10/30/2024
New & Updated Online Services Debuted Today
Earlier today, we updated services available in members’ online accounts.
If you are an active member currently working for a SERS employer or left state employment after qualifying for monthly pension payments but haven’t yet applied for them, you can now estimate your monthly pension reflecting a partial withdrawal of your contributions and interest.
If you are retired or receive payments from SERS as a beneficiary or survivor of a deceased SERS member, you can now produce a pension verification reflecting the payment data pulled from your member record. You also can now compare how changes to various fields on the new IRS W-4P form will impact the amount of money withheld from your payments for federal income tax purposes.
You’ll need to sign into your online account to use these new or updated services.
01/26/2024
Retirees: Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2024 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
01/16/2024
1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Today we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by January 26, 2024, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan Specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2024 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg.
09/01/2023
Retirees: SERS Member Data Not Exposed In PBI Software Vulnerability
A number of retirees have reported receiving a letter from PBI (Pension Benefit Information, LLC), indicating that personal information about the retiree was on a server that had been exploited by an unauthorized third party.
Please know that SERS does not make use of the servers involved.
PBI provides audit and address research services for insurance companies, as well as pension funds and other organizations. While we do contract with PBI for their audit services, we do not make use of the company’s MOVEit Transfer servers.
06/28/2023
Retired Members: Did you choose a pension payment option that provides a monthly payment to someone after your death?
If so, and that person died, or you divorced or married on or before 8/20/2016, a deadline is nearing!
The payment option you selected on your pension application is final and binding, except in very limited circumstances. Those circumstances include the death of the individual you named as your “survivor” (someone who will receive monthly payments after your death), your marriage, or your divorce.
If any of those events occurred on or prior to Aug. 20, 2016, the deadline in which you may change your pension payment option is nearing.
You have until Aug. 20, 2023, or seven years from the “qualifying event” (survivor’s death, your marriage or divorce), whichever is later, to submit your option change application.
That means if you experience a qualifying event in the future or experienced a qualifying event after Aug. 20, 2016, you have seven years in which you may change your pension payment option.
Please keep in mind that choosing a new payment option requires the recalculation of your pension. A recalculation is likely to reduce your monthly payments; however, your life situation may make the decrease worth it. For example, having the opportunity to provide monthly payments for another person after your death.
If you have a qualifying event, please contact your Defined Benefit Plan Specialist for more information and the proper forms.
This limited right to change your pension payment option is detailed in 4 Pa. Code §247.5a.
04/21/2023
An incorrect telephone number was published on page three of the recently distributed SERS News (spring/summer 2023 edition), in the article titled “IRS Released New Form W-4P for 2023.” We have not changed our telephone number. To obtain a copy of the new W-4P form, please call us at 1.800.633.5461, press 1 for retired members and press 2 for forms. The phone number has been corrected in the archived copy on our website.
We apologize for any inconvenience and frustration.
1/26/2023
Retirees: Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2023 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/13/2023
Retired Members: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail Today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms are also available in your online member services account. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by January 27, 2023, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan Specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2023 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/25/2022
Retirees: Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2022 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/14/2022
Retired Members: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms will be available in your online member services account on Tuesday, January 18. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by January 28, 2022, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan Specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2022 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
1/21/2021
Retired Members: Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2021 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement will be available in your online member services account on Monday.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/15/2021
Retirees: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms will be available in your online member services account on Tuesday, January 19. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by January 25, 2021, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan Specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2021 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
1/16/2020
Retirees: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms will be available in your online member services account tomorrow. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by Jan 31, 2020, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2020 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
7/15/2019
Medicare-Eligible Retirees In The REHP:
New Medicare Plan Effective Jan. 2020
SERS has received the following information from the Governor’s Office of Administration:
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Effective January 1, 2020, all Medicare-eligible retired commonwealth employees and their dependents currently covered under PPO and HMO plans through the Retired Employees Health Program (REHP) will be enrolled in an open-access PPO plan through Aetna. Under the new open-access plan, members gain more flexibility and will be able to see any provider that accepts Medicare and receive in-network benefits. This means that all members will be able to continue to see their current Medicare providers without disruption. The new contract provides nearly a quarter billion in savings while allowing retirees to continue to see their current Medicare providers. Retirees currently enrolled in a Medicare HMO will receive targeted communications the week of July 15th. Medicare PPO members will receive communications shortly thereafter. If you have any questions, please contact the PEBTF at 1.800.522.7279. |
1/24/2019
Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2019 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/14/2019
Retirees: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms will also be available in your online member services account today. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by Jan 31, 2019, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2019 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
2/21/2018
Retirees: Federal Tax Changes to Your Pension Payment
For many of you, the new federal tax law enacted on 12/22/17 will impact the amount of money withheld from your monthly pension payments for federal income tax, starting with your February payment. If you have instructed us to withhold money from your pension for income tax purposes, your net February payment will be, in most cases, higher than that listed on your recently mailed annuitant statement.
Today, we mailed letters to those of you who will see a change in your monthly pension due to the federal income tax law changes. It lists the modified amount of money that will be withheld from your gross monthly pension payments for federal income tax, and the resulting net amount of your pension payments in 2018. You can also calculate the net amount of your 2018 payments using our online Federal Income Tax withholding calculator.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/26/2018
Retirees: Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Yesterday, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2018 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services accoun.
As indicated on your statement, the 2018 amounts listed do not reflect the new federal tax law enacted on 12/22/17. If you have instructed us to withhold money from your pension for income tax purposes, your net 2018 payments will, in most cases, be higher than those listed on the statement. We will mail you a letter in mid-February listing the amount of money that will be withheld from your gross monthly pension payments for federal income tax based on the new tax law and the resulting net amount of your monthly payments for 2018. You can also calculate your 2018 payments using our online Federal Income Tax withholding calculator.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/17/2018
Retirees: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Yesterday, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms will also be available in your online member services account before the end of the week. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by Jan 31, 2018, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2018 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
1/25/2017
Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Yesterday, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2017 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. A copy of your statement is available in your online member services accoun.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/18/2017
Retired Members: 1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Yesterday, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms also will be available in your online member services account this Thursday, Jan 19, 2017. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by Jan 31, 2017, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2017 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
1/02/2017
2017 Payment Calendar
The 2017 SERS Payment calendar is posted. You can get your copy here.
11/4/2016
IMPORTANT REHP INFORMATION
If you are covered by a health insurance plan administered by the Pennsylvania Employees Benefit Trust Fund (PEBTF), your health insurance plan may change this fall.
Medicare Eligible Retirees
If you or a dependent on your PEBTF-administered health insurance coverage is eligible for Medicare, you can choose a new health plan during Medicare Open Enrollment between October 24 - November 11, 2016, but it is not required.
Non-Medicare Eligible Retirees
You must choose a health plan during your open enrollment between October 17 - November 4, 2016.
3/15/2016
Keep Alert to Potential Phone Scams
A few members have reported receiving questionable automated phone calls. The automated message indicates the call is from SERS and asks the member to confirm his or her personal information by logging into a website.
To protect your personal information from scams like this, never give your personal or financial information to anyone over the phone or online unless you initiate the call or verify the website address is legitimate.
1/25/2016
Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Earlier today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2016 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/15/2016
1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Earlier today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your forms also will be available in your online member services account next Wed, Jan 20, 2016. If you do not receive your 1099-R tax documents by Feb 1, 2016, please contact a SERS Defined Benefit Plan specialist at 1.800.633.5461.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2016 payment calendar, in about a week. It, too, will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
We will post another update here when we mail the statements. If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/7/2016
Tax Documents to Mail Jan. 14
If you received a payment from us last year, you will receive at least one 1099-R tax document from us in the next few weeks. The 1099-R tax documents are scheduled to mail on January 14, 2016, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Approximately a week later, your account statement, featuring the 2016 payment calendar, will be mailed from Claysburg.
If you would like to receive future retiree updates like this by e-mail, you can sign up here.
5/13/2015
Pension reform is a Hot Topic in Harrisburg
Recent news reports have included stories about a few pension-related bills that are currently being drafted or have been introduced. One bill in particular, Senate Bill 1, proposes changes to the future benefit to be earned by current employees.
It is important to keep in mind that any changes to the structure of the SERS benefit must be introduced as a bill, passed by both chambers of the legislature and signed into law by the Governor.
Our retirees should also note that none of the bills currently under consideration affect their benefits.
As the administrator of the SERS pension benefit, we do not advocate for or against specific pension reform bills. We are, however, closely monitoring legislative activity and will notify you if any law enacted will impact your benefit.
We encourage you to remain informed as this debate unfolds.
You can read proposed legislation and track its progress on the legislature's website, www.legis.state.pa.us, by using the keyword "pension." The site also features a legislator search tool so that you can find the name and contact information for your legislators.
To receive updates like this by e-mail, sign-up on our website.
4/24/2015
Keep Alert to Potential Phone Scams
A few members have reported receiving questionable phone calls in which the caller claims to be with the U.S. Treasury or IRS and indicates that there is an issue with the member's SERS benefit. The callers also claim that the member will be brought before some sort of government magistrate or grand jury if they ignore the call. The callers can be aggressive in tone and may call multiple times.
The calls that members have described are similar to this well-known IRS scam.
To protect your personal information from scams like this, never give your personal or financial information to anyone over the phone unless you initiated the call to a company or agency that you are certain is legitimate.
1/27/2015
Your Annual Statement Is in the Mail
Earlier today, we mailed your Personal Statement of Pension Payments, featuring the 2015 payment calendar, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Your statement is available in your online member services account.
If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/16/2015
1099-R Tax Documents Are in the Mail
Earlier today, we mailed your 1099-R tax documents directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA.
Your forms also will be available in your online member services account this Monday, Jan 19, 2015.
You can expect your account statement, featuring the 2015 payment calendar, in about a week. It too will be mailed from Claysburg and available in your online member service account shortly thereafter.
We will post another update here when we mail the statements. If you would like to receive retiree updates directly to your e-mail, sign up here.
1/5/2015
Tax Documents to Mail Jan. 16
If you received a payment from us last year, you will receive at least one 1099-R tax document from us in the next few weeks.The 1099-R tax documents are scheduled to mail on January 16, 2015, directly from our print and mail vendor in Claysburg, PA. Approximately a week later, your account statement, featuring the 2015 payment calendar, will be mailed from Claysburg.
If you would like to receive future retiree updates like this by e-mail, you can sign up here.