The New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday, January 1, 2016 in observance of New Year's Day.
Due to the holiday, transactions submitted via Account Access after 3:00 p.m. central time (CT) on Thursday, December 31, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, January 4.
If you need assistance, please select the "Contact Us" option from any page within Account Access. Participant service representatives will be available to assist you from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, December 31 and the Call Center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, January 4.
Have a great holiday.
This update highlights important tax and RMD information for participants receiving distributions from the plan.
Read MoreThe New York Stock Exchange will close early on Thursday, December 24, 2015 at 12:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) and will be closed on Friday, December 25, 2015 in observance of Christmas.
Due to the holiday, transactions submitted via Account Access after 12:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, December 24th, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, December 28th.
Our call center will be available to assist you from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT on Thursday, December 24, and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, December 28th.
Have a great holiday
This past October the Plan conducted an anonymous Financial Status Survey to better gauge participants' spending and saving habits. Sent via email to all active deferred compensation plan participants, the results of the survey will help the Plan improve its custom education and communication efforts.
View the Financial Status Survey ResultsThe Missouri Stable Income Fund annualized credited rate effective first quarter 2016 (January 1 - March 31, 2016) will be 2.25%.
Saving and giving don’t always go hand in hand, but don’t tell that to Buzz the Bee, the deferred compensation plan mascot. Watch the holiday edition of the DC Update to see how he manages to save for retirement while still spreading good cheer.
VIEW THE DECEMBER 2015 DC UPDATEThe New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Thursday, November 26, 2015 and will close early at 12:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Friday, November 27, 2015 in observance of Thanksgiving. Consequently, transactions will not be processed on Thursday, November 26 or after 12 p.m. CT on Friday, November 27. Transactions submitted via Account Access after 12 p.m. on Friday, November 27, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, November 30. If you need assistance, please select the Contact Us option from any page within Account Access. The local Plan office will also be closed on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27, but Investor Services staff will be available to assist you over the phone from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday, November 27. The Call Center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, November 30.
Have an enjoyable holiday weekend.
Spending long hours outdoors this month? See what the Missouri wilderness can teach you about retirement savings in the November edition of the DC Update. Plus, don't forget you can access your deferred compensation plan account at any time, from (almost) any location on your mobile device.
View the NOVEMBER 2015 DC UpdateFall is a busy time in the workplace as you enroll for next year's benefits. As you're looking over your situation and considering how to best protect yourself and loved ones, don't forget to designate a beneficiary for your retirement savings account. While it's often an overlooked account management step, designating a beneficiary is arguably one of the most important decisions you will make. Your designation will ensure that your savings will be transferred to the proper parties should something happen to you. Without a beneficiary designation, a probate court could ultimately decide how your money will be distributed, costing your loved ones time, heartache and possibly money.
Next Steps: Designating a Beneficiary Online
Pension plan contribution limitations will not change for 2016 because the increase in the cost-of-living index did not meet the statutory thresholds that trigger their adjustment. Below are the contribution limits for the 2016 tax year.
| Maximum Annual Deferral – under age 50 | $18,000 |
| Age 50 and Over Catch-up Provision Limit | $6,000 |
| Pre-Retirement Catch-up Provision Limit | $18,000 |
While contribution limits did not change, there was an increase to the adjusted gross income (AGI) limits for the saver’s credit, which is for low- and moderate-income workers. The new limits will be $61,500 for married couples filing jointly, up from $61,000; $46,125 for heads of household, up from $45,750; and $30,750 for married individuals filing separately and for singles, up from $30,500.
National Retirement Security Week encourages workers to focus on their financial futures. To celebrate the occasion, Missouri employees are jumping on the We Rep-Percent Savings bandwagon. Join the movement today.
READ MORERetirement planning should be an important part of your overall financial plan, but don't take our word for it. See what advice soon-to-be-retired state employees had for their newer coworkers in the October edition of the DC Update.
VIEW THE OCTOBER 2015 DC UPDATEThe Missouri Stable Income Fund annualized credited rate effective fourth quarter 2015 (October 1 - December 31, 2015) will remain at 2.30%.
You may think employee benefits only matter while you’re working. Fortunately for you the deferred compensation plan can be a valuable employee benefit long after you leave state employment. See what the buzz is all about in the September edition of the DC Update.
VIEW THE SEPTEMBER 2015 DC UPDATEThe recent market selloff has produced volatile market conditions. In unpredictable times, it's easy to lose sight of long-term investment and savings goals by taking immediate actions to protect your portfolio. But market history and common sense investing would advise against it. If you choose to take immediate action, you could negatively impact your retirement savings.
The market, by nature, fluctuates on an almost daily basis. As an investor in a retirement savings plan, review your portfolio's performance over longer periods of time to help put market volatility in perspective. Measuring performance this way will prevent you from making investment decisions based on short-term market fluctuations, and will better prepare you to meet your long-term savings goals.
How much do you know about your possible retirement paycheck sources? Take a dip with the August DC Update to gain a better understanding of how you'll stay afloat financially in retirement. Plus, learn more about the role the deferred compensation plan plays in your retirement strategy, including the different ways you can contribute to your savings account.
VIEW THE AUGUST 2015 DC UPDATEIt's easy to get lost while navigating toward your retirement destination. Luckily the State of Missouri Deferred Compensation Plan offers numerous resources to help keep you on track. The July DC Update highlights six of these tools. This edition also includes a Retirement IQ Scavenger Hunt recap and a reminder about 2nd quarter statements.
VIEW THE JULY 2015 DC UPDATEAt this time, the New York Stock Exchange has halted trading due to an internal technical issue. Deferred compensation plan participants can still submit financial transactions online through Account Access or by speaking with a participant services representative. Additional information will be provided when it becomes available.
The New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2015 in observance of Independence Day. Due to the holiday, transactions submitted via Account Access after 3:00 p.m. Central time (CT) on Thursday, July 2, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, July 6. The Plan’s call center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, July 6.
Have a fun and safe holiday weekend.
The New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday, July 3, 2015 in observance of Independence Day. Due to the holiday, transactions submitted via Account Access after 3:00 p.m. Central time (CT) on Thursday, July 2, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, July 6. The Plan’s call center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, July 6.
For employees who were unable to pick up a cooler at Employee Recognition Day, an education specialist will personally deliver it to your agency within the next few weeks. In addition to the giveaways, participating employees were also entered into the Plan's random prize drawing. Those winners are:
Congratulations to all of the winners and thanks to everyone who helped make this event a success.
The Retirement IQ Scavenger Hunt is complete! Thanks to everyone who participated. Because of the overwhelming response, please be patient as we work through the submissions. Prize winners will be announced next week (June 15-19) and the giveaways will be distributed by our education specialists in the coming weeks. Once the winning entries are compiled, we will contact winners directly to arrange a time and place to pick up their giveaway. Thanks again for your participation in the Retirement IQ Scavenger Hunt.
VIEW THE ANSWERSThe Missouri Stable Income Fund annualized credited rate effective third quarter 2015 (July 1 - September 30, 2015) is 2.30%.
Employee Recognition Day is only a week away. Have you been taking part in the Retirement IQ Scavenger Hunt? The June DC Update catches up with some familiar faces who explain how you can get involved in the fun and put the deferred compensation plan to work for you this summer.
View the June 2015 DC UpdateThe Plan’s record keeper, ICMA-RC, will be performing required system maintenance from 5 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 23 to 11 p.m. CT on Sunday, May 24, 2015. As a result, Account Access will not be available during this time frame. This outage will not impact the availability of www.modeferredcomp.org.
Additionally, the New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
Due to the holiday, transactions received via Account Access after 3:00 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Friday, May 22, will be processed as of the close of business on Tuesday, May 26.
Participant service representatives will be available to assist you from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CT on Friday, May 22, and the call center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Tuesday, May 26.
Have a great holiday.
In celebration of State Employee Recognition Week, MOSERS and the State of Missouri Deferred Compensation Plan teamed up to host the Retirement IQ Scavenger Hunt. Beginning on May 20, this three-week-long, online scavenger hunt tested state employee knowledge of important retirement benefits. Employees who completed the scavenger hunt won an insulated cooler and were entered in the deferred compensation plan's State Employee Recognition Day prize drawing.
This month's DC Update introduces an exciting Employee Recognition Week contest and addresses the question every employee has had at one time: "What is the deferred compensation plan?".
View the May 2015 DC UpdateYou work hard for your money, so you shouldn't hand it over to just any financial professional. Unfortunately, choosing the right financial professional can be a confusing and difficult decision. What are a prospective financial professional's credentials? What standard of care does the professional follow? How does he or she charge for services? How will your money be invested? These are all important questions, but often times it's not easy translating the answer.
This month, in an effort to provide guidance on working with financial professionals, the deferred compensation plan launched special editions of both its DC Update and Simply Put newsletter. Both are chocked full of indispensable information for retirement savers of all ages.
Read MoreThis special edition of the DC Update examines the sometimes-confusing world of financial professionals. While the right professional can be an asset, not all of them are created equal. This month's update highlights the different types of financial professionals, outlines some very important questions every saver should ask, and provides additional resources for making educated financial decisions.
View the April 2015 DC UpdateThe New York Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday, April 3, 2015 in observance of Good Friday. Due to the holiday, transactions submitted via Account Access after 3:00 p.m. Central time (CT) on Thursday, April 2, will be processed as of the close of business on Monday, April 6. The Plan's call center will reopen at 7:30 a.m. CT on Monday, April 6.
In an effort to maintain participant security, Account Access, the Plan's online account portal, will no longer support the Internet Explorer 7 or 8 web browsers. Plan participants accessing their accounts using either of these outdated browsers will receive an error message. Web browser updates typically include security enhancements that can help protect website visitors from known viruses or other types of fraudulent activity. While browser updates won't eliminate all security risks, updating your web browser when prompted will also ensure that websites continue to function properly on your system.
Next steps: Find out which version of internet explorer you are using, or upgrade to the latest edition of Internet Explorer.
Have you received solicitations from financial advisors claiming an association with the deferred compensation plan? This month's DC Update addresses that issue and explores security measures you can take in light of recent tax fraud. Plus, a basic comparison of the deferred compensation plan to individual retirement accounts, or IRAs.
VIEW THE March 2015 DC UPDATEThe Missouri Stable Income Fund annualized credited rate effective second quarter 2015 (April 1 - June 30, 2015) is 2.30%.
America Saves Week is a national event coordinated by America Saves and the American Savings Education Council. This week-long celebration encourages Americans to assess their personal savings situation and make positive changes to both short- and long-term savings habits. To celebrate this important event, the State of Missouri Deferred Compensation Plan is proud to bring you "Savings Unleashed".
VIEW 2015 America Saves VideosThings are getting hot this February as we celebrate America Saves Week. Also in this edition, learn why you should take advantage of the saver's credit and discover a unique savings option for state employees retiring or leaving state service. This and more in the February edition of the DC Update, shot on location this month at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.
VIEW THE February 2015 DC UPDATEState of Missouri employees are unique because they have access to a number of valuable employee benefits that can help in a variety of ways along their financial journey. The problem is it's not always easy making sense of those benefits and understanding how they fit together in the big picture. Beginning next month, the deferred compensation plan will offer a financial presentation that will help employees navigate these important financial topics.
Learn moreNew year's resolutions shouldn't be back-breaking work. The January DC Update explores alternatives like automatic contributions to the deferred compensation plan. Also in this edition, news about an exciting training opportunity beginning next month, a reminder about 4th quarter statements, and the latest on 1099-R tax forms.
VIEW THE January 2015 DC UPDATE