This page is for those who are assisting an Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) member but may not be a member yourself. Below is information on topics that may be helpful.
Click the links to jump to each section.
Contacting the ASRS on behalf of an ASRS member
Here are some general guidelines to use when contacting the ASRS on behalf of someone else.
When contacting the ASRS, members must be able to authenticate their own information without any assistance from a third party or family member. Secure message communication via a member's myASRS account must also come directly from the member, Power of Attorney, Conservator, or Guardian. If the member is unable to authenticate their account, we are happy to answer general questions about the ASRS; however, we cannot release member-specific information.
Circumstances in which we can release information to a third party:
- The member has provided us with a signed, notarized, Authorization to Release Information allowing us to release information to you. This document will allow us to provide detailed information from the member's account but will not authorize the person listed to make account changes on the member’s behalf or request documents and forms. The member may also obtain this form through their secure online account.
- The person contacting us is a Power of Attorney, Conservator, or Guardian and the ASRS has the documentation on file. These documents authorize the non-member to make changes on the member’s behalf.
- For Conservator and Guardian arrangements, the ASRS must receive a signed, sealed court letter of appointment. A copy of this document is acceptable, but please make sure to send us the entire document.
- For Power of Attorney - A copy of this document is acceptable, but please make sure to send us the entire document.
- Not sure about the difference? Read more on our blog!
If you have already provided the ASRS with any of the documents listed above, please allow a 10 day window for review and processing before calling ASRS.
To learn more about contacting the ASRS, visit our Contact Us page.
Retirement Benefit Elections
The benefit option chosen at retirement determines if there will be a benefit payable to a beneficiary in the event of the member’s death and how much will be paid to the beneficiary. Important information to know is:
- What benefit option did the member choose?
- Does this benefit option pay a benefit to the survivor?
- Who is the named beneficiary?
You can find the information about the member's account with the member’s secure myASRS account under Benefit Details. To learn more about annuity options that are available through the ASRS, visit our Retirement Annuity Options page.
ASRS Benefit Payments: When and How Retirees are Paid
Retiree payments are scheduled once a month, generally for the 1st of the month. When the payment posts to the retiree’s bank account are determined by their bank. Please note that for tax reporting purposes, payments must be made in the intended calendar year. This is especially important for January's pension payment, which cannot be made available prior to January 1st, which is a bank holiday. The vast majority of our retirees receive payment via direct deposit. A small portion has elected to receive payment via a benefit card.
If a member needs to make changes to their tax deductions or banking information, they can be made via the member’s myASRS account. Changes received and processed by the 15th of the month will be effective for the following month.
To view how much a member receives and what is being deducted, view the member's payment stub within their secure myASRS account by reviewing the 'Payment History' section. Payment stubs are not mailed. You can learn more on our Benefit Payments page in the Retiree section.
Health Insurance
The ASRS health insurance plan year is from January to December each year. The ASRS offers medical and dental coverage only - we do not offer vision coverage or life insurance.
To view coverage details for a member, visit the Medical/Dental Insurance Details section within the member’s myASRS account. Here you can find the member’s current benefit elections and plan details (administrator, carrier, cost, effective date) IF the member is the person carrying the coverage (and not a spouse) AND their coverage is through ASRS, Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), or another ASRS employer.
If the member is enrolled in health insurance through ASRS or ADOA, their premiums are likely deducted from their ASRS pension and paid directly to the carrier. If they are enrolled elsewhere, it is likely that the member pays directly to their former employer or to the carrier.
The member’s health insurance card will also list the administrator, which will help identify who to call if you have a question. There are many places the member can get health insurance coverage when they retire: ASRS, Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), their former employer, their spouse, AARP, the healthcare marketplace, AHCCCS, etc. If the member is receiving coverage from anyone who is not an ASRS employer, we will not have information.
Also of note: ASRS retiree health insurance is deducted on a post-tax basis.
To learn more, visit our retiree Healthcare page.
Open Enrollment for Health Insurance
Open Enrollment for the ASRS is from November 1 - November 30, with an effective date of January 1st. Each year the ASRS will mail packets to all retirees, even if they do not currently have coverage with us. In most years, open enrollment is passive, meaning that the current coverage will automatically continue if no action is taken.
A mid-year change in coverage can occur if the member has a qualifying life event. The member can make health insurance changes during open enrollment or in the event of a qualifying life event on their myASRS account.
More information on ASRS health insurance plans can be found on our retiree Health Insurance page.
For those with coverage through the Arizona Department of Administration: ADOA open enrollment is separate from ASRS open enrollment. ADOA typically holds its open enrollment in November as well and provides plan information for eligible members. More information on their plans can be found on the retiree insurance page of ADOA's website.
Reporting a Death
Death of a Member
Anyone can report the passing of a member; it does not need to be a family member or the member's beneficiary. Please call ASRS at 602-240-2000 and inform us.
The caller will be asked to provide the following pieces of information:
- Members' last 4 of SSN
- Members' first and last name
- Members' date of death
- Reporters' name, address, and phone number
- Reporters' relationship with the member
We will take it from there. All necessary paperwork, elections, and forms will be mailed to the beneficiary when applicable. Please note: Power of Attorney and Court Appointments will become null and void after the members' passing.
We will always exercise discretion when discussing beneficiary details. With that in mind, we are unable to release beneficiary information to anyone other than the named beneficiary on the account, and only in the case of Joint and Survivor annuity options.
Beneficiaries are required to provide a certified original Death Certificates to collect Survivor Benefits. Photocopies or faxes are not acceptable. Upon request, the ASRS will return the certified original Death Certificates to the beneficiaries.
Death of a Member's Beneficiary
Call the ASRS at 602-240-2000 and inform us. We will give you further instructions.
Next steps are largely determined by the annuity option elected by the member at retirement. Not all annuity options provide for the payment of a benefit to a beneficiary.
More information can be found on the Report A Death page, as well as the Survivor Benefits page.
Tax Forms
1099-R forms are mailed to retirees by the end of January each year. If the member has opted out of receiving paper tax forms, they will not receive one in the mail and will instead receive an email notification. The 1099-R forms are available in the member's myASRS account.
1099-R forms for the current and prior years can be accessed through the member’s myASRS account, whether they have opted to receive it via paper or electronically. If the year you are looking for is unavailable, you may request the 1099-R forms via secure message in the member's myASRS account or by calling the ASRS at 602-240-2000.
