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Retiree Information & Resources
Welcome Frederick County Government Retirees!
Frederick County Government is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service. As of October 1, 2020, we have partnered with Retirement Focus managed by USI Consulting Group formerly known as Findley Inc. (“Retirement Focus”) and Wilmington Trust to support the participants of our retirement plans. While Frederick County Government will remain the Plan Sponsor of the Retirement Plan, effective October 1, 2020, the service and administration of your retirement benefit payments will be maintained by Retirement Focus.
Effective October 1, 2020, Wilmington Trust began issuing monthly payments on behalf of The Plan. Benefit payments are no longer sent from Frederick County Government. We have provided answers to many of the most common questions HERE
To assist you with your initial login and an introduction to the self-service tools now available on the Retirement Focus portal (www.RetirementFocus.com), please refer to the Retirement Focus User Guide. Please contact Retirement Focus should you have any questions or concerns at 833-771-1496.
Please note that pension information is specific to the Frederick County Employees Retirement Plan and does not apply to county employees who participate in the State of Maryland Retirement System.
For 457b Plan participants, after you retire you can deal directly with Empower's Retirement Solutions Group at 877-534-4569. Retirement Solutions Group helps participants with:
* Savings and investing strategies
* Managed Accounts service
* Account consolidation and distribution
Retirement Plan Committee Information
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
FY23 COLA Adjustments will be reflected on your August 1, 2022 Benefit Payment
Click HERE for more information
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Medicare-Eligible Retirees/Spouses: Covid-19 Update Free Medicare Over-The-Counter Test Initiative
Click HERE for more information
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FY2023 Retiree Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) Information
All retirees with a Retirement Date of June 1, 2021, or before, will receive a 1% cost of living adjustment (COLA) which will be reflected on your August 1, 2022, benefit payment.
The Frederick County Government County Executive and County Council also approved a one-time additional COLA, referred to as an Ad Hoc COLA, All retirees with a Retirement Date of June 1, 2021, or before, will receive an additional 2% COLA which will be reflected on their August 1, 2022, benefit payment.
If you have any questions about the COLA that you will receive on your August 1, 2022, benefit payment, please contact Retirement Focus at 833-771-1496. If you have not set up your online access via www.retirementfocus.com, please call Retirement Focus to unlock your account.
Please remember that you may update your contact information (address, phone number and email), direct deposit information, Federal and state tax withholdings, and request/print an income verification letter over the phone by calling Retirement Focus or logging in to your Retirement Focus online account.
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1099-R forms have been mailed by Wilmington Trust.
If you have any questions about your 1099-R or have not received it by February 1st, please contact Retirement Focus at 1-833-771-1496
Pay Dates
The pay date for the January 1, 2021 benefit payment will be Friday, January 1, 2021. Please note that due to the bank holiday it will not be available until Monday, January 4, 2021.
COLA for FY2022
This is a reminder that all retirees with a Retirement Date of June 1, 2020, or before, will receive a 1% cost of living adjustment (COLA) which will be reflected on your August 1, 2021, benefit payment.
As you may recall, the Frederick County Government County Executive and County Council previously approved a one-time additional COLA, referred to as an Ad Hoc COLA, with a three year tiered structure that extends varying benefits depending on date of retirement. This is the last year for the Ad Hoc COLA. Anyone that retired between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2018, will receive an additional 1% Ad Hoc COLA
The Fiscal Year 2022 COLA change will be implemented July 1, 2021 and will be reflected in the August 1, 2021 benefit payment.
The Plan document states that a COLA evaluation will be performed every three years. The Frederick County Employees Retirement Plan Committee has requested our actuary, Bolton, to perform this evaluation at this time to determine what changes, if any, need to be made for the Fiscal Year 2023 COLA. The study will include these initial tasks:
- Compare historical plan-provided COLAs to inflation;
- Survey COLA plan provisions for comparator counties; and
- Identify any limitations on increases in the County contribution rates and/or decreases in the funded status of the plan if an additional one-time or permanent COLA was implemented.
Once the study is complete and reviewed by the Frederick County Employees Retirement Plan Committee, the Committee will make any recommendation(s) to the Frederick County Government County Executive and County Council for approval. As we have done in the past, should the Committee make a recommendation, communications will be sent to plan participants and retirees.
If you have any questions about the COLA that you will receive on your August 1, 2021, benefit payment, please contact Retirement Focus at 833-771-1496. If you have not set up your online access via www.retirementfocus.com, please contact Retirement Focus to unlock your account. Please remember that you may change your address, direct deposit, and Federal and state taxes over the phone by calling Retirement Focus or logging in to your Retirement Focus online account.
You can now update your address and contact information, direct deposit information, tax withholding and more through the Retirement Focus portal.
Log in to your account at www.RetirementFocus.com or call a Retirement Focus Representative at 833-771-1496.
To assist you with your initial login and an introduction to the self-service tools now available, please refer to the Retirement Focus User Guide.