Welcome to Money MattERS by ERS
2-minute read
Welcome to the first installment of Money MattERS, the new financial newsletter from the Employees Retirement System of Texas (ERS). We're excited to share this resource with you and expand our educational tools to help you get the most out of your State of Texas benefits. These benefits contribute to your overall well-being and play a key role in the value of your total compensation package.
Why Money MattERS? A quick intro
We know that retirement eligibility rules can be hard to understand and IRS and Social Security policies continue to change. You may also find that some outside financial planning resources don't address your needs, leave you wondering where to start or ask you to pay a fee. Furthermore, recent surveys indicate more young adults are turning to social media for their financial advice, which can sometimes be misleading, according to a Social Capital Markets study.
To counter the chaos, Money MattERS publishes tailored content related to your State of Texas Retirement and the optional voluntary income programs ERS offers you as a state agency or higher education employee.
These include:
- Consumer Directed HealthSelectSM health savings accounts,
- Discount Purchase Program,
- TexFlexSM flexible spending accounts,
- the Texa$averSM 401(k) / 457 Program and
- Texas Income Protection PlanSM (TIPP) disability insurance.
You’ll get monthly articles, money tips, webinars and even podcasts so you can access financial information in a way that’s convenient and engaging for you.
A little history
Money MattERS isn’t the first ERS newsletter of its kind. In fact, it’s a fresh take on a previous newsletter called Money Issues that ERS first published in 1994, to provide information on the Texa$aver Deferred Compensation 457 plan. It aimed to help educate members about the benefits of personal retirement savings and promote the importance of the three-legged stool we still discuss today. Over the years, ERS benefits have grown and our new newsletter will expand upon the same goal to deliver important benefit information and provide other financial-related resources.
Tell us what MattERS to you
Is there a financial news topic you’d like to read about? Send your suggestion email to story_ideas@ers.texas.gov.