In this list, we answer our members' most common questions! Find answers on retiring, refunding, accessing your online account and more!

To the left of each question, click on the + to expand to see the answer or the - to hide the answer.

How much is health insurance for me and my dependents?

Please visit our 'Healthcare' section for more information on medical and dental insurance plans.

Healthcare

How do I enroll in your insurance?

Carefully review the information in the 'Healthcare' section of our website and the downloadable guides, pick a plan and then enroll online via your secure myASRS account.

What are my current elections and monthly insurance premium costs?

Those on their former ASRS Employer's retiree health insurance or ASRS-provided health insurance can see any active or pending medical and dental insurance coverages, including net costs, in their myASRS secure account. Just log in and select the 'Medical/Dental Insurance Details' link.

myASRS Login

Can I get insurance later if I don’t choose to enroll when I retire?

Retirees, as well as members receiving Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits, receive an Open Enrollment packet each year, for coverage to begin the following January 1. At other times of year, you can enroll within 30 days of experiencing a Qualifying Life Event such as losing coverage elsewhere, including termination of COBRA coverage, or becoming Medicare eligible.

What is the Premium Benefit?

As part of your benefits, the ASRS provides a health insurance premium benefit to supplement the cost of retiree health insurance. Retirees with five or more years of credited service who have health insurance through the ASRS or their former employer are eligible for a monthly premium benefit, which is paid to the health insurer or your former employer. For more information visit the Retiree Health Insurance Premium Benefit Program page on our website.

For more on healthcare, check out our pages dedicated to healthcare:

Healthcare

When will I receive my 1099-R?

1099Rs for the prior fiscal year are mailed by the end of January. Printable copies of the 1099R are available in your myASRS secure account by mid-February.

What if I never get the 1099-R? Or, if I lose it?

A printable image of your 1099-R(s) for the prior tax year will be available in your myASRS account by February 15 of the current year. Just log in to your secure myASRS account after that date and click on the 1099 link on the left-hand navigation.

Why did I receive more than one 1099-R?

• We are required to send you a 1099-R for each combination of payment type and distribution code. Under any of several scenarios, you may have received more than one kind of payment from the ASRS.
• Also, if you turned 59.5 in the past year, you will receive more than one 1099-R. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers age 59.5 to be a factor in determining whether retirement income paid to an individual is considered an “early” or a “normal” distribution. As a result, we are required to send you two 1099-R forms for the year you turned 59.5. One will report income and taxes paid prior to age 59.5, and the other will be for the remainder of the year after reaching age 59.5.

Is Box 5 on my 1099-R the amount of my out-of-pocket health insurance premiums?

No. The amount you see in Box 5 is the portion of your retirement pension that is not subject to taxation. If you contributed to the ASRS prior to July 1986 or purchased service credit using after-tax payments, those contributions cannot be taxed again when disbursed as part of your retirement pension. The IRS requires the non-taxable contributions be spread over the life of your pension, so every year you will see a non-taxable amount in Box 5 until those contributions are exhausted.

Where can I find my total out-of-pocket health insurance premium?

For those retirees whose premiums are deducted from their ASRS pension, you can view your total out-of-pocket health insurance costs for the previous tax year by logging in to your secure myASRS account. Go to 'Payment History' and select the appropriate tax year (for example, "2016") to see a summary with year-to-date totals.

For more on taxes, and how to read your 1099R:

Tax Information

To log in to your myASRS account:

myASRS Login

Do I really have to wait 3 months to get a payment when I retire?

Retirement processing can take 60 to 90 days. To ease the transition from regular employment to retirement, the ASRS issues up to 3 estimated payments to eligible members during processing. The first estimated payment is issued within 10 business days of the retirement date. Lump Sum payments are not disbursed until the retirement is fully processed. You can follow the progress of your retirement processing by logging in to your myASRS account, then click on 'Pending Requests'.

myASRS Login

Why is the first check smaller than the benefit estimate I received?

While your retirement is being processed, “estimated” payments to eligible members are conservative in order to reduce the potential for overpayment. Any underpaid benefits will be disbursed retroactive to your retirement date once the processing has been completed.

My account says that my processing has been completed. When will I get paid and how much will I receive?

You will receive your first regular annuity payment no later than the 15th of the following month. We will send a detailed letter to you during the first week of that month to explain the final gross annuity amount and how it was calculated. The first annuity payment will cover the current month retroactive to your retirement and include adjustments for any estimated payments received during processing. After your retirement is finalized, all future payments will be issued on the 1st of every month for your lifetime. You can follow the progress of your retirement processing by logging in to your secure myASRS account, and clicking on 'Pending Requests'.

myASRS Login

Do I need a form to update my Tax Withholding or Direct Deposit information?

No. You can easily update tax withholding and direct deposit information through your secure myASRS account. Log in, then click on the appropriate link to view and then (as needed) update your elections. Once you save the changes, you will receive a message that confirms when the change will go in to effect.

How do I schedule an appointment with a Retirement Specialist?

Call our office. We have Retirement Specialists taking calls, leading group meetings, answering secure messages and meeting with members. For a meeting on pension benefits, an appointment is required. For a meeting strictly on health or dental insurance, no appointment is needed.

For more on retirement, check out our pages dedicated to retirement:

Retirement Central

How do I get a refund of my account?

Log into your account, go to “Apply Now”, click on “Refund”. If you request funds to be paid directly to you, a mandatory 20% is withheld for federal tax, 5% for state tax. You will need to enter your bank’s routing number and account number for funds paid to you. If you request a rollover, provide the qualified plan’s name, account number and address where a rollover check can be received. Rollovers are not subject to tax withholding or penalty.

How long does it take to receive my refund?

If a refund is requested within 6 months of ending your job, we request an Ending Payroll Verification (proof of termination). If it has been years since you contributed, we may request proof of identity from you as a security measure. Once all required information is received, the refund is processed within 15 business days.

Why does the payment date for my refund keep on changing?

Our system generates a date that is approximately 15 days out to give you an idea of when to expect payment. If other information is required, such as an Ending Payroll Verification, the date will be pushed forward since processing cannot continue until all required information has been received.

For more on refunds, check out our page dedicated to refunding:

Refunding

I registered online a while ago, but can't get back in. What do I do?

We have a quick and easy process for you to reset your password and/or unlock your account! Click on “Having Trouble Logging In?” link right here and follow the steps to verify your identity. We have added a new security feature to further secure member accounts, which includes using a third-party provider to assist us in verifying your identity.

Then, using the email address or mobile phone number we already have on file for you, our system will send you an unlock code that you can use to reset your password.

Having Trouble Logging In?

What are these new questions I am being asked when I try to do something online?

An increased security measure has been added to some online functions to help protect the safety of your retirement funds. When you try to perform some functions on the secure myASRS website, you will be asked to answer additional authenticating questions to verify your identity before continuing the process. They are similar to questions asked when you request an online credit report. The authenticating questions are presented and managed by a leading third-party provider, not the ASRS, in a safe and secure manner embedded within the transaction process. The ASRS has no visibility to questions or answers.

This security measure will further enhance the ASRS’ ability to protect our members’ retirement accounts from fraud.

If for any reason the ASRS could not authenticate you after you answered the questions, you can try again as part of the "Having Trouble Logging In?" process.

Having Trouble Logging In?

Can the ASRS let me skip or bypass these extra questions?

No. ASRS staff cannot allow you to bypass the online authentication questions when they are presented. They are there for your protection and for the protection of your ASRS retirement funds.

We do understand that a very small portion of members cannot answer the questions and/or the third party vendor cannot identify you based on the information provided. In that case, contact us and we can help answer your questions or perform your requested action through a different method.

But I never registered before. How do I register for the first time?

Registration for secure access to your ASRS retirement account, via myASRS, is easy! Just click this link below to get started. Once you verify your identity, you can manage all aspects of your ASRS retirement account right there at your fingertips.

First Time Registering

Why would I want to register for secure access to my ASRS account?

With secure access, you can track your retirement account and benefits throughout your entire career and into retirement. Prior to retirement, you can see contribution history and a variety of benefit estimates, all with real-time data based on the latest contributions reported by your employer. After retirement, you can view and update beneficiaries, taxes, direct deposit, health insurance coverages and working after retirement elections. All benefit recipients can view and download their payment history and annual 1099s as well.

Find a complete list of online functions here:

Why Register?

How can I reach the ASRS?

The ASRS has a small call center open 8 AM to to 5 PM Monday through Wednesday and 8 AM to 4 PM Thursday and Friday, excluding holidays. You can also send us a secure message at any time of day or night from your myASRS secure online account, and expect a complete response within 1-3 business days. Information on this page details how to message, call and visit us.

What do I do if the ASRS is closed?

This website has been designed to provide information on a wide-range of topics of interest to members and retirees. If you are having trouble finding the information you’re looking for, be sure to try the Search function (upper right on every page). Be sure to log in to your secure ASRS page to find even more information customized just for you.

I want see my current withholdings from my ASRS pension or survivor benefit

You can view your current withholding elections by selecting 'Taxes' from the left-hand menu in your myASRS secure account.

myASRS Login

How do I change my withholdings?

While viewing the 'Taxes' page on your secure myASRS account, you can update the elections and click the 'Submit' button. The system will make those new elections effective in the next available payroll cycle, and will confirm that effective date with you.

myASRS Login

Why did I just get an email that I logged in?

The ASRS has a new security feature to notify members when they access their private, secure myASRS account using their login information. This feature sends a confirmation email to the email address on file each time the account is accessed. The email clearly tells you to call the ASRS if you did NOT just log in.

This is a great way to control for unauthorized access to your private myASRS account!

But I didn’t log in, yet this email says I did! Is there a problem?

Yes, generally that is a problem. You should contact us as soon as possible.

However, if you have provided your complete login information to a third party, such as an online financial service that aggregates all of your account balances in one convenient place, it may have been THAT service that accessed your account using the credentials you provided them. These sites generally check all of your accounts at least once per day. You will receive a login confirmation email from the ASRS every time one of these third parties accesses your account.

The ASRS does not recommend sharing your login credentials with any person or service. You are allowing these third parties complete access to your myASRS account, not just your ASRS contributions or pension amount, which could potentially put you and others at risk.

I don't want to stop using that service. What can I do?

If you continue to use the third party service, you will continue to receive login notifications from the ASRS each time they access your account on your behalf. There is no need to contact us.

Please be aware that the ASRS is a defined benefit retirement system. Your "balance" at any given time is simply a reflection of your mandatory contributions into a future monthly retirement benefit.

The account balance is not indicative of funds available to you on an as-needed basis, and so can be misleading if aggregated alongside other, more-accessible funds.

Please review our website under the ‘Members’ tab for further description of ASRS benefits.

I need to report a members death, but I'm not sure where to start.

Maybe you are a beneficiary. Maybe you are a friend or family member who is overwhelmed by the process. Visit our page Report a Death to see how to best begin the process.

I am a retiree. How much money will my survivors receive if I pass away?

Survivor benefits are determined by your retirement election. Log in to your secure myASRS account and click "Benefit Details" to view your elections, as well as an estimate of survivor benefits remaining as of today. If you elected a Joint-and-Survivor benefit, the dollar amount of that benefit is shown on the page. If you elected a Straight Life Annuity or Term Certain, this section will detail whether any benefits remain.

I am a survivor. What is the status of my survivor benefits?

Survivor benefit payment processing can take approximately 2 to 6 weeks depending on whether the deceased member was an active employee or retired. We must have all required documents from the beneficiary, such as the notarized Survivor Benefit Application, original certified death certificate, a photocopy of the beneficiary’s Social Security card, and proof of the beneficiary’s age, in order to process payment.

For more on survivor benefits, check out our page:

Survivor Benefits