A new year is an ideal time to review your financial goals and consider additional savings options for your retirement future. While your ASRS pension provides a strong foundation for retirement, many members choose to enhance their long-term financial security with a supplemental savings plan.

To support members in this planning process, Nationwide Retirement Solutions, which offers a low-cost, low-fee 457(b) Supplemental Savings Plan for ASRS members, is hosting a series of live virtual educational meetings throughout 2026.

Learn About the 457(b) Supplemental Savings Plan

A 457(b) Supplemental Savings Plan is designed to help members save additional funds for retirement beyond their pension benefits. Nationwide’s virtual meetings provide education on how a 457(b) works, how it can complement your ASRS retirement benefit, and ways to make informed decisions based on your individual financial goals.

Education and guidance are valuable at every stage of your career. Whether you are just getting started or refining your long-term strategy, these sessions can help you gain confidence and take the next steps toward achieving your financial objectives.

Virtual Meeting Schedule

Nationwide will offer recurring live virtual meetings throughout 2026:

·         Every Wednesday at 3:30 PM

·         Every Thursday at 9 AM and 1 PM

These meetings are held online, making it easy to attend from wherever you are.

How to Register

Registration is required. Click here to sign up for an upcoming session.

Questions or Additional Support

If you have questions or would like to speak directly with a retirement specialist, Nationwide representatives are available to help at 620-266-2733.

Note:  information provided in these meetings is for educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell any financial product. Members are encouraged to discuss their individual financial situation with a qualified financial professional. 

As the seasons change, it’s common to find ourselves facing additional stress that may affect our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. 

Mental health can significantly impact other aspects of our lives, such as our effectiveness at work, home life, learning, or the ability to be a good caregiver. Making our mental and emotional health a priority can help us adapt and cope while we experience hardship or life changes.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five Americans experiences mental health issues, translating to more than 40 million adults a year. If you are a state employee receiving benefits from the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), there are resources available to you via their Employee Assistance Program. It includes 12 free, confidential counseling sessions per year to help with personal matters, loss, anxiety, trauma, and financial concerns. These services are available not only to you but also to your spouse and dependents. 

Below are additional resources that may help if you or anyone around you is struggling. You may also want to reach out to your employer and inquire about additional programs or resources they may offer.

Suicide and Crisis Hotline: Text or call 988 for free, confidential support 24/7.

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer crisis counselor.

National Institute of Mental Health: A resource for information, research, and additional resources on mental health

SAMHSA: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, which provides help finding treatment locations close to you

For State Employees: 

ComPsych | guidancesresources.com | 877-327-2362 | To enroll - Web ID: HN8876C | Flyer

For University Employees:

ASU | Employee Assistance Onsite | 480-965-2271

NAU | Employee Assistance and Wellness | [email protected] | 928-523-1552

In today’s digital age, ensuring your personal information remains safe while communicating with ASRS is more important than ever. That is why ASRS offers our Member Secure Messaging (MSM) program, a trusted, confidential, and efficient way for members to get in touch with a representative.

A Safe and Secure Way to Communicate

The Member Secure Messaging tool provides a fully protected communication channel between members and ASRS. This ensures that any documents you send, whether they contain your personal information or that of a dependent or beneficiary, are always securely safeguarded.

Using this service is always simple and convenient. Once logged into your secure MyASRS account, you can easily upload and send documents directly to ASRS staff without worrying about email vulnerabilities or postal delays. Messages and attachments are encrypted, ensuring that your information stays private from the moment you send it.

How to use the MSM Feature

To get started, you will log into your MyASRS account and navigate to the Communication and Education section on the left-hand menu. Then select Secure Messages.

In this area, you will be given the option to Create a New Thread and be prompted to select a subject; select the one that best matches why you are contacting ASRS.  

In the message window, enter your message, and if needed, you may attach one document or image using the Browse button provided.

Helpful Tips:

• • • · Only one attachment is allowed per secure message.

    • · A written message is required. You cannot send a message with only an attachment.

Once submitted, your message will be reviewed by an ASRS team member and responded to as soon as possible. While this is not a live chat conversation with our staff, we strive to answer all messages within 2 hours during business hours. Secure messaging lets you contact us anytime; weekends, holidays, or after hours.

When your ASRS response is available you will receive an email notification prompting you to log in and view the message in your Secure Messages. These responses will remain in your Secure Message inbox, allowing you to refer back to them at a later date if needed.

Verified Member Communications

Security works both ways. Just as you want to know your messages are being handled safely, ASRS also needs to verify that requests and questions are coming directly from you. The secure messaging system confirms your identity, helping prevent fraud and unauthorized account changes.

Real People, Real Answers

Perhaps the most reassuring feature of the Member Secure Messaging program is the personal touch. Every message is read and responded to by a trained ASRS staff member. You will always receive an expertly crafted response from someone who understands your retirement benefit and is ready to assist.

Why Use Secure Messaging?

• • • · Confidential: All messages and documents are secure and protected.

    • · Convenient: Access anytime through your MyASRS account.
    • · Trusted: Communicate directly with real ASRS representatives.
    • · Efficient: Faster and more reliable than standard mail or email.

For peace of mind, convenience, and confidence, the ASRS Member Secure Messaging Program is the best way for retirees to stay connected. Log into your secure ASRS account today and try it for yourself. 

If you are starting to think about retiring and drawing a pension from the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), you may find yourself wondering about your options if you’d like to later return to work. The choice is yours – you can certainly keep collecting a monthly pension from the ASRS and go back to work, but it’s important to make sure you proceed in a manner that doesn’t impact your pension. 

Choosing Where to Work

The easiest way to go back to work and not affect your future pension benefit is to work for someone who isn’t an ASRS employer. We have zero rules, regulations, or statutes regarding working as much or as little as you wish for a non-ASRS employer while collecting your ASRS pension; coffee shop, hospital, in Arizona or abroad – the choice is yours. Some retirees work through external staffing agencies, independent contractor arrangements, or Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) to perform duties for an ASRS employer (e.g., school districts, universities). This type of employment does not require a Return to Work form to be completed. 

If you do decide to return to work directly for an ASRS employer, it’s still possible to collect your pension and work at the same time, but there are rules you must follow so that your pension is not suspended or adversely affected. This article will help explain the process of returning to work for an ASRS employer so that you can return to work with confidence. (Note, it is also possible to return to Work, suspend your pension, and begin contributing again. Members often choose this option if they want to positively impact their Graded Multiplier based on years of service, or Average Monthly Compensation (AMC) with the intent of increasing the pension they were receiving.)

Return to Work Form

The most important thing to remember is that all retirees returning to an ASRS employer must fill out a Return to Work Form. This form allows you to indicate to the ASRS how many hours a week and weeks in the year you intend to work. Why is this important? This information is vital to the ASRS because we must ensure that all retirees are adhering to the 20/20 criteria, explained below.

20/20 Criteria

The 20/20 criteria is a key guideline to keep in mind when returning to work as a retiree. There are many ways that this rule can affect a member depending on their chosen Return to Work path. In general, if an ASRS retiree returns to work for an ASRS employer and works (or agrees to work) 20 or more hours a week for 20 or more weeks in a fiscal year (referred to as 20/20 criteria), their monthly pensions will be suspended and active membership resumed.

This rule applies differently depending on your situation. For example, whether you retired early or after reaching normal retirement age, and how long you’ve been retired, can impact how the 20/20 criteria affects you. The best way to determine how you and your pension may be affected is to use the Return to Work tool in the Working After Retirement section of your MyASRS secure account. To read more about the specifics of the 20/20 criteria, please visit the Return to Work page of our website.

Move Forward with Confidence

Returning to Work after retirement can be a great way to stay active, contribute, and boost your income, but it is important to do so with a clear understanding of the ASRS Return to Work statutes. By taking a few simple steps, like submitting the Return to Work form and staying informed on the 20/20 criteria, you can avoid unexpected interruptions to your pension while making the most of your pension. Whether you’re returning full-time, part-time, or just checking it out, the ASRS is here to support you every step of the way. Be sure to log into your MyASRS account and use the tools provided to help plan your return to the workforce with confidence. 

Account security is always a top priority for the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), and one of our biggest protections against fraud is our members' vigilance and safe practices.

One common way malicious actors attempt to gain access to your sensitive retirement information is through spoofed websites. These fake sites are designed to mimic real websites, tricking you into entering your username and password, which can then be stolen and used to compromise your account. 

Protecting yourself starts with careful observation and healthy online habits:

• • Always navigate to the ASRS website from a safe source, such as a link in an email we’ve sent you, a saved bookmark, or by typing in our web address, AzASRS.gov, directly into your browser's address bar. 
  • Using a search provider to search for “ASRS” or “Arizona State Retirement System” is not a best practice: it allows for the potential of unsafe, spoofed websites to return as search results.
  • Always double-check the website address (URL) in your browser's address bar before entering your myASRS login credentials. Look for the secure "https://" at the beginning of the URL, and be on the lookout for misspellings.
  • Pay attention to ASRS system-generated emails: you will receive an email from us whenever there is a login attempt to your online myASRS account or information associated with your account changes. If that login or information change didn’t come from you, contact us immediately!

By remaining vigilant and adhering to these best practices, you play a vital role in maintaining the security of your myASRS account and the ASRS as a whole.

Published 4/11/2025

Once we receive your application, we enter your information into our system, validate it for compliance, and place it in either a ‘hold’ queue (if we need additional information before calculating your benefit) or a ‘processing’ queue (if no further information is required to proceed.)  Please note that although the ASRS may receive your retirement application before your retirement date, we cannot begin calculating your benefits until the retirement date has passed. Within approximately 5 business days, your submitted application and all elections will appear in your secure myASRS account under ‘Pending Requests,’ regardless of when your retirement processing begins. 

Note:    In your secure myASRS account, click the ‘Pending Requests’ link to view any documents needed to complete your application, as well as the current status of your retirement application. 

As we process your application, any ASRS employers you have worked for over the past 3 years will automatically receive an ‘Ending Payroll Verification’ form, asking for them to confirm your termination date and compensation details before retirement. Your retirement benefit can only be calculated once we receive retirement contributions up to your chosen retirement date. This is typically 2 to 3 weeks after your retirement date.

The most common factors that may delay the processing of your retirement benefit include: 

1. Pending Documents:  Required documents for finalizing your benefit are still pending. The most common of these is the pending receipt of a Spousal Consent form. To avoid this, ensure you’ve discussed your preferred retirement annuity option with your spouse and jointly agreed on the selected option. 

2. Service Purchase:  Service purchase payments that are pending, but have not yet been received (particularly if you are using a rollover from another financial institution)

3. Application Changes:  Changes made to the retirement application that require additional review or documentation.

4. Late Contributions:  Contributions are received from your employer for a period of time worked after your retirement date.

When will I receive my first payment?

Within 10 days of your retirement date, and possibly for a couple of months after, you will likely receive an estimated benefit payment. The estimate check is designed to lessen the impact of any payment disruption caused during the transition from work to retirement.

If your retirement date is between the 1st and 20th of the month, your estimate check will be prorated to cover the number of days you were retired for that month. If your retirement date is later than the 21st, your estimate check will be for the remainder of the current month as well as the following month. You may receive as many as 3 estimate checks during the processing of your retirement.

Note:  The estimate check is designed to pay you quickly and not to be a precise retirement calculation. Your estimate check could be as much as 20% lower than your finalized monthly pension benefit. Once your retirement has been finalized, any money you were either underpaid or overpaid while your retirement benefit was being processed, your ‘new retiree’ check will see the adjustment.

What if I want to change my elections? 

During the application process, you can log in to your secure myASRS account to review your retirement details, such as your retirement date, annuity option chosen, beneficiary, and other retirement elections. 

If you need to make changes, you can update your retirement application either before your elected retirement date or up to 60 days after your retirement date directly through your secure myASRS account. To make your desired changes, log into your secure account go to the "Apply Now" section in the menu, and click "Pending Request". From this page, you will click on "Change Your Retirement Application" Once you have made your desired changes and reviewed your application, click "Submit Retirement".

Members can make a one-time change to their retirement application up to 60 days after their retirement date and keep their original retirement date. The one-time changes include:

• • • Retirement Annuity Option
    • Partial Lump Sum (PLS) Month increment
    • PLS election
    • Beneficiary if you selected a Joint & Survivor annuity
    • Optional Premium Benefit (OPB) program election
    • OPB Contingent Annuitant

How long does it take to finalize my benefit?

Generally, it takes about 45 to 90 days for your documents to be received by the ASRS, reviewed, your final contributions to be posted, and your benefit to be calculated and finalized. During this time period, you will receive retirement estimate checks as explained above.

Once we have finalized your application, you will receive the new retiree check, which will take into consideration your final benefit calculation, calculate any health insurance premiums you may owe, as well as any money that you were underpaid or overpaid with estimate checks while your retirement benefit was being processed. 

At that point, you will receive your finalized retirement benefit at the beginning of every month for the rest of your life!