ORSSCHOOLS

Welcome to the ORS website for members of the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System who began public school employment before July 1, 2010.

Retirement is a journey; ORS is here to help you along yours. During your career, your employer takes care of your pension plan deductions, wage and service records, and plan contributions. Your employer sends regular wage and service reports to ORS that become part of your personal pension record. When it's time to retire, your employer hands off your final records to ORS, and we become your partner in retirement. ORS manages the retirement system carefully to preserve it for you and other future retirees.

Everyone enrolled in our retiree non-Medicare PPO health care plan (administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan) at any time in 2018 will receive Form 1095-B in the mail from the Office of Retirement Services. The mailing of these statements for 2018 has been delayed. We're working to get them out as soon as possible, and customers can expect them to arrive mid-to-late February.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Medicare are responsible for providing Form 1095-B to anyone covered by either of those entities at any time during 2018.

Form 1095-B is a health coverage statement, required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The form is used to report health coverage of individuals who meet minimum essential coverage standards to the IRS on income tax returns. It is your responsibility to make copies of the 1095-B form for your spouse and/or dependents. For specific guidance on information found on the 1095-B statement, contact your tax professional or the IRS.

The IRS has published some general questions and answers about the health care reporting forms, including what to do with them.

Published on January 25, 2019

If you’re thinking about returning to work after you retire, or you’re currently working in a critical shortage position, please note Public Act 141 of 2018 made some changes to the working after retirement rules. Specifically, the critical shortage provision expiration date was extended to July 1, 2021. The three-year limit on the length of time you can work in a critical shortage position without an earnings limit remains in place. There are also new rules for certain retirees returning to work as school renewal coaches or high impact leadership facilitators. If certain criteria are met, there is no earnings limit for retirees fulfilling these roles. See the Working After You Retire page for detailed information about how returning to work may affect your pension.

PA 141 and Working After Retirement FAQs

Revised on May 14, 2018

On Thursday, April 26, the House passed House Bill 4422 in the exact same form that the Senate passed it on Wednesday, April 25. The bill is now going to the Governor. 

Published on April 27, 2018

This video will walk you through the new insurance enrollment features that can be found in miAccount. You can log in to miAccount and view the features for yourself.

Video: New Insurance Enrollment Features in miAccount

Published on April 3, 2018

ORS has provided contributions back to the schools as of January 22^nd. Essential information about the contributions and interest for each employee has been provided to the schools previously.  Schools are now working on issuing refunds. We have been advised that you can expect your refund from any school(s) you worked for during the July 2010 – September 2012 timeframe within about 60-90 days.

PA 75 and 3% Healthcare Contributions FAQs

Published on January 26, 2018

The IRS published the 2018 income tax withholding tables on January 11, 2018. The 2018 federal tax rates have been updated within our system and you will see the changes to your federal tax withholding deduction beginning with your February 2018 pension payment. You will likely see a decrease in your federal tax withholding deduction based on the new rates and therefore you will see an increase in your net pension amount starting with your February 2018 pension payment. There are no changes to your State of Michigan tax withholding for 2018.

To view or change your tax withholding selections in miAccount, click the Pension Payments tab, then click Tax Withholding.

If you have further questions about tax changes for 2018 you may wish to consult your own tax advisor.

Published on January 26, 2018

By January 22, ORS will be sending information by email to public school employees who worked between July 2010 and September 2012 giving specific information about refunds of healthcare contributions. The email will include the contribution amounts and interest for each school district.

ORS will be returning the funds to the reporting units on January 22. This does not mean that the school districts will disburse those funds on that date. They have important responsibilities for the recording and tax reporting of these refunds. Generally, you might expect your refund to come to you 60-90 days after the school receives the funds. 

PA 75 and 3% Healthcare Contributions FAQs

Published on January 16, 2018

Everyone enrolled in our retiree non-Medicare PPO health care plan (administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan) at any time in 2017 will receive Form 1095-B in the mail from the Office of Retirement Services. The statements will be mailed in January and should be received in households by January 30, 2018.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Medicare are responsible for providing Form 1095-B to anyone covered by either of those entities at any time during 2017.

Form 1095-B is a health coverage statement, required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The form is used to report health coverage of individuals who meet minimum essential coverage standards to the IRS on income tax returns. It is your responsibility to make copies of the 1095-B form for your spouse and/or dependents. For specific guidance on information found on the 1095-B statement, contact your tax professional or the IRS.

The IRS has published some general questions and answers about the health care reporting forms, including what to do with them.

Published on January 17, 2018

Updated on January 11, 2018

Regarding yesterday's announcement that contributions for healthcare withheld from school employee wages between July 2010 and September 2012 will be refunded based on the December 20, 2017 decision of the Michigan Supreme Court: ORS will provide the essential data regarding the refunded contributions and interest to employers no later than January 10, 2018. Employers will receive a transfer of the contribution and interest funds with the January 22, 2018 school aid payment. There are 53 districts that have closed, dissolved, or merged since 2010. The return of those contributions may be later than January 22 because a different methodology will be used to transfer those contributions.

PA 75 and 3% Healthcare Contributions FAQs

Published on December 21, 2017

The Supreme Court has ruled that PA 75 of 2010, which was in effect from July 2010 until September 2012 and mandated that members contribute 3% of their compensation to the Retiree Healthcare Fund, is unconstitutional and that member contributions (which are currently being held in escrow) shall be refunded to members. ORS is working to implement the Supreme Court’s decision and return contributions to the school districts where the contributions were withheld. These refunds will be issued to members through the school districts. Additional information will be provided to members and school districts regarding the timing and amounts of forthcoming refunds as soon as it becomes available.

PA 75 and 3% Healthcare Contributions FAQs

Published on December 20, 2017

Public Act 92 of 2017 discontinued the option to initiate a service credit purchase as of 5 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2017. You may still receive service credit for time spent in active duty military service or if you repay refunded pension contributions after September 29, 2017. Information about service credit options is available here.

Published on September 29, 2017

Health Alliance Plan (HAP) will end its insurance contract with Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System on December 31, 2017. If you are currently enrolled in HAP, you’ll need to log in to miAccount and select a new health insurance provider or return a completed Insurance Enrollment/Change Request (0452C) by November 15, 2017, to avoid a gap in coverage. In early October, look for a letter from HAP notifying you of the change and a letter from ORS that will provide the Insurance Options Summary (0379C) so you can compare your health insurance options along with your insurance rates.  

Published on September 29, 2017

The operation of Michigan Public Schools Employees Retirement System is controlled by the Public School Employees Retirement Act, Public Act 300 of 1980, as amended.

This two-hour meeting is an opportunity for you to hear an overview of your retirement benefits so you can make informed decisions about your retirement and your future.