Volume 5 | March 2021
The Pensioner: Looking Forward
Welcome to the digital MPERS newsletter! The Pensioner: Looking Forward contains news, updates, and important information for active employees of the Missouri Department of Transportation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and MPERS.
I received the nicest call recently.

One of our retirees, prompted somewhat by the GameStop frenzy in the markets, wanted to check in to be sure “things” were okay. She clearly wanted reassurance that her retirement was secure, which I gave her, but she genuinely seemed more concerned about me and my staff given not only the circumstances of the financial markets, but the broader pandemic and the world in general. I am not one that requires accolades; just a little appreciation now and then goes a long way for me personally. That said, this member’s sincere interest and concern for the MPERS team struck a chord with me and I was grateful for the call.

During our conversation, we digressed a bit about the world we live in and all the discord. She said to me, “what ever happened to the days where we treated each other with grace and dignity?” That comment resonated with me. We take for granted so many things in life and here was an individual sharing genuine concern and appreciation for the retirement benefit we deliver to her each month.
This made me reflect on the small but mighty team here at MPERS. Like everyone else, my team has faced a number of challenges, particularly during this pandemic. March 20th marks one year since we began working remotely and we have hardly skipped a beat. We continue to serve our members, albeit a bit differently than before the crisis. We continue to preserve, protect, and grow the assets we are entrusted to oversee. We have not missed a single payment. We have handled all these challenges as professionals with grace and dignity.

My team is not made up of heroes; I think that term is used too loosely today.

What they are, are good people, doing great work for the well-deserved past and present benefit recipients as well as the hard-working future benefit recipients at MoDOT and the Highway Patrol.

I am proud of them. I hope you are too.
Welcome to MPERS’ Matters! A monthly look at various aspects of MPERS that you may, or may not, know.

Let’s begin with the basics! How does MPERS, or any public pension plan, make sure it will be able to pay promised benefits to its members when they retire? The answer can be summed up in one simple idea: retirement systems work to make sure that contributions (C) into the pension fund plus investment returns (I) on that money equal the value of the benefits (B) promised to its members plus expenses (E) to run the plan. This basic formula is illustrated as follows: C + I = B + E.
Contributions come from covered employers (MoDOT and the Patrol) and employees in the 2011 Tier. Investments can be summarized into the asset allocation used to invest the assets of the System. Benefits include payments to retirees, survivors, and disability recipients and are set by Missouri statute. Expenses are the operating costs associated with administering the System.

In the coming months, we will take a look at each of these components and what they mean to you as members of MPERS.

We look forward to sharing this information with you so that you can get to know your MPERS benefits
better!
Check Out This Month's Benefit Bite!
In the February edition of The Pensioner: Looking Forward, we looked at benefit payment options such as life income annuity, joint and survivor, and guaranteed payment options.

There is an additional payment option available to members of the Closed Plan and the Year 2000 Plan who have worked at least two years past normal retirement eligibility - BackDROP.

What is BackDROP? How can it affect your future benefit amount? If you are eligible for BackDROP, do you have to take it? These questions and more are answered in this month's Benefit Bite.

Check out the short video below!

Disclaimer: BackDROP is not available to members of the 2011 Tier.
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Annual Benefit Statement Reminder
Active employee Annual Benefit Statements will be available in your myMPERS correspondence in late March or early April.

Reviewing your Annual Benefit Statement is a great way to keep tabs on your medical, dental, and vision benefit deductions, future retirement benefit, and life insurance deductions and coverage amounts.
Watch for the NEW myMPERS Login Icons!
Coming soon to all MPERS digital publications is the myMPERS login icon!

This icon features the road portion of the MPERS' logo and upon selecting it, you will be whisked away to the myMPERS Secure Member Access login page.

Go ahead! Give it a go by selecting one of the icons below!
Upcoming Events
  • 17 - Pre-Retirement Webinar for Closed Plan and Year 2000 Plan Members. Register here.
  • 30 - Mid-Career Checkup for 2011 Tier members. Register here.
  • 31 - Deadline to submit Step 1-Notice of Retirement for May 1 retirement.
We value your feedback!
What would you like to see in The Pensioner: Looking Forward?
Send comments and suggestions to Julie.West@mpers.org.