest. By law, there is a 90-day waiting period before we can issue a refund. By taking a refund, your forfeit all your credited service. Or, you may leave your contributions with the System if you think you might return to work for the state at some point in the future and would like for those years of service to count toward an eventual retirement benefit. See our Employee Contributions brochure for more information.
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MOSERS Covered Employers
May 14, 2021, 8:21 AM By MOSERSI was wondering what other occupations may qualify towards my retirement?
You can review the full list of MOSERS covered employers to see what state agencies receive our benefits. Generally speaking, an employee must work in a position normally requiring at least 1,040 hours per year to qualify for MOSERS benefits. It is important to note that it is the responsibility of the employer, not MOSERS, to determine if a position is eligible for MOSERS benefits. If you were to go to work for any other MOSERS covered employer in a benefit-eligible position, it would add to your existing state service.
Depending upon your plan membership (MSEP, MSEP 2000, or MSEP 2011), you may be able to purchase or transfer service from one retirement system to another, including the following types of service
- Service with MODOT or the Missouri Highway Patrol
- Service with a city, county, or public school in Missouri
- Prior military service
Purchasing or transferring service may increase your pension benefit and may make you eligible for retirement sooner. For more information contact a MOSERS benefit counselor and see
Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP (Closed Plan) Members
Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP 2000 Members
Purchasing and Transferring Service Guide for MSEP 2011 Members
Topics
- 1099-R (10)
- Annual Leave (3)
- BackDrop (10)
- Board of Trustees (1)
- COLA (14)
- Credited Service (9)
- Death (1)
- Deferred Compensation (5)
- Divorce (1)
- Early Retirement (4)
- Education (7)
- Employee Contributions (13)
- Final Average Pay (8)
- Former State Employee (5)
- Funding (5)
- Leaving State Employment (18)
- Legislation (5)
- Life Insurance (11)
- Long-term Disability (1)
- Medical Insurance (6)
- Military Service (5)
- MSEP (5)
- MSEP 2000 (5)
- MSEP 2011 (11)
- Normal Retirement (22)
- Payday (4)
- Re-employment (15)
- Retirement Process (10)
- Rule of 80 (9)
- Sick Leave (6)
- Taxes (27)
- Temporary Benefit (4)
- Termination (4)
- Travel Assistance (2)
- Universities (3)
- Vesting (4)
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Disclaimer
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.