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SERS members have recently been targeted by a variety of phishing scams, including emails, phone calls, and text messages that attempt to impersonate or imply affiliation with SERS.

Emails
The fraudulent emails may provide links, including DocuSign, and allege to provide the member with the option to sign up and receive their monthly SERS benefit payments four days early by providing personal financial information, including bank account information.  SERS does not offer an early benefit payment option or request personal or banking information by email or use of DocuSign.  Please note that our emails are always sent from an srs.illinois.gov email address.

Phone calls and Text messages
Several members have recently reported receiving unsolicited phone calls and text messages from individuals claiming to be associated with SERS.  These individuals initially contact the member by phone call or text message and attempt to set up counseling appointments with the member, generally through a follow-up email and/or text message.  These phone calls have been received on State landlines and State issued cell phones.  SERS does not contract with anyone outside of the agency to contact members about retirement counseling appointments or other financial services. SERS does not cold call members for retirement consultations, and only schedules retirement counseling appointments at the request of the member.

If you receive a suspicious email, call, or text message that purports to be SERS that you suspect is a scam, please report this activity to the SERS call center at 217-785-7444. Information that you provide can help SERS prevent and detect schemes that impact our members. 

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Taxes

Federal Income Tax Withholding

If you need to change the amount of your federal tax withholding, you must submit a new W-4P to SERS. The new W-4P may be submitted at any time throughout the year.

You should contact a qualified tax advisor or an IRS representative at 800-829-1040 with questions about your taxes, including withholdings.

Taxation of Your Retirement Annuity

Illinois law exempts all SERS benefits from state income tax. However, benefits are subject to federal income tax. If your federal tax withholding information is not on file with SERS, taxes are withheld using the rate for a married person.

Each year, the Comptroller’s office is required to send you a 1099-R form showing the total annuity amount you received during the past year, as well as any taxes withheld.

Who to Contact

Contact the State Employees' Retirement System

Contact our call center at (217)785-7444,  Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or email SERS@srs.illinois.gov for questions about:

  • Overpayments for Disability/Pension/Survivor
  • Annuity/ARCP Benefits
  • Incorrect Insurance Premium Deductions
  • Dependent Deaths
  • Opt Out Financial Incentive
  • W2-GI+
  • Reciprocal Retirement Systems Service
  • Address Discrepancy Regarding Insurance
  • Change of Address/Name Requests
  • Income Verifications
  • Member Fraud Alerts
  • POA/Guardianship/Executor/Trust Inquiries
  • Taxes and Other Deductions
  • 1099Rs
  • Overpayments for Pension/Survivor

Contact MyBenefits

Contact mybenefits.illinois.gov or the MyBenefits Service Center (toll-free) (844)251-1777 or (TTY toll-free) (844)251-1778, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CST for questions about:

  • Changing/Opting out of Health Coverage
  • Making Changes to your MAPD Plan
  • Life Insurance Coverage & Requests to Increase/Decrease Amounts
  • Adding/Dropping Dependents
  • Insurance Premiums

Contact the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS)

Contact the CMS Medicare Unit – (217)782-7007, the CMS Benefits & Claim Support Unit – (217)558-4486, the CMS Premium Collection Unit – (217)558-4783, or CMS General (toll-free) – (800)442-1300 for questions about:

  • Medicare
  • Insurance Claims
  • Insurance Premium Payments for Direct Pay

Contact Metlife

Contact MetLife at (toll-free) (800)880-6394 or at metlife.com/ for questions about:

  • Life Insurance
  • Beneficiaries, Payment of Claims & Assignments

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