Looking for your 1099-R form for tax purposes? You can access it by signing in to your retirement account and then selecting the 1099-R link from the main menu. From there you can view or print a copy. Hard copies of the form will be mailed by the end of January. For Plan 3 and DCP members, starting Feb. 1, any additional 1099-R forms for your investment accounts will be available under “Statements and Documents” when you select your plan from your online account. While you are logged into your account, be sure to add or update your mobile number for account security. See the IRS 1099-R webpage for more information. How to view your 1099-R From the DRS homepage, select the Member Login button in the top right. Log in to your online account. In the menu bar, select 1099R under your plan name. From here, you can view and print your 1099-R. You can also see forms from previous years.

Can you live comfortably in retirement? If you don’t know the answer, there’s an easy way to check. From this website you can log in to your online account and use the retirement benefit estimator tool. While you’re employed, you can use your online account to take the following actions: Update beneficiaries Send secure messages to DRS Review service credit balance View your contributions Retire online Don’t forget to check your service credit totals; their accuracy is important. This is especially true if you’ve been out of a job because of a major illness or injury. You can pay back your missed service credit but there are certain deadlines depending on the type of absence. If you wait to pay, it may cost more. If you want to increase your Deferred Compensation Program (DCP) savings, or if you need to stop contributing, you can do that through your online account as well. This year, the IRS has increased your retirement savings contribution limits to help you maximize your money. See more about the annual contribution limits based on your age and plan type. If you ever have questions about your account, send a secure message through your online account by selecting “contact us.” Checking in on your account is good financial hygiene; make it a habit!

Is it better to retire at the beginning of summer or at the end? When it comes to retirement for teachers and school employees, a few months can have a big impact. Before deciding on the month you want to retire, you need to understand how Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) affect your retirement benefits. How does COLA affect your benefit? Starting the first full year after retirement, DRS will adjust your monthly benefit on July 1 every year. The adjustment, known as a COLA, depends on the Seattle Consumer Price Index (CPI) percentage change, though the COLA is capped at 3% a year. If the CPI is higher than 3%, the additional COLA is banked. When the CPI is less than 3%, we add that amount to your benefit in future years. How does SEBB/PEBB affect your benefit? During your school career, the School Employees’ Benefits Board (SEBB) covers your health insurance. As a retired public or school employee you have access to insurance options through the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB). To join PEBB, you must meet qualifications and enroll no later than 60 days after your employer-paid, COBRA or continuation coverage ends. Under PEBB, you will still be responsible to pay the Health Care Authority (HCA) monthly for your health insurance costs. How to choose: Decide when you want your COLA to start Look at the cost of your current employer-paid benefits versus the cost of retiree health insurance coverage during the last two months of your contract Retiring in July vs September Retiring in July If you separate from employment and end your contract in June you can retire starting July 1, 2025: You’ll receive your pension benefit plus your salary for July and August. Your COLA will be applied starting on July 1, 2026. Health insurance through SEBB program will end after June 30, 2025, and you will be responsible for your health insurance costs for July and August. However, if you’re eligible and meet PEBB’s procedural requirements, your retiree insurance coverage will start July 1, 2025. Retiring in September If you separate from employment and end your contract in August, you can retire starting Sept. 1, 2025: Your pension benefit will start in September. You missed the COLA, so we will bank it or set it aside until July 2027 when it goes into effect. This means that your COLA in 2027 could be bigger than it would have been if you had chosen to retire in July 2025. You’ll earn service credit for July and August unless you’re in TRS Plan 1. You’ll continue receiving SEBB program insurance coverage in July and August through your employer. School employees’ healthcare in retirement If you are planning to receive SEBB benefits in July and August, you may not choose a July retirement date. You will become a September retiree. Return to work rules for substitutes You must have a 30-day break in service from the day you retire before you can return to work as a substitute. You may be billed for any days you work before the 30-day break. The only allowable pre-arrangement or guarantee is for those retirees who ask their employers to add them to the substitute list. However, the retirees added to the substitute list are also required to wait 30 days after their retirement date before accepting and performing substitute work. Summary When you are eligible for it, the COLA is applied regardless of the month you choose to retire. As you transition from a working employee to a retiree, you need to consider your health coverage. This is an important decision. It’s especially true if you have ongoing care, like prescriptions or treatment.

For a lot of people, retirement is a time to sit back and relax, or time to do some traveling. But some retirees like to stay busy by volunteering. They may even decide they want to go back to work after they retire. As a retiree, you can go back to work for a Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) employer and still receive your pension benefit as long as you follow a few rules. If you’re in PERS, TRS or SERS, you must wait at least 30 days after your effective retirement date before returning to work for any DRS employer. Also, you may not have any pre-arranged agreement, verbal or written, to return to work with your current employer before retiring. If you return to work for a non-DRS employer: Your pension benefit is not affected.(Example: Local businesses like a coffee shop or grocery store.) If you return to work for a DRS employer: Your pension benefit could be affected.(Example: Schools, Police, Fire, Department of Transportation.) Review the return to work page for more details including exceptions for certain jobs.