ETF is offering a series of 30-minute, live, interactive webinars designed to increase your understanding of Wisconsin Retirement System benefits. Individuals can also ask questions at the end of these sessions. Visit ETF’s webinar page to learn more about any of the following sessions.
Buying Service
If you are eligible to purchase service, doing so would increase your retirement or disability benefit. Find out how by viewing this webinar. We’ll cover the types of service you may be able to buy, how and when you can buy service, and much more. Eligible types of service include service earned during prior WRS covered employment and forfeited through a separation benefit and some types of service earned with other government employers.
- Tue, Jun 4, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Mon, Jun 10, 2019 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- Thu, Jun 20, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Fri, Jun 28, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Newly Retired? What to Expect
The Newly Retired webinar provides basic information for Wisconsin Retirement System members who have recently entered or are soon to enter 
retirement status. Topics include initial (“estimated”) retirement annuity payments, “finalized” payments and adjustments, post-retirement life and health insurance, and return to work rules under the WRS.
This is a 20-minute webinar with approximately 10 minutes available for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.
- Mon, Jun 3, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Thu, Jun 13, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Thu, Jun 20, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Mon, Jun 24, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Preparing for Your Retirement
Who should attend? Employees who are planning to retire in the next 1 – 10 years.
Learn about your steps to retire with the WRS. Attend this event by live webinar! You will learn about the impact of contributions and investment returns on your account, when you can retire, your WRS annuity options, returning to work after you retire, what happens to your account when you die, health and life insurance and more.
Questions are welcome during and after the event!
- Wed, Jun 5, 2019 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
- Tue, Jun 18, 2019 6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Retirement Annuity Options
Choosing a WRS annuity option is one of the most important decisions you will face. This webinar will cover all of the WRS annuity options and help you understand them so that you can make an informed decision. We will also explain the important differences between a beneficiary and a named survivor.
- Tue, Jun 4, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Wed, Jun 12, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Fri, Jun 21, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Thu, Jun 27, 2019 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Variable Fund
In this webinar we will discuss the Variable Fund – what it is, how it differs from the Core Fund, and the effect participation in this fund may have on your retirement benefit calculations. We will also discuss how to elect to participate in the Variable Fund, how to cancel Variable participation, and the impact the timing of these decisions may have on your Wisconsin Retirement System benefits.
- Thu, Jun 6, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
- Tue, Jun 11, 2019 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Wed, Jun 19, 2019 12:00 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Mon, Jun 24, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
WRS Benefits: For New and Mid-Career Employees
This one-hour webinar is designed for WRS members who are more than five years from retirement. ETF provides accurate information about WRS benefits early in a member’s career so that they can make sound, strategic decisions over the course of their careers.
Topics covered at each presentation include vesting requirements, various ways to enhance a WRS retirement benefit, purchasing service, military service credit, the Core and Variable Trust Funds, contribution rates, the importance of a beneficiary form and how to complete one, and how “life event” changes affect retirement benefits.
- Thu, Jun 6, 2019 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Wed, Jun 12, 2019 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Tue, Jun 18, 2019 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
- Wed, Jun 26, 2019 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Please contact Human Resources at (920) 465-2390 or payrollandbenefits@uwgb.edu with any questions.