Frequently Asked Questions

Active Employees - Address changes are passed to ERS through bi-weekly payroll files from your employer.  Changing your address with your payroll section will result in ERS getting the updated address.

Retired or Deferred Members - If you move throughout the year, remember that the post office will not forward your pension check or direct deposit notification. You must notify our office in writting of any address changes. You may use a letter sized piece of paper to print your name, old address, new address, effective date of the new address, and either social security number or person ID number. Please indicate if the move is temporary or permanent.

Or you can print out the form and fill it out. As with any request, we ask that you clearly print the information, provide your phone number and signature. Please send the information to the ERS at 789 N. Water Street, Suite 300, Milwaukee, WI 53202. 

The Law Enforcement Safety Act authorizes retired law enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm under certain conditions. To be eligible for certification, the retiree must have served as a certified law enforcement officer for a minimum of 15 years, retired in good standing and currently reside in Wisconsin. For our MPD retirees, information on eligibility and certification forms are available here.

If you need a replacement 1099-R tax statement for a previous year, please contact the ERS office. Until April 15 there is no charge for the previous year's 1099-R, but a $15.00 processing fee is charged for each other reissued 1099-R tax statement. You will need to submit a check payable to the Employes’ Retirement System and a note with your name, mailing address, social security number or payee ID number, and the year(s) for which you will need a replacement. If you receive a Duty Disability benefit from the ERS, you will not receive a 1099R, because this benefit is not taxable or reportable to the IRS. 

If you owe additional income tax this year or are getting a large refund, you might want to adjust the amount of your tax withholding. You may download the tax withholding form from our website, mail the completed form to the address listed on the top of the first page. If you have elected to have WI taxes withheld and are not having a flat dollar amount withheld from your check, the WI tax requirement is to withhold a minimum of $5.00.

General City, Fire or Police Retiree, a Duty or Ordinary Disability Retiree or one of their family members and eligible for Medicare, you are required to take both Medicare A and Medicare B. This includes disability retirees under 65 as well as family members of retirees who become eligible for Medicare due to a disability or reaching age 65.  All health plans offered by the City require that persons eligible for Medicare A & B will take Medicare A & B. If you are eligible for Medicare, your Medicare A & B becomes primary and the City group insurance becomes secondary. You must take Medicare if you are eligible, or you will be responsible for medical bills. If you have any questions regarding this or become eligible for Medicare, please call an ERS Health Insurance Specialist at 286-3557. 

For 2012, the details regarding diabetic supplies for retirees can be found here.

Births, deaths and divorce are some of the reasons why you may want to change your designated beneficiary. Active members are asked to review the current beneficiary information that was listed on their account statements. Retired members are also allowed to change their beneficiary designation (but not their designated survivor.) The needed forms are here for active or deferred members and here for retirees.

If you are in the covered employee groups, (General City, Police, Fire, HACM, RACM or the WI Center District), and would like to know more about your life insurance coverage, including the features of your coverage and your rights, please read our group life insurance certificate.