Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Benefit Summary
The Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) administers a number of benefit programs
available through Wisconsin Public Employers. Most government employers in Wisconsin other
than the City of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County participate in the Wisconsin Retirement
System (WRS). WRS employers may also elect to offer various insurance programs offered
through ETF.
The following types of benefits are available through the Wisconsin Retirement System:
- Separation Benefits.
If you terminate employment and apply for a benefit before age
55 (50 for participants with some protective category service)
you will receive a separation benefit. A separation benefit is
a lump sum payment of your employee required contributions plus
accrued interest. If you are not vested in the WRS a separation
benefit is payable regardless of your age.
- Retirement Benefits.
A retirement benefit is available to vested WRS employees after
you terminate employment and have reached age 55 (50 for participants
with some protective category service). Retirement benefits are
based on both employee and employer contributions, and are usually
paid as a monthly annuity payable to you for life.
- Disability Benefits.
If you become permanently and totally disabled while employed
under the WRS you may qualify for disability benefits.
- Death Benefits.
If you die before you begin receiving a WRS retirement or disability
annuity a death benefit will be payable from your WRS account.
If you die as an "inactive" WRS participant (you are
not currently employed in a position covered under the WRS, but
have not taken a benefit from your WRS account), death benefits
usually consist of employee required contributions plus accrued
interest, and in certain cases may include some employer contributions.
If you die while employed in a position covered under the WRS,
the death benefit will include both employee and employer contributions.Once
a WRS annuity begins any death benefit payable is based on the
annuity option you selected when you retired.
- Additional Contributions.
As long as you remain employed under the WRS you may make additional
contributions to your WRS account. Additional contributions earn
the full effective annual investment earnings.
- Buying Creditable
Service. While you are actively employed under the
WRS you may be eligible to buy creditable WRS service, which will
increase the benefits for which you are eligible when you terminate
employment. There are only certain types of service that you can
buy, and the most common are your six-month qualifying period
(applies only to non-teachers who began WRS employment before
1973) and WRS service forfeited by withdrawing your employee contributions.
- How Divorce Can Affect Your WRS
Benefits. If your marriage is legally terminated,
the court can award up to 50% of your WRS account or annuity to
your former spouse through a "Qualified Domestic Relations
Order" (QDRO). A WRS account or annuity can be divided if
the divorce occurred after January 1, 1982.
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