HARRISBURG, PA – The Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) today announced the launch of its new Member Self-Service (MSS) Portal. The new MSS Portal, which is available through a link on the PSERS’ website, will provide cost savings to PSERS and improved pension account management tools to our members.
Glen Grell, PSERS Executive Director, explains, “The primary focus of MSS is improving member service. Along with member service improvement are some very real cost savings for PSERS. Through the new MSS Portal, we will reduce our plan administration costs, starting at launch. For example, giving members online account transaction and information access—and communicating with members online—will significantly reduce our mailing and postage costs. We expect MSS to provide cost savings in other areas, too, while helping PSERS administer the pension plan more efficiently—now and in the future.”
The new MSS Portal means that PSERS will be able to deliver member communications through secure electronic communications, rather than through home mailings. We anticipate that this new paperless communications option will help PSERS save many millions of dollars. Savings is only one aspect of the positive impact that PSERS expects will result from the new MSS Portal.
Continuing his remarks, Grell explained just how helpful the MSS Portal will be. “MSS will truly make things more convenient for our members. Members will be able to quickly and securely update their pension plan account information online, anytime. They will be able to change their beneficiaries, tax withholding election, address or phone number and complete other transactions. The ability for members to conduct transactions for themselves is part of our goal of increasing operational efficiencies.”
The functionality that is available on the new MSS Portal represents nearly 100,000 transactions currently handled by PSERS staff. As members start completing transactions through the MSS Portal, PSERS staff can focus more of their time on providing value-added services to members. Already over 51,000 PSERS members have signed up for MSS and conducted over 29,000 transactions themselves.
Grell concludes, “The new MSS Portal is an important step PSERS is taking on the path of continuous member service improvement. Our goal is to give members greater access to their pension plan account information and the ability to allow them to manage their personal profile securely online, anywhere, anytime.”
About the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System
PSERS is the 15th largest state-sponsored defined benefit public pension fund in the nation. As of March 31, 2018, PSERS had net assets of approximately $56 billion and a membership of nearly 256,000 active school employees and over 230,000 retirees.
More information about the Member Self-Service launch is available on PSERS' website.
PSERS Media Contact Details
Steve Esack
Press Secretary stesack@pa.gov 717.720.4770
Public School Employees' Retirement System
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L. Paul Vezzetti
Communications Director lvezzetti@pa.gov 717.480.8405
Public School Employees' Retirement System
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