State Public Pensions in Wisconsin

State Public Pensions in Wisconsin: key facts

System

Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), administered by the Department of Employee Trust Funds, covering state employees, most local-government employees, and teachers.

Death before retirement

For a member who dies before taking a retirement benefit: an active employee's beneficiary is paid the total account value (employee-required and employer-required contributions, any employee additional contributions, and accumulated interest); an inactive employee's beneficiary is paid a partial account value that excludes the employer-required contributions. At or after age 55 (50 with protective category service), the benefit is the higher of the money purchase or special death benefit calculation.

Death after retirement

The benefit is based on the annuity option the member chose at retirement: any remaining payments in a guarantee period, or a lifetime benefit to one named survivor, or no benefit payable at all.

Beneficiary on file

Retirement and life insurance death benefits are paid on the member's most recent Beneficiary Designation (form ET-2320) on file with ETF. With no form on file, benefits pass under the Wisconsin Statutory Standard Sequence.

Payments after the date of death

ETF recovers any electronic payments issued to the member after the date of death. Do not close the deceased member's bank account until those funds have been recovered.

Other benefits to check

Beyond the retirement benefit, a WRS member may leave group life insurance, continued group health coverage for a surviving insured spouse and dependents, and a Wisconsin Deferred Compensation (WDC) account, which pays under its own beneficiary designation (WDC: 1-877-457-9327).

Confidentiality

ETF gives benefit information only to the beneficiaries or the personal representative of the member's estate.