Announcements
New Laws Affect VRS
See the Legislative Summaryfor an overview of new laws enacted by the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session that affect VRS benefits.
J. Clifford Foster IV Joins VRS Board of Trustees
Gov. Glenn Youngkin recently appointed J. Clifford Foster IV to the VRS Board of Trustees. Foster is a manager with Raymond James & Associates in Richmond and has more than 30 years of experience in financial services. Foster succeeds Michael Disharoon, whose term expired in February.
Join an Upcoming Member Webinar
One-on-one counseling sessions are also available in-person and virtually. Visit the Education page to explore appointment options, live webinars and more.
Hybrid Plan Members: Increase Voluntary Contributions
You can grow your retirement savings faster by making voluntary contributions under the Hybrid Retirement Plan. When you maximize your potential savings, you benefit from an employer match.
Keep in mind that there are two components to the hybrid plan: defined benefit (pension) and defined contribution (401(k) style). Both you and your employer make mandatory contributions to each component while you work. You may also make voluntary contributions, up to an additional 4% of your salary, to the defined contribution component. Your employer will match a portion of your voluntary contribution up to an additional 2.5%.
By making voluntary contributions throughout your career, you can increase your retirement nest egg and benefit from compound interest. This means earning interest on both your initial contributions and the interest that accumulates over time. Don’t leave money on the table!
Increase your voluntary contributions in your DCP Account. Changes to your contribution amount can now be made on a monthly basis instead of the previous quarterly schedule.
Wondering how increasing the amount of your voluntary contributions could affect your paycheck? Use the Paycheck Calculator to find out. Choose SmartStep in your DCP Account to start small and set gradual annual increases to your voluntary contributions until you reach the 4% maximum.
Claim Your Accounts
VRS is committed to keeping your information secure. You can help add even more protection by registering your online myVRS account and your defined contribution account(s), if eligible, through Voya Financial.
How to register for myVRS (your retirement pension account):
- If you were hired within the last 90 days, go to Step 2. If it has been more than 90 days since you were hired, VRS has locked your account for your protection. To establish your online account, call VRS at 888-827-3847 for assistance.
- Visit the VRS website.
- Click the myVRS icon at the top right corner of the homepage.
- Choose the Register Now button.
- Answer a series of questions to confirm your identity.
- Choose a username and passphrase.
How to register defined contribution accounts (i.e., your Commonwealth of Virginia 457 Deferred Compensation Plan or Hybrid Retirement Plan Defined Contribution account):
- Go to DCP Account.
- Select Register Now and provide identity information.
- Choose your username and passphrase.
As a security best practice, log in to each at least every 90 days to check your account activity and change your passphrase.
Don’t Delay, Update Your Beneficiaries
Keeping your beneficiary information current will ensure your wishes are respected in the event of your death. Check your online accounts to see if your designations are up to date, especially if you’ve recently experienced major life changes such as marriage, divorce or the loss of a loved one.
You can update beneficiary information for your VRS member contribution account and group life insurance in myVRS. If you are a Hybrid Retirement Plan member or participate in another savings plan, such as the Commonwealth of Virginia 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, you also need to name beneficiaries for your defined contribution plans through your DCP Account.
Read Naming a Beneficiary for details.
