Department of Employee Trust Funds
April 20, 2012

Update on Lump Sum Benefits Payments

The Department of Employee Trust Funds (ETF) continually strives to provide the best service possible to members and has made significant progress toward eliminating the backlog for certain kinds of Wisconsin Retirement System payments. Recently, our technology/information systems were updated to reflect law changes, and we are now able to pay separation benefits and lump sum retirement benefits for benefit applicants who meet all of these conditions:

• They have terminated employment;
• They have submitted an application to ETF; and
• Their former employer has submitted the necessary information, including a termination notice.
  

ETF will issue these two types of benefit payments to applicants once their employers submit the required information, and it has been verified and processed by ETF. ETF processes the applications in the order in which they are received. Keep in mind, we have an existing backlog, and it can take time to obtain the necessary information to begin processing payments.

We are working to implement other system changes necessary to implement changes in the law and very much appreciate your patience as we work to make the changes necessary to ensure that critical information is accurate, thorough and complete. The following ETF customer services and/or processes are still experiencing delays:

• Employees’ annual WRS Statement of Benefits;
• Requests to cancel Variable Fund participation; and
• Requests to purchase forfeited service.

Again, thank you for your patience. Keep checking our website for updates on when these service wait times will change. You may also call us at 1-877-533-5020.

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