January 6, 2017 - Executive Director Update: Actuarial Status and ATRS Legislative Package

The 91st General Assembly convenes on Monday. On this snowy and cold Friday, I decided to provide an update on the ATRS actuarial status and to give a preview of the ATRS legislative package for the 91st General Assembly. It will be a busy few months in state government. ATRS will work hard to keep everyone informed about the ATRS legislative package of 19 proposals and other legislation that may impact ATRS. From now until the end of the session, ATRS will try to provide a weekly update on the legislative session and the progress of legislation affecting ATRS. This email has 1 attachment that is 17 pages long. It includes the summary on the actuarial status of ATRS and a summary of all 19 of the ATRS legislative proposals.

The actuaries recently gave the ATRS Board the actuarial report on ATRS for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2016. The report was positive. ATRS now has an amortization period to pay off its unfunded liabilities of 29 years. This is the shortest the amortization period has been in eight (8) years. The ATRS funded percentage is 81%, another strong number. The ATRS unfunded liabilities dropped by about $129 million dollars from the previous fiscal year. At the same time, the actuarial report provided details about the increasing detrimental impact of outsourcing of classified positions from school employees to employees of contractors that have embedded employees within a school district.

The ATRS Board also learned that the ATRS investment returns for the three (3) year and ten (10) year periods from September 30, 2016, were in the top one-percent (1%) of all large pension plans within the country. The ATRS Board has a proven track record in obtaining quality returns and staying the course to obtain the best managers and investment returns possible.

Remember that ATRS has a new website that allows members to have direct access to specific member account information. Now approximately 9,000 members have direct account access to individualized account information. Here is the link to the instructions to sign up: https://www.artrs.gov/general/director-updates/716-08-15-2014-executive-director-update-the-new-atrs-website.

You can also sign up to obtain these executive director updates through your private email address. Updates are made throughout the year such as at retirement season and other times when information needs to be shared. Now, over 8,000 people have signed up to receive this executive director by listserve email. You can find the link to sign up for listserve delivery to these updates here: https://www.artrs.gov/login.

In addition, over 13,000 people have access to the ATRS executive director updates via direct email delivery. It is always a great pleasure for ATRS staff to learn of more ways to provide information to ATRS members, employers, beneficiaries, government officials, and the public. The ATRS Board is committed to providing a system that is member friendly and transparent.

You can also get helpful ATRS information on the ATRS Facebook page under the name of Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. Over 3,000 Facebook users get updates via the ATRS Facebook page. Go to the Facebook page and "like" ATRS to get daily updates. I try to go to the Facebook page every day to post information and answer member questions about ATRS. In addition, if you use Twitter, you can join over 750 others by following events at ATRS and issues of interest on the ATRS Twitter page. Remember that ATRS is here to serve you! If you have questions, email me or call.

Respectfully,

George Hopkins

(501) 682-1820 Office
(501) 318-5998 Cell
georgeh@artrs.gov

 

Click on the following document for more information:

1. Actuarial Status Update and 2017 ATRS Bill Package

October 4, 2016 - Executive Director Update: Member Annual Statements 2015-2016

I know all schools and ATRS members are very busy at this time in October. I hope all ATRS members are having a great school year. For all active members who worked at least 40 days in the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2016, this is a very important executive director update about the member annual statement that over 70,000 of you will receive in the next few weeks. Some member annual statements may be received as early as next week.This update also highlights ATRS disability, the 2016 retirement season, and a trust fund update. ATRS respectfully requests that to the extent possible, ATRS employers distribute this executive director update email with attachments as a broadcast email to all employees.  This email contains important information to assist members in reading and understanding the member annual statements that will be mailed to over 70,000 members in the coming few weeks.

This email has two (2) attachments:  1. A seven (7) page executive director update on member annual statements, disability retirement, survivor benefits, noncontributory to contributory service, report on retirement season, and a status update; and 2. A nine (9) page frequently asked questions (FAQs) on ATRS disability retirement. 

Remember that ATRS has a new website that allows members to have direct access to specific member account information. Now approximately 9,000 members have direct account access to individualized account information. Here is the link to the instructions to sign up: https://www.artrs.gov/general/director-updates/716-08-15-2014-executive-director-update-the-new-atrs-website.

You can sign up to obtain these executive director updates through your private email address. Updates are made throughout the year such as at retirement season and other times when information needs to be shared. Now, over 8,000 people have signed up to receive this executive director by listserve email. You can find the link to sign up for listserve delivery to these updates here: https://www.artrs.gov/login.

In addition, over 13,000 people have access to the ATRS executive director updates via direct email delivery. It is always a great pleasure for ATRS staff to learn of more ways to provide information to ATRS members, employers, and beneficiaries. The ATRS Board is committed to providing a system that is member friendly and transparent.

You can also get helpful ATRS information on the ATRS Facebook page under the name of Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.  Over 2,900 Facebook users get updates via the ATRS Facebook page. Go to the Facebook page and "like" ATRS to get daily updates.  I try to go to the Facebook page every day to post information and answer member questions about ATRS.  In addition, if you use Twitter, you can join over 750 others by following events at ATRS and issues of interest on the ATRS Twitter page. Remember that ATRS is here to serve you!

Respectfully, 

George Hopkins

 

Click on the following document(s) for more information:

1. Annual Statements

2. Disability Retirement FAQ