Episode transcript: [music intro] Seth Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Today we have the Washington State Actuary, Matt Smith, with us here to talk about the recent actuarial valuation report that his office released in August. Actuarial valuations are technical reports providing full disclosure of the financial and funding status of public…
Category Archives: Podcast
Episode 53 – New Retirement Strategy Fund for DCP and Plan 3
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. And this January we are updating the target date fund options for investment accounts in DCP, Plan 3 and JRA. So today we’ve got Chris from AllianceBernstein here as our guest. He helps manage the Retirement Strategy Funds and here to talk…
Episode 52 – A guide to Washington state parks and passes
Episode transcript: [music intro] Seth Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Washington has more than 140 state parks, which provide budget-friendly ways to recreate and socialize across our state. Today, we’re happy to have Ariel here with us from the Washington State Parks who can share with us the many ways you can…
Episode 51 – Credit scores and freezing your credit
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Today, we have Lyn and Nathan with us from the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. Also known as DFI. And today we wanted to talk with them about some of the great resources that DFI offers, as well as talking about…
Episode 50 – Social Security: understanding provisions for public employees
Editors’ note: This episode was updated in Dec. 2024. Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny In December 2024, Congress repealed the two provisions within Social Security benefits that we discuss in this episode: the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Governmental Pension Offset. Though these features no longer apply to public employees we’ve left this episode available…
Episode 49 – Social Security basics
We dive into the essentials with Kirk from the Social Security Administration. He answers questions about creating a My Social Security account, its benefits, and how to use online resources for your retirement planning. Find out how to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, understand the calculations behind your benefit amounts, and get insights into…
Episode 48 – Changes to Medicare Part D
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. We’re excited to welcome Ellen back to the studio with us from the Washington State Health Care Authority. Ellen works there as the Retiree Benefits Manager. And Ellen’s back to talk about some exciting changes coming to PEBB Medicare plans in 2025.…
Episode 47 – Tips for choosing the best auto and home insurance
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Today we’re covering a topic that can have small and big impacts on your budget: insurance. We’ve had several episodes regarding medical insurance, but today we’re going to focus on the other two big ones auto insurance and home and renter’s insurance.…
Episode 46 – Teachers: out-of-state service credit
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. And this episode is for teachers in Washington State specifically about service credit. So, one of the questions that we get a lot at DRS is people who have worked as a public employee in other states, and they want to know…
Episode 45 – First month of retirement; what to avoid
We dive into the common challenges faced right after retirement. DRS team member John shares insights about handling the transition period and offers practical advice to avoid pitfalls. Whether you’re planning to buy a house, plan to travel, or trying to navigate insurance coverage, this episode provides valuable tips to help ensure a smooth post-retirement…
