Is it better to retire at the beginning of summer or at the end? When it comes to retirement for teachers and school employees, a few months can have a big impact. Before deciding on the month you want to retire, you need to understand how Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and the Public Employees Benefits Board…
Tag Archives: Retiring
Retirees returning to work must wait 30 days
For a lot of people, retirement is a time to sit back and relax, or time to do some traveling. But some retirees like to stay busy by volunteering. They may even decide they want to go back to work after they retire. As a retiree, you can go back to work for a Department…
The ins and outs of retirement service credits
We’re often asked to explain what service credit is and how it works. Customers want to know about topics related to service credit, such as portability (also known as reciprocity), dual membership and out-of-state credit. Here’s a rundown along with some links to helpful resources. Retirement service credit basics Service credits are the units used…
Required minimum distributions begin at 73
Do you have DCP or Plan 3? If so, keep in mind that if you are separated from employment, federal law requires you to withdraw a minimum amount from your investment account when you reach age 73. The DRS record keeper, Voya, calculates this Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) and pays this amount to you automatically…
Episode 49 – Social Security basics
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Today we’re diving into the wonderful world of Social Security benefits. And when people start to think about retirement, they usually think about how much money they might receive from Social Security. So, it’s no surprise that at DRS we get a…
Managing health care in retirement
As life expectancy increases, the possibility that some Americans may face a physical or mental decline at some point in their lives is very real. Care can require considerable resources – physical, mental and financial. Now is the best time to create a plan that considers how you and your family will handle the potential…
DRS annuity options
What’s an annuity? An annuity is a guaranteed income plan you purchase with pre-tax money such as DCP. The money you receive from your annuity is in addition to the money that you receive from your pension. With annuities, you take money out of market risk and use it to give yourself a monthly lifetime…
Episode 45 – First month of retirement; what to avoid
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. And today’s episode is for those who are maybe within five years of retiring or just kind of thinking about retirement soon down the road. And we’re really focusing on some of those challenges that can come up the month or two…
Retirement taxes FAQ
These are the tax questions we’re asked most often. Keep in mind you’ll need to work with a tax advisor if you have questions beyond the information we can provide. DRS and the investment record keeper Voya are not able to offer tax advice. Will my monthly DRS pension payments be taxed? Yes. Whether you…
Episode 35 – Beneficiary vs survivor
Episode transcript: [music intro] Jenny Welcome back to Fund Your Future with DRS. Today, we’re looking at the difference between beneficiaries and survivors – a key distinction you have to have on your retirement account and while you’re working. And the general rule of thumb is that beneficiaries are for before you retire and survivors…
