If you change your plan choice and notify the plan administrator prior to monies being transferred your choice may be reversed

No. The FRS is not trying to get you to choose the Investment Plan over the Pension Plan. It has no preference. Its goal is to provide objective information on both plans and give you the support you need to make an informed choice. It DOES want you to focus on your future retirement needs so you will begin to plan for your future. For that reason, it will provide you with ongoing investment and retirement planning information, which everyone can benefit from, no matter which plan they choose. On the average, keep in mind that most retirement plans provide you with an income of less than half your current salary. Most experts agree that you need about 70-90% of your current salary to retire comfortably. To make up the gap, all of us should be thinking about saving and investing.

First, it's important to understand that under both plans, if you stay long enough to vest, you'll get a benefit at retirement and, if you wish, it could be a guaranteed monthly payment for your lifetime. But there are uncertainties under both plans about the amount of that benefit and whether that benefit will be enough for retirement. That's because both plans deliver a benefit based on a number of variable factors. For the Pension Plan, it's salary and length of service that are uncertain. You really don't know ahead of time what they will be and how they will affect the formula and your benefit. For the Investment Plan, it's investment earnings that are the most uncertain. You don't know ahead of time how your investments will perform. Experts do know, if it's any comfort, that the stock market has outperformed other investments over the long term, even following unexpected events or tragedies. So, keep an open mind and evaluate both plans, as well as your own financial situation, using the MyFRS Financial Guidance Program. Make a realistic and informed assessment of your future (e.g., length of FRS service) and your comfort with risk. That way you can find out which plan is more likely to provide you with the highest benefit

Yes. You will receive a great deal of support in deciding which retirement plan is best for you. You should receive a new hire orientation brochure from your employer on your first day of employment. This contains a brief overview of your retirement plan choices. Approximately 60 days later you will receive a New Employee FRS Enrollment Kit containing a Benefit Comparison Statement and additional general plan information.

You will also have access to the online CHOICE SERVICE on MyFRS.com , where you can model your options and receive personalized estimates of your retirement benefit for both plans. Finally, experienced financial planners at EY are available at the MyFRS Financial Guidance Line at 1-866-446-9377, Option 2 to provide you with free, unbiased financial counseling. This personalized, one-on-one counseling can help you decide which retirement plan may be best for you.

In order to qualify to receive a distribution of your benefits from your Investment Plan account, you must not be employed with any FRS-participating employer in any capacity for three calendar months. (If you meet the normal retirement requirements for the Investment Plan under your class of membership, you can take a one-time distribution of up to 10% of your account after one calendar month and the remainder after three months.) Refer to the FRS Investment Plan Summary Plan Description for normal retirement requirements under the Investment Plan.

You'll receive a Benefit Comparison Statement in the mail to the address reported by your employer. The statement provides further details about the Investment Plan and Pension Plan along with your Personal Identification Number (PIN). Additionally, your employer should give you an Orientation Brochure along with additional information comparing both plans as part of your orientation and show you a new hire video on the highlights of both retirement plans and the tools available to assist you in choosing a retirement plan.

You can make your initial retirement plan choice selection in several ways if you are employed in a Regular Class or Special Risk class position:

• Online. Visit the online CHOICE SERVICE or ChooseMyFRSplan.com and make your selection.
• By phone. Call the MyFRS Financial Guidance Line at 1-866-446-9377 (TRS 711) and speak with an Alight Solutions representative (available 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time/7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time, M - F, except holidays).
• By online form. Use the online EZ Retirement Plan Enrollment Form available on MyFRS.com.
• By paper. Use the General Retirement Plan Enrollment Form available on MyFRS.com, and mail it to the address shown on the form.

All other retirement classes must file the paper form for that class found online under the forms link.

Everyone's situation is different. We strongly recommend that you review your Benefit Comparison Statement, to be sent to your home in your New Employee Enrollment Kit, and use the online CHOICE SERVICE available on MyFRS.com or through the toll-free MyFRS Financial Guidance Line at 1-866-446-9377, Option 2. Also, you can click here for a detailed comparison of the two plans.

You'll need to choose either the Pension Plan or the Investment Plan. Make sure you:

• Give this choice your full attention. It affects your retirement money and your future. Do some simple planning today and secure a better tomorrow for you and your family.
• Understand your plan alternatives. You'll get information on both FRS retirement plans from independent education firms. The firms aren't connected to either plan, nor are they connected with any of the investment companies offering funds under the Investment Plan.
• Take advantage of financial planning and long-term investment planning resources. This is your opportunity to find out more about your personal financial situation than you ever have before. And it's free. Use state-of-the-art financial planning services on MyFRS.com . Talk to experienced financial counselors by phone by calling the MyFRS Financial Guidance Line 1-866-446-9377, Option 2.
• Make an educated, personal choice during your enrollment period. Your financial situation isn't the same as your friend's, your neighbor's, your co-worker's or your supervisor's. Choose the plan that works best for you.