your insuranceRiding out the storm

your fiscal healthFinancial Fitness Fair—summer events

your kioskAre you living beyond your means? New WRS video Is your customized vehicle covered?

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™A magazine from WEA Trust Member Benefits

2014 SPRING

Fostering Financial Literacyin and out of the classroom

president’s letterDave Kijek, President/CEO, WEA Trust Member Benefits™{

2 weabenefits.com

© 2014 WEA Member Benefit Trust.All rights reserved.

Members benefit from your stories

Follow us.

3 YOUR ACCOUNT- New 403(b) and IRA account access

coming April 28.

- Make sure your policy is up to date with our midterm policy exam.

- How to avoid inactive account fees.

4 YOUR MONEY- Member Patrick Kubeny shares his

personal financial info for greater impact in the classroom.

6 YOUR INSURANCE- Last year, the Weiler’s home was

damaged from severe weather. Here’s their account of the storm and the cleanup.

48 YOUR FISCAL HEALTH- Financial Fitness Fairs planned

around state this summer.

10 YOUR KIOSK- Are you living beyond your means?

- NEW! WRS video series now available.

- Coverage for vehicle customization.

™

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April is financial literacy month. It’s a time to focus on the importance of understanding financial concepts and take action to improve your financial security. It’s also a good time to acknowledge

members like Patrick Kubeny and Rick and Joanne Weiler who are willing to share their stories so others can benefit from their personal experiences.

Patrick is passionate about financial education in and out of the classroom. He

opens up his personal financial records to his students to illustrate the benefits and consequences of real life financial decisions he’s made. He also advocates for educational opportunities for his colleagues and encourages them to take a close look at resources and programs offered by Member Benefits.

The Weilers tell their story of how a late summer storm damaged their home and how having insurance with a company that’s there for you when you most need it makes all the difference.

The only thing more gratifying than having members tell us how satisfied they are is when they tell other people. Time and again we hear from members who are

thankful they found our programs. Very often they were referred by other satisfied participants.

We also appreciate when members share so we can learn how to better serve you. When you told us that accessing your retirement accounts online was not meeting your needs, we listened. For the past 10 months our staff has been working toward implementing a new system to bring the change you asked for. On April 28, we’ll launch your Money, your new 403(b) and IRA account access system. You’re gonna love it.

Happy spring … at last.

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your$CONTENTS SPRING 2014

{ ™

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{ your account

IRA and 403(b) newsEnclosed with your statement

fNew 403(b) and IRA account access to launch April 28As you are probably aware, you will be able to access your retirement

account(s) through your money starting on April 28. The new account access system will provide an enhanced user experience that participants have been requesting. Information about system features and how to log in are included in a brochure enclosed with your statements.

fPrivacy notice and account changesProtection of your nonpublic personal financial information is very

important to us. Enclosed with your 403(b) or IRA statement this quarter is a copy of the WEA TSA Trust privacy policy. In addition, you will find a list of account changes. Please read this information carefully.

Avoid inactive account minimum annual feeThere is a minimum annual fee of $25 for an inactive WEAC IRA and/or

WEA TSA Trust 403(b) account with balances less than $5,556 (IRA) or $7,143 (403(b)). Inactive accounts are accounts with no contributions within a calendar year. You can avoid the fee by making a single contribution at any time during the calendar year. Also consolidating other accounts into your WEAC IRA and/or WEA TSA Trust 403(b) account could help reduce the amount of fees you are paying. Give us a call at 1-800-279-4030 to review your account.

Did you change where you bank or move to a new address?Make sure your electronic contributions to your WEAC IRA and/or personal

insurance continue without interruption by notifying us if you have changed where you bank or if your account information has changed. Likewise, if you have moved, please contact us with your new address to ensure timely delivery of important information.

IRA 5498 forms on their wayForm 5498 is an informational tax form to be sent at the end of May to all

Traditional and/or Roth IRA account holders. The form reports the December 31, 2013 fair market value as well as any contributions, transfers, rollovers, conversions, and/or recharacterizations received in the account for 2013. Direct contributions for the 2013 tax year can be made until April 15, 2014.

The Trustee Custodian for the WEAC IRA accounts is Verisight Trust Company. The 403(b) retirement program is offered by the WEA TSA Trust. TSA program registered representatives are licensed through WEA Investment Services, Inc., member FINRA. Content in this magazine is for informational purposes only and not intended to be legal or tax advice. Consult your tax advisor or attorney before taking any action.

LOG IN • APRIL 28

A new online account experience is coming.

MORE INFO weabenefits.com/yourmoney

Put your insurance policy to the test!

MIDTERM POLICY EXAMIf you’re insured by WEA Trust Member Benefits, you’re eligible for a Midterm Policy Exam.

There is no need to “cram” for this exam. Your Midterm Policy Exam is a joint effort between you and us. The exam helps us determine whether your current insurance coverage still offers appropriate protection for you and your family. Often, changes to your life situation expose you to risks you didn’t have when we first issued your policy.

As part of our assessment, we will: • Provide an evaluation of how well your

policies manage your risks.• Verify that your policy information is up

to date. • Ensure that you are receiving all available

program discounts. We can either discuss your Midterm

Policy Exam results over the phone or via e-mail.

It’s easy to do. Simply take a moment to complete the exam online at www.weabenefits.com/exam.

your money™

3

{FEEDBACK Do you have a story to tell, a question, or an article suggestion?

Send an e-mail to memberbenefits@weabenefits.com. Please type “your$” into the subject line.

4 weabenefits.com

{ your money

skills at home, teaching financial concepts in school may be the only chance they have to learn the skills they need to navigate the changing and increasingly complex world of finances.

Interest rising in districtsWhile not required statewide, 44% of

school districts in Wisconsin now require students to take a financial literacy course to graduate high school.2

This is good news from Patrick’s perspective. “It was 25% just a few years ago.” There’s increased interest nationwide in offering personal financial courses as part of school curriculum. This may be in part because research shows that individuals graduating from high schools in states that require personal finance education have higher savings rates and net worth than individuals graduating from high schools in states where financial education is not mandated.3

And, there’s evidence that students want to learn about financial concepts. According to a survey of teens completed in 2012 (DoughMain), 55% indicated

Patrick Kubeny, a nationally certified business education teacher at Rhinelander High School, not only sets the example, he is the example. He puts everything out there for all of his students to see, because he believes his real life examples are his strongest teaching tools.

“I’m a realist,” Patrick confesses. “If I can show my students real examples—real life applications such as real bank and retirement accounts—I do. We look at my financial records for teachable resources and teachable moments in the classroom. I share my failures as well as my successes so hopefully they can learn from my mistakes. Some lessons are quite humbling,” he adds.

If the idea of this makes you uncomfortable, you’re not alone. As a society, we shy away from discussing our personal finances in any detail, even at home. Interestingly, one research study found that 69% of parents admit to feeling less prepared to give their teens financial guidance than they do having the “sex talk” with them.1

Because many students will not have the opportunity to learn even basic financial

that they wanted to learn more about how to manage their money—particularly investing (88%), saving (87%), budgeting (82%), checking accounts (80%), and financing for big purchases like a car or a home (79%).4

Patrick’s enthusiasm for teaching this topic, along with his unique approach, contributes to the popularity of his classes in Rhinelander. He now teaches four sections of Personal Money Management in addition to Accounting, Business Law, and Basic Computer Skills. “Personal Money Management is my favorite course to teach. It’s just so practical,” says Patrick.

Its popularity has grown through word of mouth among Rhinelander high school students and it is rated as “highly recommended” in their course selection book.

“We discuss credit cards, how to buy a car, insurance, mortgages, saving, and investing. Parents who hear about the class from their kids say that they wish they could take the course.”

in and out of the classroom

Fostering FINANCIAL LITERACY

{ your money

Imagine sharing your personal financial information with your students—your bank account transactions, your retirement account statements, even your bills.

weabenefits.com 5

Making lessons stickyPatrick says that integrating his personal

information and experiences into his lesson plan makes the lessons more memorable. He shared numerous stories of former students who remember those “sticky lessons” and applied what they learned to their own financial lives, including opening a retirement account with money from their part-time jobs.

This is heartening news for Patrick, because he feels the changes to how retirement plans are funded may be the biggest financial challenge his students will face.

“There’s been a shift away from employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans to individually funded accounts, where the responsibility falls heavily on the shoulders of the individual rather than the employer.” Patrick wonders about how many of his students will have careers that offer a defined pension plan or access to a retirement savings plan.

“As a Wisconsin public school employee, I am fortunate to have the Wisconsin Retirement System and the opportunity to contribute to a 403(b) and IRA at the district level. However, the new trends make it more likely that my students will have to rely more and more on their personal savings to make ends meet in retirement. They need to be prepared.”

In addition to the decline of defined pension plans and the lingering questions about the future of Social Security benefits, 401(k) offerings in the workplace are trending toward longer vesting periods and reduced employer contribution matches.

Not your father’s retirementPatrick stresses the possible outcome of

this new retirement paradigm by showing his students the three-legged retirement stool, where each leg represents a source of income that contributes to the stability of their finances in retirement. It’s an illustration Member Benefits uses to show Wisconsin public school employees the significance of personal savings in building a secure retirement nest egg.

“I tell them, if they’re lucky they will have three sources of retirement income—a pension, Social Security, and personal savings. Imagine trying to sit on that stool without all the legs. It will be difficult and uncomfortable. You’re going to be struggling.”

Patrick emphasizes that because they may not have these particular sources available, they will need to maximize the opportunities available to them. He points out one advantage they have now that can

help make up for lost income sources: time. That’s right, time is their greatest asset.

Patrick explains to his students, “You will never retire on the money you saved for retirement. You will retire on the money you make off the money you saved for retirement.” The earlier you start saving, the more time you have to benefit from compounding interest. Patrick uses a calculator in his classroom to illustrate the time value of money.

The example below assumes a contribution of just $20 per month starting at age 16 (to age 65) with an average 8% return. “It’s powerful stuff. They recognize that $20 a month may be doable, even for them.”

The Roth factorPatrick loves teaching about the benefits

of a Roth IRA to students and fellow educators alike. “The Roth IRA is huge. It’s one of those things that seems too good

continued on page 9

69% of parents admit to feeling less prepared to give their teen guidance about investing than they do having the “sex talk” with them.1

TIME IS ON YOUR SIDE. YES IT IS.

This is for illustrative purposes only and not indicative of any investment. No guarantees are implied. Your results may be different.

This compounding calculator is what Patrick shares with his students to show how even saving a little makes a difference. Get personalized results. Just plug in your starting age, amount you plan to save each month, and anticipated average rate of return. Click “calculate” and watch the savings grow. Go to weabenefits.com and search for compound calculator.

Interest/ Earnings = $135,462

Principal/Contributions = $11,760

5

monthly savings:

starting age:

interest rate:

SAVI

NG

S

TIMEage 16 age 41 age 65

Calculates into savings of $147,222$20

16

8%

{ your insurance

Stay alert and Stay Safe

Storm damageLooking forward to the promises of spring and summer? Remember that warmer weather also means the potential for severe weather. The Weilers share their story of just how quickly the weather can turn bad and cause substantial damage and the importance of having insurance with a company you can count on when the storm hits.

On August 6, 2013, Rick and Joanne Weiler were sitting in the family room watching the Brewers game with Ben

and Matt, two visiting college students from Germany. A severe weather watch had been issued. Rick was flipping to the local channel to check for weather updates between innings.

“Ben and Matt didn’t really know what the weather alerts meant. We didn’t want them to worry so we down played it,” Joanne says. “I said, ‘Yeah, this happens a lot in the summer, but we never have issues here. Don’t worry. It will pass.’” But about five minutes later, Rick knew it was serious when the lead weather man was on with a live weather update. “We might be in for something here,” Rick said to the boys.

From watch to warningIt started to rain a little bit and Rick

got up to close the patio door. “Suddenly, just like a switch was turned on, it started coming down fast and the winds picked up. I got to the patio door in time to see one of our big pines crash down through our gazebo and take out part of our deck. It got a little intense,” Rick admits.

Meanwhile, Joanne had gone upstairs

to close windows. “As I was reaching out my hand toward the window sash,” she explains, “I heard glass breaking and I could smell pine pitch. In my mind I immediately thought, ‘There’s a tree in my house. We need to get to the basement.’” She didn’t even shut the windows. She just ran down the hall yelling, “Get to the basement, get to the basement.” Joanne and the two students took cover downstairs. Their personal safety was the priority.

A tree had crashed through the living room window, and while Joanne and the boys were in the basement, Rick went out to the garage to find a tarp to put over the broken window to keep the rain out. Like many severe storms, it moved through fast. “The damage was done in just a minute’s time,” says Rick.

After ten minutes in the basement, Joanne and their guests got the all clear. “Matt and Ben were wide eyed from the experience,” Joanne notes.

Because it was nighttime, the Weilers were not able to see the extent of the damage. They had lost power but did their best to clean up and mitigate the damage before calling it a night.

The day afterThe next morning, the Weilers inspected

their property and found the damage was more extensive than they thought. “The roof was damaged and covered with tree branches. A neighbor’s tree was struck by lightening and was shot about 30 yards. It landed on our roof. It was a mess,” Rick says. He called Member Benefits and talked with claims manager Bob Manor to report the incident. Bob sent an adjuster out promptly to inspect the damage and help the Weilers begin the repair process.

“The adjuster plays a crucial role in the claims process. Though independent, they represent our company, and we expect them to understand our mission and uphold our high standards for excellent customer service,” says Bob.

“The adjusters were very knowledgeable,” adds Rick. “They pointed out things that we might not have noticed.”

The major repair list included a new roof, repairs to the deck, siding, windows, and carpet cleaning. But, the first order of business was tree removal and cleaning up the area.

Rick was happy to hear that Member Benefits’ homeowners policy covers up to $1,500 for tree removal. They spent the better part of the day cleaning up as much as they could and let the tree service do the rest. “I was glad to have two strong young men like Ben and Matt on hand to help out. I don’t think they knew what they were in for,” Rick chuckles.

Surprises happen“Some things aren’t obvious right away,

even for the adjusters,” acknowledges Bob. “Sometimes there are surprises, but Member Benefits is there for the member until all the repairs are complete.” For example, the living room carpet needed to be replaced after the carpet cleaning service was unable to get out glass shards that were embedded in the thick carpet.

6 weabenefits.com

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Stay alert. Stay safe.{ WATCH

WARNINGvs.

What’s the difference?

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“The window just exploded from the pressure. There was glass everywhere,” Rick says. “They tell you to stay away from windows during a storm and I always took that with a grain of salt. But if someone would’ve been in that room when that tree came through the window, they could’ve been impaled by the glass very easily.”

Then, exactly two months later, the Weilers were winterizing their home and found their AC unit didn’t work. They hadn’t used it since the storm, and other than some scratches it didn’t appear to have any damage, but the AC service man found it had been struck by lightening. “Joanne was concerned that it wouldn’t be covered at this point, but when we called Member Benefits, Bob took care of it.”

It’s never fun dealing with storm damage and the hassle of repairs, but having an insurance company that stands by your side through the entire process can make it less painful. “Our claims process is very member-centric,” says Bob. “It’s one thing that sets us apart from other insurers.” The Member Benefits claims department earned 100% customer satisfaction eight of 12 months in 2013 and 98.9% claims customer satisfaction overall for the year.

Appreciation callRick and Joanne were extremely happy

with their claims experience and Rick called Bob after all was done to let him know how pleased they were. “When you get good service from someone, I think it’s important to tell them. We were treated really well and the service was very good,” says Rick. “I’d say incredible,” agrees Joanne. “I’ve shared our positive experience with people at work. We like the competitive rates and excellent service. They are always there to help. It’s good to know we can count on that.”

For more information, call:

1-800-279-4010

MEMBER PROFILEJoanne and Rick Weiler

Rick and Joanne Weiler live just outside of Wisconsin Rapids. Joanne has worked in the Technical College system for the past 26 years. Currently, she is working at Mid-State Technical College assisting students working toward their GED. She also taught for 11 years in K-12. Rick has worked in the paper industry for 36 years in the environmental area. “We are outdoorsy,” says Joanne. “We like hiking, fishing, boating, and skiing.” They have three children ages 28, 26, and 22. Their auto and home insurance has been with Member Benefits for over 20 years. “With three kids, there was a time when we had five cars on our policy,” says Rick. It’s family friendly insurance.” Joanne is also a participant in the WEA TSA Trust 403(b) retirement savings program.Property and casualty insurance programs are underwritten by WEA Property & Casualty Insurance Company. The terms and conditions of your coverage are exclusively controlled by your written policy. Please refer to your policy for details. The 403(b) retirement program is offered by the WEA TSA Trust. TSA program registered representatives are licensed through WEA Investment Services, Inc., member FINRA.

Severe weather can develop quickly. Advancements in forecasting allow predictions of severe weather to be made before there is even a cloud in the sky.

WATCH: A severe thunderstorm or tornado watch gives you advance notice that conditions are favorable for dangerous weather.

WARNING: A warning is issued when severe weather is about to strike in your area.

When your area is in a watch, stay alert for changing weather. A watch is not a warning. During a watch, there

will be information about what type of weather you might see and the chance of it actually occurring. Risk levels can range from a few storms with hail and high winds to a particularly dangerous situation when deadly tornadoes can occur.

Stay alert and understand your risk. Tune in to local news for updates.

Review your family emergency plan and check your emergency supply kit, so that if a warning is issued, you are prepared to take action immediately.

For help building a basic disaster supply kit or creating a plan to protect yourself and your family, go to www.ready.gov.

April is tornAdo AwAreness month.

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{ resources Budget sheet weabenefits.com/budget

Financial calculators weabenefits.com/calc

Mint.com8 weabenefits.com

Let’s Get Fi$cal!Financial Fitness Fair

Improve your financial health this summer by attending a free financial fitness fair sponsored by Member Benefits!

Seminars are free to attend; however, if you choose to invest in the WEA Tax Sheltered Annuity or WEAC IRA program, fees will apply. Consider all expenses before investing. Long-term care (LTC) insurance products are underwritten by multiple LTC insurers.

Attendees will be entered in a drawing to win a Kindle Fire or a $50 gift card.

It’s like a financial boot camp!

An open house format will allow you to attend sessions or visit with experts about employee benefits, retirement savings, personal insurance, and other finance related topics which may include: • Protecting yourself from identity theft.• The student loan forgiveness program.• Budgeting.• The role of long-term care insurance.

Pump up your WRS knowledge.

Utilize employee benefits to your advantage.

Learn to Build and protect your assets.

Strengthen your understanding of

retirement savings options.

Many locations to choose from Including: Appleton, Brookfield, Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Janesville, LaCrosse, Lodi, Madison, Marinette, Milwaukee,

Monticello, Racine, Random Lake, Reedsburg, River Falls, Sheboygan, Shell Lake, Wausau, Whitewater

More information at

weabenefits.com/getfiscal

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MEMBER PROFILE

patrick kubenyProfessional: Patrick has been a Business Education teacher at Rhinelander High School since 1993. He is nationally certified to teach financial literacy, and was a 2013 Recipient of the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award.

Family: Wife Katrina (teaches 4th grade in Elcho), daughter (16), son (12).

Retirement dream: “To simply have more time to be able to do the things I already love doing, but don’t do as often as I would like. I don’t have grand plans to travel the world or anything. I just want to spend more time with family and friends in the great outdoors; hunting, fishing, biking, snowmobiling, and sipping lemonade on the deck or pontoon boat.”

Favorite financial resources:

Capitate Your Kids—John Witcomb Make Your Kid a Millionaire—Kevin McKinley

“Affluenza”—A PBS special which explores the high social and environmental costs of materialism and overconsumption.

Member Benefits—A good resource for financial tools in and out of the classroom.

Wisconsin Educational Communications Board Web site, which Patrick helped create at ecb.org/finance.

MoneySKILL® —A reality based personal finance curriculum. “It’s the skeleton of my teaching units. I’d be lost without it and it’s free.”

National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy (NIFEL)—Offers courses each summer at Edgewood College to teach educators how to teach financial literacy more effectively to students.

Favorite financial trick: Knowing the importance of starting early, Patrick thought it would be great if he could set up an IRA for his children to maximize the compounding effect. It took some creative thinking, but he figured out a way to do it. To learn how, go to weabenefits.com/yourstory.

continued from page 5to be true. It’s (tax) FREE money,” he says. Since taxes are paid up front on the contributions you make to a Roth IRA, money you take out, including earnings, is tax-free.

“I encourage them to start saving early with a Roth IRA—as soon as they have a job—to get a head start on saving.”

Beyond the classroomWhat Patrick is teaching his students

has relevance outside the classroom as well. Regardless of your age, the issues are the same. If you don’t understand financial concepts and what they mean to your financial security, it’s difficult to make sound decisions and plan for your future.

Patrick doesn’t limit his advocacy to the classroom. He shares his knowledge with his friends and colleagues as well.

Though his financial acumen is the product of his passion for the topic, it was the veteran educators from his first days as a teacher who encouraged him to plan for his future. “I remember them telling me they wished they had started saving earlier. I appreciated and heeded the advice.” Now he’s passing these words of wisdom on and has become a resource for others.

“I have a little group that comes to me with financial questions or to bounce something off of me,” he says. Patrick is happy to help and quick to recommend educational resources, but increasing your financial literacy requires an investment of time and a desire to do so.

Self-investment required“People need to invest some time in

educating themselves. They spend more time investigating their next big screen TV than figuring out their retirement accounts. Some of that is fear—fear of what they don’t know or what they have or haven’t done,” says Patrick.

“As educators, our days are spent helping others, but we need to take time for ourselves. The benefits of financial education are enormous for you, your family, and your students.”

An often overlooked resource“As Wisconsin public school employees,

we are lucky to have a resource like Member Benefits.” Patrick has advocated to have Worksite Benefit Consultant Sharon Schmidt present financial seminars

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and hold personal consultations for staff. “What I love about Member Benefits is it operates like a not-for-profit, the fees are low and they are capped. That’s unheard of with other vendors motivated by profit,” he adds.

He learned the hard way about the impact of fees by going with a higher cost 403(b) early on. “As soon as I realized what Member Benefits had to offer, I switched. I try to let my fellow educators know about the option and why they’re different because I don’t want them to make the mistake I made.”

You can do itImproving your financial literacy and

your personal financial situation takes a level of commitment and an investment of time as Patrick suggests but it’s not difficult. April is financial literacy month

and the perfect time to get started. You can: • Attend free financial seminars. Find

offerings at weabenefits.com/seminars and see page 8 for details about our Financial Fitness Fairs this summer.

• Schedule a personal phone consultation by calling 1-800-279-4030 or go to weabenefits.com/consults.

• Find a mentor or be one. Chances are there’s a “Patrick” in your school.

• If you are an educator looking for information about how to incorporate financial concepts into your routine lesson plans, Patrick invites you to contact him at kubenpat@rhinelander.k12.wi.us or 715-365-9500, Ext. 8205.

1. DoughMain, February 17, 2012. 2. Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. 3. 2008 “Parents & Money” survey, Charles Schwab. 4. “Integrating Financial Education into School Curricula,” The Department of the Treasury. The Trustee Custodian for the WEAC IRA accounts is Verisight Trust Company. The 403(b) retirement program is offered by the WEA TSA Trust. TSA program registered representatives are licensed through WEA Investment Services, Inc., member FINRA.

weabenefits.com10

I don’t have enough savings to cover six months of expenses.

Setting aside at least six months worth of income is ideal, but even three months worth is reasonable. Don’t be caught short for the unexpected like a home or car repair, unemployment, or major medical expense.

I paid an overdraft fee in the last 12 months.

I take vacations on credit.

Paying for vacation on credit could make it more expensive than it’s worth. If you want to charge your trip for purchase protection reasons, save enough first so that you can pay off the balance before you’re charged any interest.

I have exceeded my credit limit on one or more credit cards.

I only make minimum payments on my credit cards.

Credit card debt is expensive. It is not tax deductible nor does it finance a potentially growing asset (like a house). Instead, it’s like sending money down a drain never to be seen again. Pay as much as you can beyond the minimum and avoid adding more to the account(s).

I have paid late fees more than once in the last year.

I spend more than 28% of gross income on housing.

Some lenders may allow their customers to borrow as much as 35% of their income, but historically, 28% has been the rate at which the average person can make their payments and still enjoy a reasonable standard of living.

I have bad credit or have been denied credit.

A low credit score signals to lenders that you’re in over your head. Even if you’re approved for new lines of credit or a home mortgage, your future interest rates will be much higher. A poor credit score can also affect your insurance rates.

I have used my savings to pay off debt.

I pay my bills with credit cards.

If you’re using credit cards to pay off basic bills like utilities, groceries, or worse, other credit cards, take action right away. You may need to reevaluate your spending habits, get an additional job, and/or seek help from a trusted advisor to make a plan. For credit counseling services, visit the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (www.nfcc.org) to find a member agency.

{ your kiosk

TEN SIGNS you may be living beyond your means

{ LOOKING FOR MORE FINANCIAL TIPS?Read our headlines and blogs at weabenefits.com.

If you find you’re coming up short financially every month, you may be living beyond your means. Recognizing some of the signs is a first step toward getting your cash under control. If you’ve experienced any of the scenarios below, it may be time to take a good look at your spending habits.

Living within your means may feel a bit restrictive but it’s wise. It may require you to make lifestyle adjustments, but the changes also free you from the burden brought on by financial woes. By taking control of your spending you can enjoy peace of mind and financial happiness. What steps have you taken to make sure that you live within your means?

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Understanding

The Wisconsin

Retirement System

(WRS)—Your State

Pension Plan

Presented by

Boyd Bender

Three easy-to-follow videos

Beef up your WRS knowledge with three-part video

s

NEW!

How much do you really know about the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)? In this three-part video, Boyd Bender, Field Services Assistant Manager and a former employee of the Department of Employee Trust Funds, shares his knowledge and provides answers to the most common questions public school employees ask about the state pension. He explains:

• How this important benefit fits into your overall financial plan now and at retirement. • The difference between the core and variable fund.• How dividends are determined.• The components of the formula benefit calculations.• How to read your WRS statement.• The seven different benefit payout options and more.

Other videos available at weabenefits.com include:• Kickstart your financial future by opening an IRA• Finances 101: Seven mistakes members make with their money

You can also find these videos at youtube.com/weabenefits.

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Attention automobile enthusiasts!

Custom car parts may not be covered on auto insurance policy Whether it’s high-end stereo

equipment, rear spoilers, a custom paint job, hub caps, or handicap customization, be aware that if it wasn’t installed by the manufacturer, it probably isn’t covered by your standard auto insurance policy.

This means that there will be no coverage for these items if they are stolen or damaged in an accident. Your standard policy will generally pay the costs for standard manufacturer parts but not the custom equipment. Because these add-ons can represent a big investment, you may want to consider adding coverage to your auto policy. This is especially true for conversion vans or handicap customizations that could represent a significant financial burden in the event of an accident.

If you have a policy with Member Benefits and own a pickup or van, your policy includes an additional $200 of coverage for custom equipment at no charge provided you have comprehensive or collision coverage. You can purchase additional coverage—from $1,000 to $30,000—for custom equipment (amounts over $30,000 with underwriters approval) to reduce the out-of-pocket costs you may incur should you experience a loss. Deductibles apply.

Questions? Call at 1-800-279-4010.Property and casualty insurance programs are underwritten by WEA Property & Casualty Insurance Company. The terms and conditions of your coverage are exclusively controlled by your written policy. Please refer to your policy for details. Certain policy exclusions and limitations may apply.

PRESORTED STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID

MADISON WI PERMIT NO 2750

PO Box 7893, Madison, WI 53707-7893

The Trustee Custodian for the WEAC IRA accounts is Verisight Trust Company.

Call an enrollment specialist at 1-800-279-4030 orvisit us at weabenefits.com to learn more about our IRA and set up a phone consultation at a time that’s convenient for you.

To watch a short animated video, scan this QR code.

5 reasons to choose us:• Low fees. One low annual administrative fee

with an annual fee cap.

• Created by and for Wisconsin public school employees.

• We operate as a trust which reinvests any profits back into programs that benefit participants.

• Free personal consultation to answer your questions and help you get started.

• 98% satisfaction rating by participants. Plus! Your family

members are eligible.

Kickstart your

financial future

Open an

you’re on your way.

NOWIRA and

?and

Got$25

5minutes

DON’T DELAY. START TODAY.

IT’S SUPER EASY.

KICKSTART your financial future.

Open an IRA with Member Benefits.