MPERS’ investment staff is doing some truly amazing work.

During a year in which the stock market was less than friendly, MPERS investment staff pulled off an incredible feat…a positive investment return of 3.94% while many of their pension plan peers experienced negative investment returns.

MPERS continues to operate within a diversified portfolio that aided in the positive return for Fiscal Year 2022, ranking MPERS’ return in the top 1% of the peer universe. Additionally, MPERS' one-year, three-year, five-year, and ten-year returns all ranked in the top 1% of the public peer universe.

What does this mean to our members? It means that providing sustainable benefits for current and future retirees is, and always will be, our number one focus.

MPERS saw a record increase in funded status of nearly 4% for Fiscal Year 2022. The funded status improved from 62.4% to 66.3%, an increase not seen in over 22 years.

This upward continuum is not only attributed to skillful investment decisions by our investment staff, but a commitment by the Board of Trustees to make sure MPERS reaches the funded status of 100% in the not-so-distant future.

MPERS' service reputation with covered members has been solid for some time; however, we are always looking for ways to improve.

Just over a year ago, MPERS’ staff made the decision to use Cobalt Community Research to measure our service performance. Cobalt Community Research is a research consultant established in 2007 to provide independent, credible, and cost-effective research. The research service not only provides feedback for specific service areas but also compares our results to other public and private sector organizations conducting the same or similar business.

Over the last year when MPERS’ members completed the retirement process, they were surveyed. MPERS' overall score for the last fiscal year was 97, the highest of all survey participants, including other pension plans.

Congratulations to our benefits team! Keep up the stellar work!

Mary Jordan

Senior Benefit Specialist

Gabrielle Lewis

Senior Benefit Specialist

Bev Wilson

Benefit Audit Specialist

MPERS was awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its FY 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a governmental organization and its management.

Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) advances excellence in government finance by providing best practices, professional development, resources, and practical research for more than 21,000 members and the communities they serve.

Congratulations!

You did it. The race is almost complete, and the finish line is within view! Retirement is within your grasp! While you are completing the last moments of your career race, please remember, MPERS has a two-step retirement process. The MPERS’ process is separate from (and in addition to) the process the Patrol or MoDOT may have in place.

Submit your Notice of Retirement to MPERS no later than one month plus one day before your intended retirement date. You can submit the Notice of Retirement as early as 120 days prior to your retirement date; however, if you miss the deadline for your intended retirement date, your retirement will be postponed. You will be sad. We will be sad. Nobody wants to be sad.

You can submit the Notice of Retirement electronically through your myMPERS account, or you can complete a paper form and submit it to MPERS. We will also need proof of age and legal residence for you and your spouse, as well as proof of marriage, if you are married.

Once your Notice of Retirement is received, we will generate your step-two packet and mail it to the address we have on file. The packet includes:

This packet must be received by MPERS no later than the day prior to your retirement date. If we do not receive the step-two packet prior to your retirement date, your first benefit payment may be delayed.

Please remember to contact MPERS directly if you are thinking about retirement.

Our benefit specialists will provide the information you may need to make an informed decision regarding your MPERS retirement benefits.

Email: benefits@mpers.org

What would you like to see in The Pensioner: Looking Forward?

Send comments and suggestions to Julie.West@mpers.org.