During this video, an estate planning expert will walk you through what’s included in an estate plan, why it’s important to prepare one and what happens if you don’t have an estate plan in place when you pass away. You’ll also learn about common mistakes people make and how to avoid them.

During this presentation, you’ll learn more about the Health Care Savings Program (HCSP), the benefits of having an HCSP account and how it works. Additionally, you’ll learn how you can use your HCSP account balance at separation from employment. Topics covered include: Understanding program eligibility and beneficiary structure, What to expect when you become eligible to use your account, Health care expenses that are eligible for coverage with HCSP funds, Payment and reimbursement options, Resources to help guide you

Understanding the components of your retirement income is important and Social Security is a big factor to consider. This presentation reviews hot topics such as eligibility, the process to apply and resources to help you navigate the system. If retirement is in your near future, this video is for you.

In this short video, you’ll learn about, considerations you should take into account when investing, the MERS investment menu, how to locate your investment expenses, and the impact expenses can have on your overall account balance.

This short video provides an overview on, what is Medicare and who is eligible for coverage, when you can enroll, the different components that make up Medicare, Medicare costs, what’s covered and what’s not covered, supplemental policies and drug coverage, and available resources.

Wonder what the important aspects of managing your investment portfolio are or how often you should review your investments? During this video, you’ll learn more about the reasons we invest, where to locate and manage important information about your investment account and how to make changes when needed.

In this short video, you’ll learn more about IRAs including, what is an IRA?, contribution options and key differences, annual contribution limits, the MERS IRA option and how to enroll, and get answers to some frequently asked questions.

In this short video, you’ll learn more about Health Savings Accounts including, what they are, eligibility requirements, HSA access, advantages of an HSA, qualified expenses, annual contribution limits.

MERS has partnered with Mercer, a private retiree health care exchange, to provide retirees with access to quality benefits at an affordable cost. In this short video, you’ll learn more about the benefits of this option, hear how you can use the MERS Health Care Savings Program to assist with premium costs and get information on taking steps to find a plan that meets your needs.

In this short video covering the MERS Health Care Savings Program (HCSP), you’ll learn more about, retiree health care considerations, what is HCSP and how does it work?, contribution options, the benefits of tax-free investing, who can use the account and when, reimbursement and payment options, and eligible expenses.

Do you have a MERS Defined Contribution Plan? Are you interested in learning more about plan considerations and saving for your future? If so, check out this video where we walk through the importance of participation and tips to create a paycheck in retirement. We’ll also review investment, beneficiary and distribution information.

Budgeting is an important aspect of your journey toward financial wellness. In this video, you’ll learn more about the purpose of budget and how it can help you manage your day-to-day expenses, how to build a comprehensive budget, addressing shortfalls and monitoring your plan to ensure you are meeting your goals.

Ever felt trapped by your growing amount of debt? It can accumulate fast and leave you in a deep financial hole. By understanding the categories of debt such as “good” versus “bad”, you can learn how to put a repayment strategy in place.

This video will provide valuable information and insight on how the MERS 457 Supplemental Savings Program works.

This video explains how to access and manage your claims in your myMERS account.

Are you taking the right steps to complete your ideal retirement picture? Spending your golden years doing fun things like golfing or traveling sounds great, doesn’t it? Being prepared for the other expenses you will face in retirement can help you keep those dreams alive!

When it comes to saving and investing for retirement, there are many questions to consider when it’s time to retire. This video will offer concepts to help you understand each of your various retirement accounts and build an appropriate retirement withdrawal strategy to make your money last throughout your retirement years.

In this video, a representative from the Michigan Medicare Medicaid Assistance Program (MMAP) explains how and when to enroll in Medicare, what expenses Medicare will and won’t cover, and why you should reevaluate your health care plan each year once you have enrolled. We also discuss some important updates from MERS and share how retirees can get help choosing the right health care plan from benefits counselors at Mercer Marketplace 365+ Retiree.

The types of insurance you need can depend upon your age, assets and dependents. However, each person’s situation is unique. During the webinar, an insurance expert will walk through the various types of insurances available such as health, automobile, mortgage and life and the purpose of each. They will discuss which insurances make sense based on lifestyle and other circumstances. You’ll walk away with a clear understanding of the best options to help protect you, your loved ones and your valuable possessions.

Understanding the components of your retirement income is important and Social Security is a big factor to consider. Join Social Security Public Affairs Specialist Vonda VanTil as she discusses hot topics such as eligibility, the process to apply and resources to help you navigate the system. If retirement is in your near future, this video is for you.

Life is full of events that lead to many paper and electronic documents. The high volume often leaves people feeling so overwhelmed that they ignore their piles of ever-growing paper, making it hard to find what they need when they need it. During this video, we’ll discuss how to purge the paper you don't need and organize the paper you keep. We'll give you examples of files you should shred, recycle, and save.

Thinking about buying a new home or refinancing your existing mortgage loan? During this video, you’ll learn about the different types of mortgages and the costs associated with mortgage loans. We’ll provide you with steps you can take now to prepare for buying a house. Then, we’ll explore the benefits of refinancing to help you determine if and when it may be a good time for you to refinance.

Financial concerns follow us everywhere, causing stress both at home and work. Growing debt. A lack of savings. Retirement uncertainty. With MERS’ new Financial Fitness tool, you will be able to take control of your finances! This video will show you a series of financially focused workouts designed to help you see how you are doing and learn where you should be. These easy, intuitive exercises help you make improvements in key areas that affect your overall financial wellness.

A quick walk through of your myMERS landing page and how to access your MERS program information.

Personal finance experts tell us that ideally, we should have 3-9 months’ worth of expenses saved in an emergency fund. It's also recommended that we save for retirement, so we can replace 80% of our pre-retirement income. For most of us, there is only so much money to go around. In this video, we'll explore different savings options and strategies to help you plan for the unexpected, while still saving for retirement. Additionally, we’ll provide tips that you can use to help educate the next generation – your kids, grandkids or other important younger individuals in your life - on financial basics such as budgeting and saving.

When it comes to saving and investing for retirement, there are many questions to consider. How much should you save? How should those savings be invested? And what are some strategies to increase your account balance? This video will offer concepts to address those very questions such as finding an appropriate savings ratio, learning about your investment risk tolerance, and the importance of longevity. We’ll then explore savings strategies to use in the accumulation (or working) phase. Finally, we’ll show you how to locate your investment information and make investment changes online.

Depending on your financial goals in retirement, it may be necessary for you and your spouse to consider supplemental retirement plan options. In this session, we'll explore your retirement savings choices to help you add security to your retirement plan. Another important component to financial security is ensuring your investments are allocated correctly to help you reach your retirement goals. We'll walk through some investment basics and provide tips to help you evaluate your current investment line-up.

As a MERS Defined Benefit retiree, you’ll receive a monthly benefit payment for the rest of your life. The payment option you choose at retirement will determine how much that monthly payment will be and what will happen to that income stream when you pass away.

It’s not a subject we like to think about, but the fact is, by defining your end of life care wishes, you are making an already difficult time more manageable for your loved ones. We’ll cover important considerations for creating your end of life care directive and talk about ways you can ensure these wishes are followed by your provider and/or caregivers.

Did you know that kids as young as three can grasp the concept of how money works? And yet, most graduate high school without ever taking a course on financial basics. That leaves us – parents, grandparents and influential adults – to teach children the importance of budgeting and saving. During this session, we’ll review key concepts to teach at every age level and provide some tips and resources to help you get started. If you have younger people in life that you care about, don’t miss this session.

Health care costs are one of the biggest expenses in retirement. Do you know your options? During this video, MERS staff will provide an overview of Medicare and the benefit options you’ll have in retirement. We’ll talk about the costs associated with Medicare and provide you with resources to help you get more information. We’ll also highlight the MERS retiree healthcare exchange and talk about how you can use the MERS Health Care Savings Program in tandem to assist with premium costs.

When it comes to investing, don't put all of your eggs in one basket...unless that basket is diversified with a smart mix of funds.

Financial wellness is a buzzword in the financial industry today, but what does it really mean? This video take a deep dive into the four pillars of financial wellness – budgeting, emergency savings, debt management and planning for the future. You’ll learn more about each of these topics and walk away with practical and applicable skills and action items you can use to improve your overall financial health.

Personal finance experts tell us that ideally, we should have 3-9 months' worth of expenses saved in an emergency fund. It's also recommended that we save for retirement, so we can replace 80% of our pre-retirement income. For most of us, there is only so much money to go around. During this video, we'll explore different savings options and strategies to help you plan for the unexpected, while still saving for retirement.

Don't forget to let us know who your beneficiaries are so that your retirement benefits are handled smoothly without red tape, expense or delay. MERS makes it easy to update beneficiary information through logging in at mersofmich.com.

Now that you've left your employer, you — and your spouse and other dependents — can use your MERS Health Care Savings Program account for tax-free medical expense reimbursements. This video explains how to access the Alerus Benefits App and manage your claims.

This video will provide valuable information and insight on how your plan works. You can expect to walk away with more information on the formula used to calculate your retirement benefit, the importance of designating beneficiaries and keeping them updated and your investment options. We’ll also discuss the benefits of myMERS and how the resources MERS provides can help meet your retirement goals.

This video will provide valuable information and insight on how your plan works. You can expect to walk away with more information on the components that make up your defined contribution plan, the importance of designating beneficiaries and keeping them updated and your investment options. We’ll also discuss the benefits of myMERS and how the resources MERS provides help you stay on track to meet your retirement goals.

Are you within five years of retirement and have questions about the MERS Defined Benefit retirement process? This video reviews the steps you should take now to prepare for your retirement.

You'll learn more about how your defined benefit plan is an important resource to help you reach your retirement goals. We cover key features of the plan and review the resources available to you when retirement is on the horizon.

As a new MERS participant, you may have questions about how your benefits work. We’ve made learning about your new plans easy. This short, interactive video lets you pick which MERS programs you would like to hear more about.

Did you know that if you don’t pay Social Security taxes on your earnings AND you are eligible for Social Security benefits, the formula used to figure your benefit amount may be reduced? This is known as the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP. Additionally, if you receive a retirement or disability pension from a federal, state, or local government based on your own work for which you didn’t pay Social Security taxes, the Social Security Administration (SSA) may reduce your Social Security spouses or widows/widowers benefits. This is known as the Government Pension Offset, or GPO. If you will be affected by either of these provisions, this video hosted by Vonda VanTil, a Public Affairs Specialist with the SSA will walk you through WEP and GPO in detail and provide resources to help you better understand your Social Security options.