Additional FAQs
General FAQ's
If you need help creating an ID.me account in order to log into your myASRS account, here are some helpful resources and information. For the best assistance, we recommend reaching out to ID.me, as the ASRS is unable to access member ID.mne account and can offer limited assistance.
Our ID.me Resources page contains:
- Step-by-step login instructions
- Steps for creating an ID.me account
- Guides to troubleshoot ID verification
- Instructions for in-person verification
If you need assistance from ID.me:
Retirement benefits are calculated by multiplying your Total Service Credits by your Average Monthly Compensation (AMC) by you Graded Multiplier. You can check how much service credit you have by logging into your myASRS account and generating a member statement. The more service you accrue, the higher your retirement benefit. Accruing more service also increases your graded multiplier, which ranges from 2.10% to 2.30% depending on how many years of service you have. To see what yor graded multiplier may be, visit /content/estimate-your-benefits. For your Average Monthly Compensation, or AMC, this calculation depends on your membership date with the ASRS. Your membership date is the date you started contributing to the ASRS.
For a membership date prior to July 1, 2011: your AMC is Calculated by taking the highest consecutive 36 months of contributions within the last 120 months of contributions reported to the ASRS, which could span more than 10 calendar years.
For a membership date on or after to July 1, 2011: Your AMC is Calculated by taking the highest consecutive 60 months of contributions within the last 120 months of contributions reported to the ASRS, which could span more than 10 calendar years. For more information on AMC or retirement eligibility, visit /content/retirement-eligibility
You're not able to chat with live ASRS representatives using this chatbot, however you can log into your secure myASRS account to send us a secure message if there are items you'd like to discuss directly with an ASRS representative.
Active Member
The ASRS retirement plan is a 401(a) defined benefit plan and, under Arizona state law, does not allow loans, borrowing, partial withdrawals, or hardship or emergency distributions at any time. Members cannot access ASRS funds while employed. After ending employment with an ASRS employer, members may either leave their funds on account until they are eligible for retirement benefits or request a refund (also referred to as cashing out) of contributions. A refund is a full withdrawal that permanently closes the account, forfeits all service credit, and ends any future ASRS retirement benefits for that period of employment.
Members who joined ASRS before July 1, 2011 may receive a portion of employer contributions when refunding or rolling over their account, depending on plan provisions. Members who joined ASRS on or after July 1, 2011 generally do not receive employer contributions when refunding or rolling over their account unless their employment ends due to a reduction in force or position elimination.
Refund requests can only be submitted after employment ends and must be completed through the member’s ASRS online account. When requesting a refund, members may choose to receive the funds as a direct payment, a rollover to a tax-qualified retirement plan, or a combination of both. Direct payments are subject to required federal and Arizona state tax withholding and may be subject to an additional IRS early withdrawal penalty. Funds rolled over to a qualified plan are not subject to tax withholding or penalties at the time of transfer.
If a refund is requested within six months of termination, ASRS must first receive an Ending Payroll Verification from the employer. Once all required information is received, refunds are generally processed within approximately 15 business days.
Retired Member
Our retiree Healthcare page is the best resource for Medicare, non-Medicare, and dental plans available to ASRS retirees. Open Enrollment packets containing the enrollment guide and newsletter start to be sent out via mail mid-October, and may take a few days to reach your mailbox. If you have not received your packet by the end of October, reach out to our staff and we can mail you another packet. Also, all materials are online digitally. Both the Enrollment Guide and Open Enrollment Newsletter are available on our Open Enrollment page.
Additional Resources for Open Enrollment:
- Open Enrollment Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/Open-Enrollment
- Medicare Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/medicare-plans
- Non-Medicare Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/non-medicare-plans
- Dental Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/dental-plans
Open Enrollment packets containing the enrollment guide and newsletter start to be sent out via mail mid-October, and may take a few days to reach your mailbox. If you have not received your packet by the end of October, reach out to our staff and we can mail you another packet. Also, all materials are online digitally. Both the Enrollment Guide and Open Enrollment Newsletter are available on our Open Enrollment page.
Additional Resources for Open Enrollment:
- Open Enrollment Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/Open-Enrollment
- Medicare Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/medicare-plans
- Non-Medicare Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/non-medicare-plans
- Dental Page: https://www.azasrs.gov/content/dental-plans
- Spouse or child who was insured at the time of the passing of the member (if they drop the insurance, they cannot re-enroll)
- If enrolled within 90 days of the date of death, the coverage would be backdated to the start of the month after the member’s date of death, so there is no lapse of coverage.
- Beneficiary of a member receiving ongoing benefits - must choose to enroll within 6 months of ASRS notifying them of their eligibility by letter
- If enrolled within 90 days of the date of death, the coverage would be backdated to the start of the month after the member’s date of death, so there is no lapse of coverage.
- Joint and Survivor Contingent Annuitant - must choose to enroll within 6 months of ASRS notifying them of their eligibility by letter
- If enrolled within 90 days of the date of death, the coverage would be backdated to the start of the month after the member’s date of death, so there is no lapse of coverage.
- Term Certain beneficiary - must choose to enroll within 6 months of ASRS notifying them of their eligibility by letter
- If enrolled within 90 days of the date of death, the coverage would be backdated to the start of the month after the member’s date of death, so there is no lapse of coverage.