Website calculates retirement benefits
Employees participating in PERS 1, 2 or 3 have just been sent their 2004-2005 annual statements. With this information, they can create their own retirement benefit estimates. Based on the actual data in their account, including service credit, they can determine the earliest date they would be eligible to retire.
To do this, visit the state Department of Retirement Systems website at www.drs.wa.gov, click on “Online Access to Your Defined Benefit Account,” then go to the Benefit Estimator. Since this is a secure online service, you will need to register.
This site also lets you review your service credit, beneficiary designation or account balance 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Retirement newsletter moves to online only
Four times a year the state Department of Retirement Systems sends employees the quarterly Retirement Outlook newsletter. Starting this quarter, instead of receiving this newsletter in the mail, employees need to view the document electronically.
Use the following URL address to download the newsletter: www.drs.wa.gov/outlook/active. Should you have questions, contact DRS Employer Support Services at 360-664-7200 (press option 2) or 800-547-6657 (press option 6, then option 2).
Also, WSU’s Benefit Services Office has a few copies of the newsletter; call Marie Weiss, 335-4580, to request one.
Katrina tax act expands incentives for big givers
Americans have responded in record numbers to the natural disasters of 2005 with extraordinary generosity. Congress has responded as well. To encourage immediate gifts of cash to all charitable organizations, Congress enacted the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (KETRA).
According to Senate Finance Chair Charles Grassley (R-IA), special incentives were included in the KETRA legislation to “encourage charitable giving outside of Katrina relief, to prevent the rest of the nation’s charities from seeing a downturn in giving as they did after the events of 9/11.”
In particular, KETRA contains two expanded tax incentives for those who make charitable gifts of cash to any qualified charity between Aug. 28 and Dec. 31.
For more information, visit the WSU Foundation website at http://wsufoundation.wsu.edu and click on the “KETRA Tax Law Change” link in the lower left-hand corner.
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Students design outdoor story walk for Keller schools
A group of WSU landscape architecture students is gaining hands‑on experience by designing an outdoor classroom with members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation.
Recent News
WSU institutes new wildfire smoke policy for employees
The emergence of regular wildfire seasons in the Pacific Northwest recently prompted the state of Washington to enact new regulations to protect outdoor workers.
Diversity in STEM conference shapes DGRP student’s perspective on research, and career path
Shawnee Kasanke was selected to attend the 2023 Society of Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science National Diversity in STEM Conference last fall.
WSU Press, Whitworth University team up for new publishing deal
Pines Press, a first-of-its-kind collaboration, was conceived by WSU Press Editor-in-Chief Linda Bathgate and Amanda Clark, Whitworth University’s dean of the library and special programs.
E-tongue can detect white wine spoilage before humans can
While bearing little physical resemblance to its namesake, the strand-like sensory probes of the “e-tongue” still outperformed human senses when detecting contaminated wine in a recent WSU-led study.
Provost selection process ongoing
WSU expects to name its next provost before the end of April. President Kirk Schulz is actively considering two finalists, with feedback provided by the university community being a key factor in the decision.
Employee Assistance Program hosts special sessions, April 17
Washington State Employee Assistance Program Director Jennifer Nguyen will lead two discussions tomorrow on the topics of change and personal wellbeing. Both presentations will be livestreamed.