Retirement Savings

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) is a retirement pension benefit for most State, Local and School District employees in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Act 10 requires participants to pay a percentage of income to the plan pre-tax (50% is contributed by you and 50% is contributed by WAWM). January 1, 2024, the total participation percentage is 13.8%.

 

You must meet both of the following requirements to be eligible for coverage under the WRS:

Employees who do not meet the WRS eligibility requirements upon hire can subsequently become eligible. If your expectation of hours worked and/or the duration of your employment changes to the extent that you now meet the WRS eligibility criteria, you will be enrolled in the WRS. Also, at your one-year anniversary your employment will be evaluated and if you did work the minimum amount of hours to be eligible you will be enrolled in the WRS. If it is determined that you are not WRS eligible as of your one-year anniversary, eligibility monitoring on a rolling 12-month basis will begin. Employees who work the required hours in any 12 consecutive months will be enrolled in the WRS on the day after they have worked the required number of hours.

 

To be vested, you must have five years of WRS creditable service. If you leave employment prior to being vested or if you are vested and you take your funds out of the WRS prior to minimum retirement age, you are only eligible for a separation benefit and will lose the employer matching amount.

 

The WRS consists of two fund options, the Core Fund (which is the default fund) and the Variable Fund. Your contributions will go into the Core Fund unless you elect to participate in the Variable Fund. If you elect to participate in the Variable Fund, 50% of your future WRS contributions will be deposited in the Variable Fund and 50% will be deposited in the Core Fund. You are able to cancel your Variable Fund participation effective December 31 of the year the cancellation form is received. Please be aware that electing to participate in the Variable Fund is a personal decision based on your tolerance for risk and your financial situation. If you choose to make this one-time election, please see the terms on the election sheet. You must submit your application directly to ETF online.  

 

You may make additional contributions to WRS annually.  You must submit the payment directly to WRS by 12/31 of every calendar year.  

 

ETF sends out one paper statement a year, which is usually in mid-April that is current through 12/31 of the prior calendar year. At this time the member's WRS balance is not available on-line. You can request a copy of your statement of benefits online.

A 403(b) Tax Sheltered Annuity is a supplemental retirement option that you must set up with one of the District's four investment providers. All providers offer the option of investing in a Traditional (earnings/returns on amounts are tax-deferred until they are withdrawn) or Roth (distributions are tax-deferred) plan. Most employees are eligible to participate. The district does not match 403(b) contributions.

 

Submit a salary reduction agreement to TSA Consulting Group, our 3rd party Administrator.

 

Dave Stelmaszewski

608-218-3366