{"response":{"docs":[{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s2nd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, 2nd quarter, Apr.-June 2006","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2006-04/2006-06"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2006"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, 2nd quarter, Apr.-June 2006","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s2nd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s2nd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":"Peach State Reserves News \n2nd QUARTER, APRIL - JUNE 2006 \nQuarterly Account Statement \nEnclosed is your Quarterly Account Statement covering investment activity in Peach State Reserves  The Georgia Retirement Investment Plan. This statement is for the period of April 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. If you have any questions, contact Great-West between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-701-8255. Also enclosed is the Investment Options at a Glance, showing comparative performances of the investment options. \nFixed Income Option Quarterly Range of Return \nFor the current quarter ending September 30, 2006, the projected range of return for the Fixed Income Option is expected to be between 4.5% and 5.0% annualized until the end of the quarter. The return may be higher or lower. There is no guarantee that the fund will earn a yield within this range. The actual annualized rate of return for the Fixed Income Option for the quarter ending June 30, 2006 was 4.76%  \n \nWithdrawals Not Required After Separation from Service \nPrior to 2002, Section 457 plan participants who separated from service were required to make an election regarding the anticipated date of withdrawal. As of January 1, 2002, the law changed and this was and is no longer required. Although this information has been communicated in prior newsletters, we find that some people are still unaware of this. 401(k) and 457 plan participants may leave their assets in their Peach State Reserves account, with continued ability to manage their investments. Those whose account balances are less than $1,000 will, however, be required to withdraw their money from the plan after separation from service. \nThe Internal Revenue Service does require individuals who are age 70  and no longer working to begin withdrawing a Minimum Distribution each year. This requirement applies to all retirement savings plans, including 401(k), 457, 403(b) and Individual Retirement Accounts. For more information please visit the Peach State Reserves section of our website at ersga.org. \n \nHow Should You React to Market Uncertainty? \nIn recent weeks, the stock market has shown significant volatility and negative returns. It's natural to feel unsettled when this happens and forget about the positive returns over the long term. We shouldn't allow short-term fluctuations in the stock market to distract us from our long-term investment objectives. However, this short-term volatility can help to focus our attention on our investment strategy. Making sure our investments are in line with our objectives and risk tolerance is very important. Please consider some of the following questions and answers before you make any changes to your investment options. \n1. Should I transfer my funds to other investment options? \n Has your investment objective or desired rate of return changed?  Have your feelings changed regarding the risk you are willing to take with your investments?  Are your investments diversified to reduce the risk being taken?  How many years in the future before you need to start withdrawing this money? \nThe answers to these questions help determine whether your investment options still suit your needs. \n(continued on back) \n \n How Should You React to Market Uncertainty? \n \n(continued from front) \n2. Do the stock market statistics I hear on the news reflect how my investments are doing? \nThere are a number of market indices that can help you evaluate investment options that are invested in different types of stocks and/or bonds. The \"market\" that is quoted most frequently on the news is the Dow Jones Industrial Average. However, this index represents only 30 large company stocks and does not represent the entire stock market, which includes thousands of stocks. Another frequently referenced stock market index is the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation system (NASDAQ) composite index. This stock market lists over 6,000 stocks and is strongly influenced by the performance of the technology and biotechnology stocks that have been in the news over the last few years. The S \u0026 P 500 is another frequentlycited index, representing 500 stocks in the industrial, transportation, utility and financial economic sectors, with larger companies having a greater impact on overall performance statistics. It is a popular benchmark of overall United States stock market performance, although the statistical weighting towards large companies should be taken into account when examining performance. Depending upon the underlying stocks in your mutual funds' portfolios, some or all of the indexes may reflect investment performance. \n3. Is the stock market going back up soon? Predicting the market over the short-term is very difficult and can be risky if you are trying to time the market based on short-term predictions. Market timing is the act of moving your money in and out of investments based on the performance of the market. This can be a risky strategy because the market can move quickly up or down. Many financial experts agree that you are better off sticking with your investments in the long-term. The performance of your investments in the short-term may be volatile and unpredictable, but history has shown that the power of averaging returns over the long-term has overwhelmed short-term fluctuations. \n \n4. Is it a good time to buy when the stock market is down? \nIt's difficult to pick the best time to invest, especially when you don't want to miss out on any gains. How do you pick the very best time? It's impossible to consistently invest at the very best time. However, dollar cost averaging is a conservative strategy that invests the same amount of money into one or more investment options on a systematic basis (i.e., monthly, quarterly, etc.). By investing this way, your average cost per unit/share could be less because you buy more when the market goes down (lower share prices) and buy less when the market goes up. Dollar cost averaging automatically happens through payroll deduction each time you make a contribution to your account; however, dollar cost averaging cannot assure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. \n5. My friend is making changes to his/her account and I am wondering if I should do the same? \nMost participants do not have the same investment objective, risk tolerance or time horizon. Making changes to your account should be based on your own circum- \nstances. If your personal situation has changed, or if short-term market fluctuations bother you, you may wish to review your account with a financial counselor to be certain you are properly diversified. Diversifying your account across asset classes has historically helped smooth market fluctuations. \nWhile we can expect additional market fluctuations in the years ahead, any changes to your invest- \nment strategy should be based on sound principles rather than emotions of the moment. \n \nPeach State Reserves - Two Northside 75 - Atlanta, GA 30318-7778 www.ersga.org \n \n "},{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s1st-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, 1st quarter, Jan.-Mar. 2006","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2006-01/2006-03"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2006"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, 1st quarter, Jan.-Mar. 2006","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s1st-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s1st-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":"Peach State Reserves News \n1st QUARTER, JANUARY - MARCH 2006 \nQuarterly Account Statement \nEnclosed is your Quarterly Account Statement covering investment activity in Peach State Reserves  The Georgia Retirement Investment Plan. This statement is for the period of January 1, 2006 through March 31, 2006. If you have any questions, contact Great-West between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-701-8255. Also enclosed is the Investment Options at a Glance, showing comparative performances of the investment options. \nFixed Income Option Quarterly Range of Return \nFor the current quarter ending June 30, 2006, the projected range of return for the Fixed Income Option is expected to be between 4.5% and 5.5% annualized until the end of the quarter. The return may be higher or lower. There is no guarantee that the fund will earn a yield within this range. The actual annualized rate of return for the Fixed Income Option for the quarter ending March 31, 2006 was 4.78%  \n \nContribute As Much As You Can Now For A Financially Rewarding Retirement \nDeciding how much to invest towards your retirement is an individual decision based on your unique goals, resources and time frame. Remember, the earlier you start and the more you save and invest now, the bigger your retirement nest egg can be. Visit our website at www.ersga.org and access the Ballpark Estimate to easily calculate your retirement savings needs. \nYour contributions may not exceed the yearly maximum set by the IRS. You can enroll in both the 401(k) and 457 Plans, deferring the maximum amount to each plan. If you are age 50 or older and contribute the maximum amount allowable to the Plan, you may contribute an additional contribution up to the annual IRS limit. \nThe table below can help you determine how much to save each month to try to reach your savings goal. \n \nAnnual Salary \n \n2% \n \n$ 20,000 \n \n$ 33 \n \n$ 25,000 \n \n$ 42 \n \n$ 30,000 \n \n$ 50 \n \n$ 35,000 \n \n$ 58 \n \n$ 40,000 \n \n$ 67 \n \n$ 45,000 \n \n$ 75 \n \n$ 50,000 \n \n$ 83 \n \n5% $ 83 $ 104 $ 125 $ 146 $ 167 $ 188 $ 208 \n \n10% $ 167 $ 208 $ 250 $ 292 $ 333 $ 375 $ 417 \n \n15% $ 250 $ 313 $ 375 $ 438 $ 500 $ 563 $ 625 \n \n20% $ 333 $ 417 $ 500 $583 $ 667 $750 $833 \n \n25% $ 417 $ 521 $ 625 $ 729 $ 833 $ 938 $ 1,042 \n \n The ability to transfer (rollover) assets between retirement plans is one of the many new benefits that came about as a result of changes in tax law. Many retirement planners and financial organizations are actively encouraging participants to roll their Peach State Reserves assets to their company or plan. Perhaps you have received this type of solicitation. We believe that for many participants, staying in Peach State Reserves is the best course of action. However, we encourage you to make your own assessment by obtaining answers to many important questions and, if necessary, by verifying information with a third party who does not stand to benefit from your decision. Below are some questions you may want to ask. \nYou can also compare administrative costs and fees using a cost-comparison worksheet available on our website at www.ersga.org. Look in the Peach State Reserves News section to download or access the worksheets. \nWe appreciate your participation in Peach State Reserves and look forward to your continued progress toward your retirement savings goals. \nQuestions you may want to ask before transferring your assets: \n Will I be subject to a 10% penalty tax before age 59  if I take a withdrawal from the new plan? \n Will the prospective plan provider allow me to change my benefit payment option at any time without cost? \n \n Can I make transfers between the investment options? Is there a charge for such transfers? \n Does the prospective plan provider charge an annual maintenance fee? Are there hidden costs? \n Will I pay an asset-based fee to the prospective plan provider for the management of my account? Are there transaction costs? \n What are the operating expense ratios of the mutual funds I will be investing in? \nIf you are eligible to receive payments, there are many excellent reasons to maintain your Peach State Reserves account, including: \n Flexibility to change the timing and amount of your payments (at no cost).  Ability to consolidate other retirement plans into Peach State Reserves by rolling those assets into the plan.  No penalties for withdrawals prior to the age of 59  (457 Plan only).  Continued tax-deferred growth of your plan assets.  Ability to transfer assets among the core investment options, with no restrictions or trading fees.  No \"surrender\" charges if you decide to withdraw any or all of your assets from the Plan now or at a later date.  Availability of a Self-Directed Brokerage Option with access to thousands of mutual funds, as well as individual securities (currently $60 annual fee, trading fees may apply). \n \nSelf-Directed Brokerage Transition \nFor participants in the Self-Directed Brokerage (SDB), the transition from Harrisdirect to Ameritrade was completed on March 17th. Your statement reflects this transaction. If you have any questions regarding your new Ameritrade account, please contact Ameritrade directly at 1-866-766-4015. \nPeach State Reserves - Two Northside 75 - Atlanta, GA 30318-7778 www.ersga.org \n \n "},{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s3rd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, 3rd quarter, July-Sept. 2006","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2006-07/2006//09"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2006"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, 3rd quarter, July-Sept. 2006","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s3rd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2006-s3rd-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":null},{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-s4th-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, 4th quarter, Oct.-Dec. 2005","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2005-10/2005-12"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2005"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, 4th quarter, Oct.-Dec. 2005","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-s4th-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-s4th-bqtr-p-b-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":"Peach State Reserves News \n4th QUARTER, OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2005 \n \nQuarterly Account Statement \nEnclosed is your Quarterly Account Statement covering investment activity in Peach State Reserves  The Georgia Retirement Investment Plan. This statement is for the period of October 1, 2005 through December 31, 2005. If you have any questions, contact Great-West between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-701-8255. \nAlso enclosed is the Investment Options at a Glance, showing comparative performances of the investment options. \nFixed Income Option \nQuarterly Range of Return \nFor the current quarter ending March 31, 2006, the projected range of return for the Fixed Income Option is expected to be between 4.5% and 5% annualized until the end of the quarter. The return may be higher or lower. There is no guarantee that the fund will earn a yield within this range. \n \nSelf-Directed Brokerage Option Change \nAs many of you know, Peach State Reserves offers a Self-Directed Brokerage (SDB) option. An SDB account gives you an opportunity within your tax-deferred Section 457 or Section 401(k) Plan to invest in a much wider range of mutual funds and individual securities, in addition to the existing \"core\" investment options currently available through Peach State Reserves. The SDB is for knowledgeable investors who wish to invest in securities that are not part of the \"core\" investment choices offered by Peach State Reserves. Peach State Reserves currently offers the SDB through Great-West and their partnership with Harrisdirect. Harrisdirect was recently purchased by E*Trade, and E*Trade has made the decision not to continue the SDB. All retirement plans must transition out of the Harrisdirect SDB window by the end of March 2006. In response to this, Great-West is now partnering with Ameritrade to provide the SDB. Ameritrade has been providing brokerage services for 30 years and recently received a four-star rating in the 2005 Barron's Review of Online Brokers. Current SDB participants will receive direct notification with more specific information by mail within the next few weeks. Please check our website at www.ersga.org for the most current information. \n \nReceive Statements Electronically with Online File Cabinet If you're tired of keeping track of all of the Peach State Reserves quarterly statements you receive in the mail and would like a convenient and secure way to access your statements online, Online File Cabinet may be just the thing for you! You can read more information and sign up by accessing your account at www.ersga.org. Click on \"Accessing Your Account\" and log into your Peach State Reserves account. If you sign up, you will no longer receive paper quarterly statements by mail. You will be notified by email when your quarterly statement is available for viewing and printing. You can opt out of the Online File Cabinet and resume receiving paper statements at any time. Your email address will not be provided to anyone outside of Great-West and its partners or affiliates that help provide services related to your Peach State Reserves account. If you have any questions about Online File Cabinet, you can also contact Great-West directly at 1-800-701-8255. \n \n W R A P \nERS Offers a Workshop for Retirement Application Processing (WRAP) \nTo assist employees with the retirement process, ERS offers workshops at our Atlanta office for state employees who are getting ready to file their retirement application. Representatives from your ERS Pension Plan, Peach State Reserves 457 and 401(k), Community Health (state health insurance), and Merit System (flexible benefits) give an overview of retirement benefits in this three-hour workshop. Our staff will then guide you through the retirement application process and verify that all forms have been completed. The dates for the WRAP during the first six (6) months of 2006 are as follows: \nJanuary 9, 18, 30; February 7, 15, 27; March 9, 20, 30; April 4, 18, 27; May 9, 16, 25; June 6, 15, 28. The doors will open at 8:30 a.m. and the workshop starts promptly at 9:00 a.m. in our first floor seminar room and ends at approximately 12:00. Reservations are not required to attend and there are no fees. All ERS retirement forms will be provided. \nNOTE: Due to the large number of employees that attend these seminars, we are unable to calculate individual retirement benefits on the day of the workshop. Retirement estimates MUST be requested at least 45 calendar days prior to attending a WRAP session. Just call one of our Retirement Specialists in our Member Services Division (local: 404-350-6300 or toll-free: 800-805-4609) and ask for a retirement estimate with a projected retirement date or logon to www.ersga.org to use the calculator or download an estimate request form. \nTIPS for attending WRAP:  Bring a retirement estimate if you have one (estimates cannot be calculated on the day of the workshop). \nRemember you can obtain an estimate also on the ERS website  www.ersga.org.  If you are using forfeited leave towards your creditable service, please have some verification (i.e. check \nadvice or stub). ERS does not maintain those records.  Have legal name, address and birthdates of your beneficiaries.  Pension benefits are taxable. Check with your tax advisor prior to coming to WRAP. ERS counselors \ncannot advise on tax issues.  You will need a voided check for direct deposit of your pension benefits.  While a representative from the State Health Benefit Plan (SHBP) should be available at the WRAP session, \nall forms regarding health insurance must be obtained from and submitted directly to SHBP. Should you have any questions related to health insurance that are not addressed at WRAP, please contact the SHBP directly at 404-656-6322 or 800-610-1863 or www.dch.georgia.gov. \nPeach State Reserves Two Northside 75 \nAtlanta, GA 30318-7778 www.ersga.org \n \n "},{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s2-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, Fall 2005","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2005"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2005"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, Fall 2005","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s2-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s2-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":"Fall 2005 \n \nPeach State Reserves News \nVOLUME 1 , NUMBER 2 \n \nThe Fixed Income Option \n \nQuarterly Account Statement \n \nThe Fixed Income Option (FIO) is the most conservative investment option offered by PSR and is what is known as a \"Stable Value\" investment option. Its objective is to preserve the value of the money invested, while performing better than the average money market fund, and earning consistent, reliable returns. \nIn 2005, the administration of PSR was transferred to the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia (ERSGA). A thorough analysis determined that earnings could potentially be improved by making some fundamental changes to the underlying investments of the FIO, while at the same time reducing the overall risk of the portfolio. JPMorgan Asset Management (JPAM) was selected to manage the portfolio. To achieve the investment objectives, the FIO is invested in a conservative bond strategy, as well as a special kind of investment contract called a \"benefit responsive wrap\" issued by insurance companies and banks. The wrap helps stabilize the returns of the option, even when markets are volatile. The FIO has 3 wrap providers rated AA or AAA to further reduce risk. \n \nEnclosed is your Quarterly Account Statement covering investment activity in Peach State Reserves  The Georgia Retirement Investment Plan. This statement is for the period of July 1, 2005 through September 30, 2005. If you have any questions, contact GreatWest between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-701-8255. Also enclosed is the Investment Options at a Glance, showing comparative performances of the investment options. \nYear-End Small Account Payouts \nFor those participants with an account balance of $1,000 or less and for whom our records indicate that you have separated from service, PSR will liquidate those accounts on December 1, 2005. You should be receiving a distribution application soon, if you have not already. If you do not wish to have the account paid to you as taxable income, you must submit the distribution request no later than November 15 to roll the account over to another retirement plan such as an Individual Retirement Account. You can download an application from our website at ersga.org, or you can request the withdrawal on-line via your account access. If you do not know your Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access your account, please contact Great-West at 1-800-701-8255 to request a new one be issued to you. \n \nThe bond strategy consists of investment grade fixed income securities, primarily U.S. Treasury, Agency, corporate, mortgage-backed, asset-backed, commercial mortgage-backed securities, and privately placed mortgage debt. Had the FIO maintained its previous investment structure, the annualized return \n \nThe Fixed Income Option (cont) \nto participants for this current quarter would have been reduced to 4% or possibly lower. By changing the investment structure and investing in a conservative fixed income bond strategy, JPAM is estimating the annualized return will range between 4.5% and 5% this quarter. \n \n(cont. next column) \n \n Year End Reminders \n \nRetiring Soon? \n \nThe new plan contributions limits for 2006 will be as follows: \n 401(k) and 457 plan contribution maximums will increase to $15,000 for each plan. Therefore, those participating in both plans can contribute a maximum of $30,000. For those who are also eligible for a 403(b) plan, please be aware that the combined maximum for contributions to a 403(b) plan and a 401(k) plan is $15,000, but the combined maximum for contributions to a 403(b) plan and a 457 plan is $30,000. \n For participants who will be age 50 or older anytime in 2006, the maximums for each plan are $20,000. \n \nIf you are retiring, please note that you are not required to make any decisions regarding the distribution of your account immediately at retirement. You are able to postpone withdrawals up until you reach age 70 , at which time you must begin taking your annual minimum required distributions. Access our website at ersga.org to learn more about your PSR withdrawal options. To attend a retirement seminar to learn more about all your state benefit options at retirement, as well as wills and estates and Social Security, visit the Seminars section of the website to obtain times and locations and download a Registration form. \nRollovers Into Peach State Reserves \n \n For participants utilizing the Special 457 Catch-Up feature prior to retirement, the maximum contribution increases to $30,000 for the 457 plan. \nTo change your contribution amount, obtain a Participation Change Form from your personnel or payroll office for the appropriate plan and return the completed form to your personnel or payroll office. These changes are not effective until 2006, therefore any contribution changes to take advantage of the increased limits should be effective no earlier than the first pay period in January 2006. \nHave you contributed to the 401(k) plan and a 403(b) plan in 2005? If so, you must ensure that your contributions to both plans combined do not exceed $14,000 in 2005. \n \nPeach State Reserves has experienced a growing number of rollovers into the plan. To date, over 900 participants have transferred balances from other retirement accounts into their PSR account, totaling over $11,000,000. Participants are rolling into the plan because it offers a wide range of investment options with competitive fees. It's also easier to manage one account, rather than multiple accounts. \nFor help with transferring other retirement plans to PSR, including previous employer's 401(k) Plans and Individual Retirement Accounts (pre-tax assets only), contact a rollover specialist at 1-800331-7180, or, in Metro Atlanta, 404-651-6088. The application can be downloaded at ersga.org. Access \"Rollovers Into PSR.\" \n \nPeach State Reserves Two Northside 75 \nAtlanta, GA 30318-7778 www.ersga.org \n \n "},{"id":"dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s1-belec-p-btext","title":"Peach State Reserves news, Summer 2005","collection_id":"dlg_ggpd","collection_title":"Georgia Government Publications","dcterms_contributor":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia."],"dcterms_spatial":["United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018"],"dcterms_creator":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia"],"dc_date":["2005"],"dcterms_description":["Title from cover"],"dc_format":["application/pdf"],"dcterms_identifier":null,"dcterms_language":["eng"],"dcterms_publisher":["Atlanta, GA : Employees' Retirement System of Georgia, 2005"],"dc_relation":null,"dc_right":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dcterms_is_part_of":null,"dcterms_subject":["Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","Civil service--Pensions","Pensions--Georgia"],"dcterms_title":["Peach State Reserves news, Summer 2005","Peach state reserves"],"dcterms_type":["Text"],"dcterms_provenance":["University of Georgia. Map and Government Information Library"],"edm_is_shown_by":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s1-belec-p-btext"],"edm_is_shown_at":["https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:dlg_ggpd_i-ga-be400-b-pp1-bp4-b2005-b1-s1-belec-p-btext"],"dcterms_temporal":null,"dcterms_rights_holder":null,"dcterms_bibliographic_citation":null,"dlg_local_right":null,"dcterms_medium":["state government records"],"dcterms_extent":null,"dlg_subject_personal":null,"iiif_manifest_url_ss":null,"dcterms_subject_fast":null,"fulltext":"Summer 2005 \n \nPeach State Reserves News \nVOLUME I, NUMBER I \n \nWe Have Moved! As many of you know, during the 2005 Legislative session, House Bill 275 was passed which moved Peach State Reserves to the Employees' Retirement System (ERS) of Georgia. ERS currently administers retirement benefits for many of the state's defined benefit plans and the Georgia Defined Contribution Plan. As a part of that move, you'll see some changes in our communications, such as our new Quarterly Peach State Reserves Newsletter, but our commitment to outstanding service remains unchanged. \n \nQuarterly Account Statement Enclosed is your Quarterly Account Statement \ncovering investment activity in Peach State \nReserves-The Georgia Retirement Investment \nPlan. This statement is for the period of April 1, \n2005 through June 30, 2005. If you have any \nquestions, contact Great-West between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1-800-7018255. Also enclosed is the Investment Options at \na Glance, showing comparative performances of the investment options.  \n \nPlease bookmark our new website address at www.ersga.org. We welcome your feedback and look forward to making more improvements in the future.  \nA Message From Our New Executive Director \nMike Nehf joined ERS in January 2005 with nearly 20 years of pension administration with previous retirement systems in Chicago, Illinois. Mike sees the addition of Peach State Reserves allowing ERS to provide retirement planning and education of both the deferred compensation savings plans and the defined benefit plans together in an easy to understand and helpful process. He sees the opportunity to improve members' ability to plan for an affordable retirement with improved communications and financial planning tools. Mike also envisions ERS making a commitment to visit all departments and areas within the State to make ERS educational seminars more accessible to everyone. The result will be a more educated and financially secure State employee. Other noticeable improvements will include a greater selection of investment services and products available to participants. \"Our vision is to become a premier retirement system  a customer-centric system using leading edge technologies to serve our members, retirees and beneficiaries.\"  \n \nFixed Income Option Changes to Daily Valuation \nThe Plan's Investment Committee has selected JP Morgan to manage the Fixed Income Option (FIO). In conjunction with the change, the FIO will be priced daily beginning July 19th and will have an NAV (Net Asset Value), just like a mutual fund. The investment income will be reinvested daily and as a result the NAV is expected to increase daily reflecting the net yield of the fund for that day. \nAt the beginning of each quarter, the investment manager will project a range for the expected return of the FIO, which will be communicated to the participants. There is no guarantee that the fund will earn a yield within this range. The return may be higher or lower. For the current quarter ending September 30, 2005, the return will continue to be 4.55% until July 19th, when the projected range is expected to be between 4.25% and 4.75% until the end of the quarter. \nBased upon extensive analysis, it is anticipated that this change will increase the return otherwise earned by the FIO and improve the diversification of the investments in the fund.  \n \n Rebalancing one of the Keys to Successful Investing \nMost successful investors employ strategies to increase their chances for success. One of these strategies is maintaining balance in their portfolios. Balance simply means having the right mix of investments for your age, financial goals and risk tolerance. For example, a younger investor whose primary interest is growth may choose to invest heavily in stocks. Younger investors have the time to withstand the ups and downs of the stock market. By contrast an older investor, whose primary interest is preserving assets for short term needs, may choose to invest heavily in guaranteed fixed investments. However, once you have identified the right mix of investments and set up your portfolio, your work is not over. Portfolios must be periodically adjusted or rebalanced to achieve the desired objective. \nRebalancing is a concept that forces many people to adhere to the fundamental principle of buying low and selling high. Take for example an older investor who sets up a portfolio that is comprised of 50% fixed investments and 50% stock investments. A year later if there is a bull market and stock prices are going up rapidly, the value of stock in this portfolio could easily grow to 60%. If he does nothing, he no longer has a portfolio suitable for age, financial goals or risk tolerance. If he allows his emotions to take over and liquidates some of the fixed investments to invest in the stock market he could in fact be buying stocks when prices are high and selling fixed investment when their prices are low. This is just the opposite of what most financial experts recommend. Rebalancing helps you to avoid this mistake. It helps you stay on course to reach your goals. \n \noptions, they can simply go on-line at www.ersga.org or call 1-800-701-8255 to rebalance their portfolios or to set up an automatic rebalancer for future periods (six months or annually). \nRebalancing is one of the keys to being a successful investor. If you want to increase the likelihood of reaching your goal don' t overlook this important concept.  \nDeductions From Annual Leave Payout are Permissible \nIn last quarter's statement letter, we indicated that due to IRS interpretation, contributions to Peach State Reserves could not be deducted from Annual Leave checks that were paid after separation from service. After intense lobbying from employers, the IRS has changed their interpretation and will allow deductions from Annual Leave payouts as long as the payout is made within 2  months after separations from service. If you're interested in maximizing your tax savings, contact your personnel or payroll office to complete the form to change your deduction amount, or enroll in order to make the contribution.  \n \nPeach State Reserves makes it easy for employees to utilize this important strategy. Each of the three model portfolios is automatically rebalanced every quarter. For those participants who create their own portfolios by choosing individual investment \n \nPeach State Reserves Two Northside 75 \nAtlanta, GA 30318-7778 www.ersga.org \n \n "}],"pages":{"current_page":1,"next_page":null,"prev_page":null,"total_pages":1,"limit_value":10,"offset_value":0,"total_count":6,"first_page?":true,"last_page?":true},"facets":[{"name":"type_facet","items":[{"value":"Text","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":16,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"creator_facet","items":[{"value":"Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"subject_facet","items":[{"value":"Civil service--Pensions","hits":6},{"value":"Employees' Retirement System of Georgia","hits":6},{"value":"Pensions--Georgia","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"location_facet","items":[{"value":"United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"year_facet","items":[{"value":"2005","hits":3},{"value":"2006","hits":3}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":100,"offset":0,"prefix":null},"min":"2005","max":"2006","count":6,"missing":0},{"name":"medium_facet","items":[{"value":"state government records","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"fulltext_present_b","items":[{"value":"true","hits":5},{"value":"false","hits":1}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":100,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"rights_facet","items":[{"value":"http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"collection_titles_sms","items":[{"value":"Georgia Government Publications","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"serial_titles_sms","items":[{"value":"Peach state reserves","hits":6},{"value":"Peach state reserves news / Employees' retirement system of Georgia.","hits":6}],"options":{"sort":"count","limit":11,"offset":0,"prefix":null}},{"name":"provenance_facet","items":[{"value":"University of Georgia. 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