Our office will be closed on the following date in observance of the Mardi Gras holiday:
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
We will return to normal business hours on Wednesday, February 14, 2018 

Due to inclement weather our office will remain closed, Thursday, January 18th.  All scheduled meetings and on-site customer service are expected to resume on Friday, January 19th at 8:00 AM.  For additional information, please check our website or your local news media.

IRS Form 1099-R’s for 2017 will be arriving soon in the mail.  To read more on your Form 1099-R, click here. 

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) approved the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) June 30, 2017 valuation which included the employer contribution rate of 28.0% effective July 1, 2018.  This is a .4% increase from the current 2017-18 employer rate of 27.6%.

The member contribution rates for 2018-19 will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8.0% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.  Click here for a copy of signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn N. Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net

Our office will be closed the on following date in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday:
Monday, January 15, 2018
We will be open on Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Our office will be closed the following dates in observance of the New Year’s holiday:
Monday, January 1, 2018
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
We will be open on Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Our office will be closed the following dates in observance of the Christmas holiday:
Monday, December 25, 2017
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
We will be open on Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Due to wintery mix expected for today, our office is closed. We anticipate reopening for regular business hours on Monday, December 11, 2017 at 8 AM.

Our phone vendor is currently experiencing an outage in our area and they are working to get it resolved.  This impacts both incoming and outgoing calls for LSERS’ main number and individual staff numbers.  We will notify you when service has been restored.  We apologize for this inconvenience. 

Our phone system is back up and we are able to receive and make phone calls.  We apologize for the inconvenience. 

Our office will be closed in observance of the upcoming holidays:
Thursday, November 23, 2017 – Thanksgiving Day
Friday, November 24, 2017 – Acadian Day
Our office will return to normal business hours on Monday, November 27, 2017

Our office will be closed in honor of Veteran’s Day on Friday, November 10, 2017.

The Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) ended the 2016-17 fiscal year on June 30 with an increase of $70.7 million in its valuation of assets, and an actuarial annual return of 8.47%. The projected DROP rate is 7.97% for those in the old DROP program (eligible for DROP or IBRP, and retired before 1/1/2004). Additionally, the system’s funded ratio rose from 72.54% to 74.16%.

The LSERS Board of Trustees adopted the actuary’s recommended employer contribution rate of 28% for Fiscal Year 2018-19.  This adopted rate will go before the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) for its consideration. PRSAC will make the final decision later in the current fiscal year. Unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer’s contribution rate effective 7/1/2018. LSERS will notify all employers of the final decision on the rate after the PRSAC meeting.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn N. Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net.

Our online portal for members and employers has been restored.  We apologize for this interruption in service.  If you experience any problems, please let us know.

Our online portal for members and employers is currently unavailable.  We are actively reviewing the issue and hope to have it restored soon.  We apologize for this inconvenience.

Our office will be closed in honor of Labor Day on Monday, September 4, 2017

First, our thoughts are with all of those now being affected by the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey.

From a housekeeping standpoint, all LSERS monthly benefit payments will be released on time for September 1.  Retirees and other benefit recipients receiving their benefits by direct deposit will have the funds available on the first.  However, LSERS cannot guarantee timely delivery of paper checks by the U.S. Postal Service in areas heavily affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Considering that storm’s impact in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, we would like to remind our retirees and other benefit recipients that the safest, fastest, and easiest way to receive their LSERS benefits every month is through Direct Deposit.  Regardless of the weather LSERS benefit payments sent through direct deposit are guaranteed to be in your bank account on the first business day of every month. 

If you now receive a paper check for LSERS benefits, but would like your October 2017 and all other future benefits direct deposited, refer to Fact Sheet 8.

By law, LSERS must properly operate and administer its public pension plan.  To do that, LSERS periodically must verify that its records are current and accurate.  As part of that process, on Friday, 8/11/2017, LSERS mailed approximately 5,200 Benefit Recipient Verification form letters to retirees, beneficiaries and survivors aged 75 and older who are currently receiving benefits.  The purpose of the form is to simply confirm that the benefit recipient’s contact information is current and that he or she is receiving their benefits.  The form must be completed, including two witnesses, and returned by 9/11/2017 to avoid interruption of benefits.  Completed forms can be returned electronically or by fax.

If you have questions, please contact Sarah Walker here at LSERS at 225.287.7493, or by email at swalker@lsers.net or webmaster@lsers.net

Thank you for your cooperation.

Member Account Statements for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017 will be arriving soon in the mail. Page 2 of your statement provides detailed information explaining the statement. To read more on understanding your member statement, click here.

Please remember that all school systems must complete an annual questionnaire covering the period through the preceding fiscal year regarding elimination of positions through privatizing, outsourcing, contracting the service with a private employer, or any other means. The Annual Questionnaire is now available online. The information contained within the questionnaire should be certified by the School System Superintendent and returned to LSERS on or before October 2, 2017.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Forbes at 225.925.6490 or via email cforbes@lsers.net.

LSERS’ Executive Director releases memo containing questions and answers about how school systems’ personnel decisions could cause potential unfunded accrued liability (UAL) consequences. Click here for memo.

If your school system is experiencing a shortage of qualified bus drivers and this shortage has been certified to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), state law allows the hiring of a retired bus driver to fill this shortage.  Click here for a copy of the memo for details about the September 1, 2017 deadline.  For more information about the return-to-work requirements, refer to Fact Sheet 18.

Our office will be closed in honor of Independence Day on Tuesday, July 4, 2017.

Our online portal for members and employers has been restored.  We apologize for this interruption in service.  If you experience any problems, please let us know.

Our online portal for members and employers is currently unavailable.  We are actively reviewing the issue and hope to have it restored soon. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Our office will be closed in honor of Good Friday, on Friday, April 14, 2017.

Our office will be closed in honor of Memorial Day on Monday, May 29, 2017. 

Our office will be closed in honor of Mardi Gras, on Tuesday, February 28, 2017.

IRS Form 1099-R’s for 2016 will be mailed on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 and are now available for viewing online at http://www.LSERS.net. After logging into the secure online portal:

1.   Under the    Member Access   bar, select View Personal Information.

2.   On the next screen choose 1099-R

3.   Choose 2016 to see your 1099-R (from here you can also print the form).

For tax information regarding your Form 1099-R, please contact your tax advisor.

Contact LSERS if you have not receive your 1099-R by Wednesday, February 1st. You can email webmaster@lsers.net or call 225.925.6484 or toll free (outside the Baton Rouge calling area) at 1.800.256.3718.  LSERS will send a duplicate copy to you.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Reminder about your tax form:

·        LSERS retirement benefits are not subject to Louisiana state income taxes for residents filing a Louisiana income tax return.

·        For security purposes, we have truncated your social security number to only show the last 4 digits.

·        Box 1 Gross distribution: Total benefit amount you received for the calendar year 2016

·        Box 2a Taxable amount: Taxable amount to be reported for Federal income tax purposes.  Refer to Box 5 for explanation.

·        Box 4 Federal incomes tax withheld: Federal income taxes withheld from your benefit payments in 2016.

·        Box 5 Employee contributions: Tax-free portion of retirement benefits you received during the calendar year.  This is NOT the amount of your insurance premium.  It represents unsheltered contributions withheld from your salary before July 1, 1994 that have already been taxed.  This amount is the difference between the Gross distribution in Box 1 and the Taxable amount in Box 2a.  If Box 5 is blank, your total gross distribution (benefits received) is taxable.

Disability retirees will not have tax-free benefits reflected in Box 5 until they reach their normal retirement eligibility age.

Our office will be closed in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. day on Monday, January 16th. 

Due to potential dangerous wintry weather conditions, our office will close at noon today, Friday, January 6th. 

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) is seeking a qualified applicant who will serve as chief legal counsel who will perform highly responsible and specialized professional legal and administrative duties such as legal and administrative advice on laws, rules, executive orders, policies, procedures, contracts, litigation, legislation and objectives to the Board of Trustees and to the staff.

  Applicants must submit a letter of application, two letters of reference, and a resume that includes answers to the following questions:

1. Are you admitted to practice law in the State Courts of Louisiana and are
    you in good standing with the Louisiana Bar Association?
2. Do you have experience in drafting and monitoring legislation?
3. Did you provide two letters of reference?
4. Can your current employer be contacted for an employment reference?
5. What is your preferred salary range?

Letter of application, resume, and two letters of reference should be submitted to Human Resources via email or hard copy by U.S. mail by January 13, 2017.

For further information contact Liz Guidry, HR Specialist, at 225.925.1801 or lguidry@lsers.net

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System
Human Resources
Post Office Box 44516
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-4516

Our office will be closed the following dates in observance of the upcoming holidays:  Friday, December 30^th and Monday, January 2^nd for New Year’s.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees and LSERS staff, we wish each of you avery Happy New Year.

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) approved the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) June 30, 2016 valuation which included the employer contribution rate of 27.6% effective July 1, 2017.  This is a .3% increase from the current 2016-17 employer rate of 27.3%.

The member contribution rates for 2017-18 will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8.0% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.  Click here for a copy of signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies. If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn N. Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at czhou@lsers.net

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System is seeking a highly qualified Chief Investment Officer (CIO) to oversee the system’s $1.8 billion investment portfolio.

The CIO will be responsible for communicating with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees on issues affecting policies, asset allocation, performance, trading practices, benchmarks, peer group comparisons, and new investment opportunities and styles. The CIO will operate as a liaison between the retirement system and all investment professionals, and direct the request for proposals process to select investment managers and investment consultants. See position description here.

Qualified applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university in business administration, finance, economics, or related field and significant experience in institutional investment management with exposure to several major asset classes.

The CFA designation and/or MBA is preferred, but not required. The applicant must possess strong critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal skills with an in-depth understanding of investment management, investment analysis and financial market theory. Minimum of 4 years of investment-related professional experience preferably in public sector pension administration, retirement administration, or investment consulting.

Anticipated salary range shall be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Applicants must submit a letter of application, two letters of reference, and a resume that includes answers to the following questions:

1. Do you have a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university?

2. Do you have at least four years of institutional investment management experience?

3. Did you provide two letters of reference?

4. Can your current employer be contacted for an employment reference?

5. What is your preferred salary range?

Letter of application, resume, and two letters of reference should be submitted to Human Resources via email or hard copy by U.S. Mail by November 7, 2016.

For further information, contact Liz Guidry, HR Specialist, at 225.925.1801 or lguidry@lsers.net

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System

Human Resources

Post Office Box 44516

Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70804-4516

Our online portal for members and employers is available.  However, at this time new member registrations cannot be processed.  We are actively reviewing the issue and hope to have this feature available again in the near future. We apologize for this inconvenience. 

The Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) ended the 2015-16 fiscal year on June 30 with an increase of $72.1 million in its valuation of assets equating to an actuarial return of 6.90%. The projected DROP rate is 6.40% for those in the old DROP program (eligible for DROP or IBRP retired before 1/1/2004). Additionally, the system’s funded ratio rose from 70.71% to 72.54%.

The Board of Trustees approved the proposed employer contribution rate of 27.6% for FY 2017-18 as recommended by the system’s actuary. This recommendation will go before the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) later in this fiscal year, unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer’s contribution rate for 2017-18. LSERS will notify all employers of the approval after the PRSAC meeting.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn N. Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net.

is now available online.  The information contained within the questionnaire should be verified and signed by the School Board Superintendent and returned to LSERS on or before October 1, 2016.  Click here for a copy of the memo to Superintendents of Parish and City School Boards.  If you have any question, contact Larisa Ellard, LSERS internal auditor, at lellard@lsers.net 

If your school system is experiencing a shortage of qualified bus drivers and this shortage has been certified to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), state law allows the hiring of a retired bus driver to fill this shortage.  Click here for a copy of the memo for details about the September 1, 2016 deadline.  For more information about the return-to-work requirements, refer to Fact Sheet 18.

LSERS Office will be closed on Monday, July 4, 2016 for the observance of Independence Day. Have a SAFE and HAPPY 4th of July!

LSERS Office will be closed on Monday, May 30, 2016 for Memorial Day.

LSERS Office will be closed on Friday, March 25, 2016 for Good Friday Holiday. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and LSERS staff we wish each of you and your family a safe and Happy Easter.

IRS Form 1099-R’s for 2015 have been mailed as of Friday, January 15, 2016 and are now available for viewing online at http://www.LSERS.net. After logging into the secure online portal: 

1.   Under the    Member Access   bar, select View Personal Information

2.   On the next screen choose 1099-R

3.   Choose 2015 to see your 1099-R (from here you can also print the form).

For tax information regarding your Form 1099-R, please contact your tax advisor.

Contact LSERS if you have not receive your 1099-R by Monday, February 1^st.  You can email webmaster@lsers.net or call 225.925.6484 or toll free (outside the Baton Rouge calling area) at 1.800.256.3718.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Reminder about your tax form:

• LSERS retirement benefits are not subject to Louisiana state income taxes for residents filing a Louisiana income tax return.

• Box 1 Gross distribution: Total benefit amount you received for the calendar year 2015

• Box 2a Taxable amount: Taxable amount to be reported for Federal income tax purposes

• Box 4 Federal incomes tax withheld: Federal income taxes withheld from your benefit payments in 2015.

• Box 5 Employee contributions: Tax-free portion of retirement benefits you received during the calendar year.  This is NOT the amount of your insurance premium.  It represents unsheltered contributions withheld from your salary before July 1, 1994 that have already been taxed.  This amount is the difference between the Gross distribution in Box 1 and the Taxable amount in Box 2a.  If Box 5 is blank, your total gross distribution (benefits received) is taxable.

• Disability retirees will not have tax-free benefits reflected in Box 5 until they reach their normal retirement eligibility age.

Some users may have recently experienced issues with LSERS.net.  We have corrected most of the known issues and are actively reviewing and planning for preventing them in the future. We apologize for the inconvenience.  For any support issues, please call us by phone at 225.925.6484 or 1.800.256.3718 or by email at webmaster@lsers.net 

The Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) ended the 2014-15 fiscal year on June 30 with an increase of $125.8 million in its valuation of assets equating to an actuarial return of 11.63%. The projected DROP rate is 11.13% for those in the old DROP program (eligible for DROP or IBRP retired before 1/1/2004). Additionally, the system’s funded ratio rose from 66.9% to 70.71%. 

The Board of Trustees approved the proposed employer contribution rate of 27.3% for FY 2016-17 as recommended by the system’s actuary.  This recommendation will go before the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) later in this fiscal year, unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer’s contribution rate for 2016-17.  LSERS will notify all employers of the approval after the PRSAC meeting.

If you have any questions, contact Carolyn N. Forbes, Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or cforbes@lsers.net.

If your school system is experiencing a shortage of qualified bus drivers and this shortage has been certified to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), state law allows the hiring of a retired bus driver to fill this shortage.  Click here for a copy of the memo for details about the September 1, 2015 deadline.  For more information about the return-to-work requirements, refer to Fact Sheet 18.

Retirees should allow up to two weeks for delivery.  Call LSERS at 225.925.6484 or toll free (outside the Baton Rouge calling area) at 1.800.256.3718 or e-mail us at webmaster@lsers.net if you:

• Have not received your 1099-R by February 16, 2015
• Need to request a duplicate copy
• Need to report an error

Form 1099-R’s are available for viewing and printing in LSERSWeb after logging into the secure online portal.  Retirees should contact their tax advisor for any questions regarding the information on the Form 1099-R.

Reminder about your tax form:

• LSERS retirement benefits are not subject to Louisiana state income taxes for residents filing a Louisiana income tax return.
• Box 1 Gross distribution: Total amount your received for the calendar year 2014
• Box 2a Taxable amount: Taxable amount to be reported for Federal income tax purposes
• Box 4 Federal incomes tax withheld: Federal income taxes withheld from your payments in 2014.
• Box 5 Employee contributions: Tax-free portion of retirement benefits you received during the calendar year.  This is NOT the amount of your insurance premium.  It represents unsheltered contributions withheld  from your salary before July 1, 1994 that had already been taxed.  This amount is the difference between the Gross distribution in Box 1 and the Taxable amount in Box 2a.  If Box 5 is blank, your total grossdistribution (benefits received) is taxable.
• Disability retirees will not have tax-free benefits reflected in Box 5 until they reach their normal retirement eligibility age.

LSERS office will be closed on Thursday and Friday, December 25 – 26 for Christmas; and Thursday and Friday, January 1 – 2 for New Year 

To provide the most efficient and fiscally responsible services to our membership, LSERS will be changing the frequency of when direct deposit payment notifications are sent.  Effective January 1, 2015, direct deposit payment notifications will be sent out only when one of the following occurs:

A direct deposit is setup for the first time.

• There is a change in your net pay related to insurance and federal tax withholdings or increases from cost-of-living adjustments.
• In December of each calendar year.

Members can view benefit payment information at their convenience 24/7 in the comfort of their home via LSERSWeb. Visit www.lsers.net and login to your retirement account.

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) approved an employer contribution rate of 30.2% for the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) for the fiscal year 2015-16 effective July 1, 2015.  This is a 2.8% reduction from the current 2014-15 employer rate of 33.0%.

The member contribution rates for 2015-16 will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8.0% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.

For a copy of the signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies or if you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net

The Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) ended the 2013-14 fiscal year on June 30 with an increase of $138.7 million in its valuation of assets equating to an actuarial return of 13.63%. The projected DROP rate is 13.13% for those in the old DROP program (eligible for DROP or IBRP retired before 1/1/2004). Additionally, the system’s funded ratio rose from 62.1% to 66.9%. These are all positive results of a very good year. 

The Board of Trustees approved the proposed employer contribution rate of 30.2% for FY 2015-16 as recommended by the system’s actuary.  This recommendation will go before the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) on November 19, 2014 for approval and, unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer’s contribution rate for 2015-16.  LSERS will notify all employers of the approval after the PRSAC meeting.

If you have any questions, contact Carolyn N. Forbes, Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or cforbes@lsers.net

School board must notify LSERS by September 1 and follow certain statutory requirements in accordance with the provisions of La. R.S. 11:1007 as outlined in this memo. 

COLA letters will be available to print from LSERSWeb for purposes of submitting income verification to the Social Security Administration or any other income agencies. Eligibility:

• Regular retirees who have been retired for at least one year and who attained the age of sixty years.
• Disability retirees who have been retired at least one year regardless of age.
• Beneficiaries of retirees who would have met the applicable criteria to receive the increase had they survived.
• Non-retiree beneficiaries who have been receiving benefits for at least one year and whose benefits are derived from service of deceased members who would have attained age sixty.

You will be able to update records using LSERSWeb; however, you will not see the update until June 10th. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Jack Allen at 225.925.4929. We look forward to hearing from you! 

As of March 1, 2014, retirees can now print their tax Form 1099-R online for the calendar years 2011 through 2013. Go to the Login page and access your online retirement record, then select “1099-R” from the list above the Member SSN field. 

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) met on Thursday, March 6, 2014, and approved an employer contribution rate of 33.0% for the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) for the fiscal year 2014-15 effective July 1, 2014.
The member contribution rate will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.  Click here for a copy of signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies.
If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net.  

Please allow up to three weeks for delivery. Call LSERS at 225.925.6484 or toll free (outside the Baton Rouge area) at 1.800.256.3715 or e-mail us at webmaster@lsers.net if you:

• Have not received your 1099R by February 14, 2014
• Need to request a duplicate copy
• Need to report an error

We suggest contacting your tax advisor for any questions regarding the information on your Form 1099-R.

Reminder:

• LSERS retirement benefits are not subject to Louisiana state income taxes for residents filing a Louisiana income tax return.
• Form 1099-R
  • Box 1 Gross distribution: Total amount your received for the calendar year 2013
  • Box 2 Taxable amount: Taxable amount to be reported for Federal income tax purposes
  • Box 4 Federal incomes tax withheld: Federal income taxes withheld from your payments in 2013.
  • Box 5 Employee contributions: Tax-free portion of retirement benefits you received during the calendar year.  This is NOT the amount of your insurance premium. It represents unsheltered contributions withheld from your salary before 7-1-1994 that had already been taxed. This amount is the difference between the Gross distribution in Box 1 and the Taxable amount in Box 2a. If you have no amount in Box 5 – you do have not tax-free benefits.

Note:  Disability retirees will not have tax-free benefits reflected in Box 5 until they reach their normal retirement eligibility age.

The site will be down for an upgrade from 6:00AM to 8:00AM on Sunday – Jan. 12, 2014.

LSERS’ June 30, 2013 valuation has been revised after the discovery of a miscalculation in the amortization schedules and payments. The revised valuation on the website reflects the changes highlighted in yellow on pages 2 and 8. Based on updates to the amortization schedules and payments, the projected FY 2014-15 employer contribution rate will be 33.0%, rather than 35.4% which was previously projected.

On Tuesday, December 3, 2013 the Board of Trustees approved the revised valuation as recommended by the system’s actuary. This recommendation will be presented to the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) in early 2014 for approval and, unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer contribution rate for 2014-15. LSERS will notify all employers of the approval after the PRSAC meeting.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

The Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) ended the 2012-13 fiscal year on June 30 with an increase of $89.4 million in its valuation of assets equating to an actuarial value of 12.04%, which exceeded the 7.50% assumed rate of return. The projected DROP rate is 11.54% for those in the old DROP program (eligible for DROP or IBRP retired before 1/1/2004). Additionally, the system’s funded ratio rose from 61.6% to 62.1%. These are all positive results of a good year.

 Now the not-so-good news.  The system’s total active membership count dropped for the fourth consecutive year which has a negative impact on the employer contribution rate when applied to the fixed dollar unfunded accrued liability (UAL) amortization payment and then expressed as a percentage of payroll.  The Board of Trustees approved the proposed employer contribution rate of 35.4% for FY 2014-15 as recommended by the system’s actuary.  This recommendation will go before the Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) in early 2014 for approval and, unless the legislature adopts changes, this will be the employer’s contribution rate for 2014-15.  LSERS will notify all employers of the approval after the PRSAC meeting.

If you have any questions, contact Carolyn N. Forbes, Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or cforbes@lsers.net.

Baton Rouge – Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System generated an investment return of 14.01 percent for fiscal year July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013. This performance contributed to an increase of over $134 million to the value of LSERS plan assets. This places LSERS in the 9th percentile when compared to pension plans with assets of $1 billion and greater, according to Bank of New York Mellon. Over the last 3 years LSERS averaged 13.24% annualized market rate of return.
LSERS paid over $139 million in retirement benefits that provided economic security to approximately 13,000 retired non-instructional personnel of the Louisiana public school systems. 

Retirement at your fingertips!! We give members our highest priority and want you to be able to plan for your retirement.  Successful planning for retirement requires granting you access to view your account including service credit, reported earnings, and projected future benefits. 

 The new Benefit Estimate Calculator is a feature of LSERSWeb, which is LSERS online self-service website.  Using the calculator, you can begin calculating projections for Early Retirement, Regular Retirement, and DROP Participation.   The steps are easy, fast, and fun, plus the results will help you plan your path to retirement.

If you have ever been a part-time employee or wish to project future benefits for the Initial Benefit Retirement Plan, Disability Retirement, Survivor benefits, or working After DROP, this information is not available through LSERSWeb, but is still available to you.  Submit a Request for Monthly Benefit Estimate to LSERS and we will send your projections to you. Refer to Fact Sheet 16 for more information about disability.

Locate our Benefit Calculator on our website at www.lsers.net and login to LSERSWeb.  If you are not already registered, you may register for online access by using the Member Registration feature.

 

Once logged into LSERSWeb, click on the Benefit Estimate Calculator link.



And, as always, we appreciate and welcome any and all comments, as this helps us identify ways to make improvements for you and provide better service to our members and employers.  Feel free to provide feedback and suggestions using the LSERS Satisfaction Survey on our “Contact Us” page on the website.

Effective July 1, 2013 all employees hired by your school board or agency, who meet the definition of employee within La. R.S. 11:1002(13) for purposes of enrollment in the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System, shall be enrolled in this system, regardless of their age.

 La. R.S. 11:1002 Definitions

(13) “Employee” means any person legally occupying a position as a school bus driver who actually renders a service by driving a school bus during the full time of his employment, a school janitor, a school custodian, a school maintenance employee, school bus aide, monitor or attendant, or other regular school employee who actually works on a school bus helping with the transportation of school children, and who is a legal employee of a parish or city school board of the state of Louisiana, and shall include the employees of this system.

This memorandum shall serve as a recission of the memorandum issued by Ms. Debra Dudley, former Assistant Director, on February 11, 1994.

 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lauren Bailey, Executive Counsel at 225.925.6560 or at lbailey@lsers.net.

Memo dated May 28, 2013 to All Employers

Our current phone provider is having some communication difficulties resulting in nationwide outages. This will affect LSERS’ main telephone numbers and staff numbers.  The estimated time to repair has not been determined. When the service has been restored, there will be additional communication provided. 

Although 2013 brings with it a fiscal session to begin on Monday, April 8, 2013 at the Louisiana Legislature, there are already 45 instruments pending referral to the Senate and House Committees on Retirement.  Of these 45 instruments, only approximately a dozen would have a direct impact on LSERS if passed by the legislature.  The LSERS board met and voted to support the following instruments relative to the cash balance plan and Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) and funding.

SCR 01 by Sen. Cortez is a suspensive resolution to suspend implementation of the cash balance plan until June 30, 2014. A similar suspensive resolution was filed in the House by Rep. Harrison.   HCR 02 suspends implementation of the cash balance plan through the earlier of: 60 days after both: a) receipt by the DOA of a private letter ruling from the IRS that the cash balance plan meets the social security equivalency test, and b) receipt by LASERS that the plan does not affect tax qualification status, or July 1, 2014.

Rep. Price has authored HB 46 which provides a COLA of up to 3.75% to be paid from the Experience Account to LSERS retirees who retired or entered DROP before July 1, 2001.  Sen. Guillory has authored SB 17 to provide for 2% of revenue collections in excess of FY 2011-12 levels to be dedicated to liquidating unfunded accrued liabilities (80%) and to funding benefit increases (20%) for retirees of the state retirement systems.

The board has taken a position to oppose HB 43 by Rep. Thibaut which exempts local school boards from paying the unfunded accrued liability (UAL) associated with privatization and HB 60 by Rep. Talbot aimed at curbing retirees from returning to work by requiring a suspension of benefits during employment for anyone who returns on or after July 1, 2013.

There are various other bills which will impact LSERS if they are passed by the legislature, however the board is continuing with due diligence waiting for more information before any action is taken on the following bills. 

SB 07 by Sen. Peacock provides for a five-year final average compensation (FAC) period for all members who retire or enter DROP after January 1, 2014. The bill accomplishes this gradually over a two-year window (1/01/2014 – 12/31/15) incorporating transitional language to ensure that no member receives a lesser benefit than he would have prior to implementation.  Another bill which provides for a five-year FAC is HB 57 by Rep. Pearson.  This bill also increases employee contributions by 1% on July 1, 2015 and an additional 1% on July 1, 2017 with the additional funding to be dedicated to the payment of post-1989 liabilities. Finally, HB57 implements a minimum employer contribution rate of 15% until the system is at least 90% funded.

HB 63 by Rep. Robideaux provides a 1% COLA that is payable on an amount not to exceed $20,000 of the retiree’s benefit. This COLA shall be funded by statutorily dedicated funds which have yet to be identified.Senator Guillory has authored SB 11 to provide post-retirement benefit increases (PBI) of the greater of either 1% or the lesser of: (a) 2% or, (b) a percent necessary to preserve 80% of purchasing power as of June, 30, 2013. The PBI is payable on an amount not to exceed $50,000 of a retirees benefit.  SB 11 increases employee contributions by 3% of pay beginning on July 1, 2013 and incorporates a five-year FAC with transitional provisions. Generally, in order to receive the PBI a retiree must be retired at least five years and have attained 65 years of age. Employer funded PBIs are payable July 1 each odd-numbered year beginning July 1, 2013.Employee funded PBIs are payable July 1 each odd-numbered year beginning July 1, 2019.Those partially employee and partially employer funded are payable each July 1 beginning July 1, 2019.

SB 14 by Sen. Martiny allows transfers and reverse transfers of service credit between systems while in service as well as an opportunity for the member to purchase an upgrade to the higher accrual rate of the receiving system if applicable.  HB 61 by Rep. Badon establishes a “divided benefit” for all members of state and statewide retirement systems whose salary increases by more than 30% comparing one month to the average over the previous twelve months.  Finally, HB 68 by Rep. Pearson is clean-up legislation relative to the cash balance plan.

If you have questions about legislation, please contact Lauren Bailey (Executive Counsel) at lbailey@lsers.net or Carolyn Forbes (Assistant Director) at cforbes@lsers.net

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) met on Thursday, March 7, 2013, and approved LSERS’ actuarial valuation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2012.  This approval included the Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) interest rate of 8.57% for eligible DROP or Initial Benefit Retirement Plan (IBRP) accounts.

LSERS will post 8.57% interest to the eligible DROP accounts later this month.  DROP quarterly statements that will be sent out in April will show the interest posting.

Which DROP accounts are eligible? 

If the answer to all three questions is YES, your DROP account will receive the 8.57% interest posting based on balances as of June 30, 2012. 1.  Were you eligible to participate in DROP or elect IBRP before January 1, 2004?
2.  Did you complete your DROP participation period (usually 36 months) before July 1, 2012?
3.  Did you have a balance in your DROP account after June 30, 2011?

Members who were eligible to participate in DROP on or after January 1, 2004, and who have completed their DROP participation period, earn monthly interest at the liquid asset money market rate.  For fiscal year ending June 30, 2012, the average monthly interest rate was .50%.

If you have any questions, contact our Accounting Department at 225.925.6484 or toll free at 1.800.256.3718.  You may also contact us via email at webmaster@lsers.net.

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) met on Thursday, March 7, 2013, and approved an employer contribution rate of 32.3% for the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) for the fiscal year 2013-14 effective July 1, 2013.

The member contribution rate will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.  Click here for copy of signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net. 

Please allow up to 3 weeks for delivery.
Call LSERS at 225.925.6484 or  toll  free (outside the Baton Rouge area) at 1.800.256.3718 or e-mail us at webmaster@lsers.net if you:

·       Have not received your 1099-R by February 14, 2013
·       Need to request a duplicate copy
·       Need to report an error

We suggest contacting your tax advisor on any questions regarding the information on your 1099-R.

Reminder: LSERS retirement benefits are not subject to Louisiana state income taxes for residents filing a Louisiana income tax form.

Explanation of amounts reflected on the 1099-R form (see below):

Box 1 Gross Distribution – Total amount you received in the 2012 calendar year

Box 2a Taxable money you should report on your income tax return

Box 4 Federal tax withheld from your retirement benefit

Box 5  Tax-free portion of retirement benefits you received during the calendar year. This is NOT the amount of your insurance premium. It represents unsheltered contributions withheld from your salary before 7-1-1994 that had already been taxed. This amount is the difference between the Gross distribution in Box 1 and the Taxable amount in Box 2a. If you have no amount in Box 5 – you have no tax-free benefits.

Note: Disability retirees will not have tax-free benefits reflected in Box 5 until they reach their normal retirement eligibility age.

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) releases answers  to questions about  RFP  for redesign of internal application system.

2012 Answers to Proposers Questions

Request for Proposals Site

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) is seeking software application contractor to develop web-based software application from its architectural document for total redesign of its internal application system.  Must meet all minimum requirements outlined in Request for Proposal (RFP).  Click here for additional information on Items and Phases.  Architectural document referenced in RFP can only be viewed onsite during official business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CDT at the office of LSERS, 8660 United Plaza Blvd., Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70809-7004.

Deadlines:
Sunday, July 15, 2012 – receipt of proposers’ inquiries and questions about RFP
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 – submission of proposals

Contact:   Jack Allen, LSERS IT Director, at jallen@lsers.net for
   1)  proposer inquiries and questions about RFP
   2)  scheduling time to review architectural document 

LSERS is excited to announce its redesigned LSERSWeb portal for members and employers!
  –   Members can review their retirement account and update their personal
      information.  
  –   Employers can view their employees’ retirement information, and, based on  
      access, can complete enrollments, terminations, and update personal
      information.  Eliminates manual completion of Forms 2, 2AC, or 4T, saving time
      and postage!

Training for this new portal is highly recommended, as the redesigned LSERSWeb is scheduled to launch on Wednesday, June 27^th.  A webinar will be presented in 2 different sessions beginning this afternoon – see below for more information and quick links to the webinar registration. 

We encourage our employers, as well as our membership, to attend one of these sessions.  Please join us for this exciting event by clicking on one of the links below that best fits your schedule.

Step-by-step procedures to guide you through the registration process will be posted on the Members and Employers  pages on LSERS website.

Soon after these training sessions are complete, the presentation material will be uploaded to our website for you to view at anytime.

Date                               Title                                                 Target Audience

Wednesday, June 27     LSERSWeb–Employer Access        Reporting Agencies/Members

Thursday, June 28

To register for a session, click on the registration link below for the session that best fits your schedule:June 27, 2012 @ 2:30 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. 
https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/947639295

June 28, 2012 @ 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
https://www4.gotomeeting.com/register/729505983

Once registered you will receive an email confirming your registration with information you need to join the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

The 2012 Legislative Session ended on June 4th.  The bill to abolish LSERS was never brought to a vote on the House floor, so LSERS will continue striving for excellence in customer service to the membership.  There were no changes affecting current members’ benefits or eligibilities for retirement.  However, new members hired on or after July 1, 2013 may elect participation in a cash balance plan.  Also, a forfeiture bill was passed affecting members who are convicted of a public corruption crime on or after January 1, 2013.  Click here for more details on these new laws and others passed during the 2012 legislation.

The Public Retirement Systems’ Actuarial Committee (PRSAC) approved an employer contribution rate of 30.8% for the Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) for the fiscal year 2012-13 effective July 1, 2012.

The member contribution rate for 2012-13 will remain at 7.5% for members hired before July 1, 2010 and 8% for new members with first state service on or after July 1, 2010.  Click here for copy of signed memo to Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Human Resource Directors, and IT Directors of all LSERS Employing Agencies.

If you have any questions, please contact Carolyn Forbes, LSERS Assistant Director, at 225.925.6490 or via email at cforbes@lsers.net.

Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System (LSERS) is seeking a highly qualified Chief Investment Officer (CIO) to oversee the systems’ $1.4 billion investment portfolio.

The CIO will be responsible for communicating with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees on issues affecting policies, asset allocation, performance, trading practices, benchmarks, peer group comparisons, and new investment opportunities and styles.  The CIO will operate as a liaison between the Retirement System and all investment professionals and direct the Request for Proposals (RFP) process to select investment managers and investment consultants.

Qualified applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, or related field.  Qualified applicants must also have significant experience in institutional investment management with exposure to several major asset classes.  CFA designation and/or MBA is preferred, but not required.  The applicant must possess strong critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills with in-depth understanding of investment management, investment analysis and financial market theory.  Minimum of 5 years of responsible investment-related professional experience, preferably in public sector pension administration, retirement administration or investment consulting.

Anticipated salary range is $80,000 to $91,500 commensurate with experience and qualifications.

Interested and qualified individuals should submit a letter of application, resume, and two letters of reference no later than Friday, February 10, 2012.

For further information:

Phone:  225.925.1801
E-Mail: agreen@lsers.net
Fax: 225.922.0350
Mail:
Louisiana School Employees’ Retirement System
Human Resources Department
Post Office Box 44516
Baton Rouge, Louisiana  70804-4516
Hand Delivery (office hours M-F  7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.):
8660 United Plaza Blvd.,First Floor
Baton Rouge, LA  70809-7004

LSERS is requesting proposals from SOFTWARE APPLICATION DEVELOPING CONTRACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ARCHITECTURAL DOCUMENT FOR THE REDESIGN OF OUR INTERNAL APPLICATION SYSTEM.  Proposing software application developing contractor should have adequate financial resources for performance and the resources to complete the project successfully. Provide the ability to comply with proposed delivery and performance schedule with a satisfactory record of integrity, judgment, and performance. Contractors submitting proposals should be qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations. View iSeries RFP for more information.

AD Issue Responses to Proposer Inquiries