Fund Your Future with DRS
Washington State Department of Retirement Systems
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Ep 88 - Meet Director Leathers
Last year, Governor Ferguson appointed Kathryn Leathers as director of the Department of Retirement Systems. Now that she’s settled into the role, we talk with her about the experience so far.…
Ep 87 - Retiring school employees: moving from SEBB to PEBB
As a school district employee in Washington, you have several choices when it comes to health care in retirement. One option is to enroll in PEBB, the Public Employees Benefit Board. You should apply…
Ep 86 - High income, higher Medicare premiums
Medicare is meant to make health care more affordable in retirement, but if your income is higher, you might pay more than expected. Some retirees are surprised to learn about Medicare surcharges…
Ep 85 - Retirement mindset: Malia
Growing up, Malia often heard a simple message about money: Don’t spend it. Over time, she’s come to see just how much more nuanced financial decisions can be. Now the DRS Defined Contribution Plan…
Ep 84 - Free preventative care for PEBB and SEBB members
Taking care of your health might be one of the smartest financial moves you can make. In this episode, we talk with Heather from the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) about preventive…
Ep 83 - Estate planning with your adult children
As you get older, it’s important your adult children understand your finances, so they’re not left guessing if something happens. DRS team member Adam recently had this conversation and shares…
Ep 82 - Retirement mindset: Seth
Sometimes, confidence in your future can bring peace of mind in the present. That’s been Seth’s philosophy when it comes to saving for retirement. After starting early with a Roth IRA and planning to…
Ep 81 - Retirement mindset: Jenny
In this special episode, the mic gets turned around. Jenny steps down from the host chair as co-worker Christine interviews her about how the conversations she’s had on the show have shaped her own…
Ep 80 - The Kevin Bacon rule of retirement
Your retirement health may depend on your social life. In this episode, we unpack the Kevin Bacon Rule of Retirement: why staying connected after you leave the workforce could be one of your most…
Ep 79 - Protecting your DRS account with online security
Thousands of DRS customers log in every day to manage their retirement, so keeping those accounts secure matters. We’re joined by Michael from our Contact Center to walk through recent online…
Ep 78 - Boost your savings in 2026: New DCP contribution limits
Want to save more for retirement in 2026? In this episode, we break down the new Deferred Compensation Program (DCP) limits: $24,500 annually, or $32,500 if you’re age 50+ and even more if you’re…
Ep 77 - The school champion for better retirement planning
What if one conversation could change your financial future? We talk with Anthony, a Yakima School District leader whose passion for retirement education stems from his family history and years in…
Ep 76 - Sorting out contribution rate changes
Every two years, contribution rates for Washington’s retirement plans change and that can raise questions. When a relative asked Amber why employer rates went down, she realized it’s just as…
Ep 75 - RMDs explained: what to expect when you turn 73
If you have a DCP or Plan 3 investment account, you're required by the IRS to withdraw a minimum distribution (RMD) from your pretax balance when you reach age 73. We take a look at how the amount…
Ep 74 - DCP conversions: pretax to Roth
There are a lot of reasons people choose to convert money within their DCP account from pretax to Roth option. We discuss the process of how this is done as well as the pros and cons, including…
Ep 73 - Book review: "The Simple Path to Wealth" by JL Collins
Sometimes people get overwhelmed trying to find the “right” financial advice. But for a simple and effective method, look no further than "The Simple Path to Wealth" by JL Collins. His three core…
Ep 72 - LEOFF Plan 1: How a pension turned into an endowment
Washington state has some of the strongest-funded pensions in the nation. In this episode, we sit down with Washington State Actuary, Matt Smith, to unpack why the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire…
Ep 71 - Rethinking early retirement: downshifting, not disappearing
What does it really mean to retire early? Is it about leaving work behind completely, or is it more about creating flexibility, freedom, and balance sooner rather than later? We’re joined by…
Ep 70 - How to plan for a micro-retirement
The term micro-retirement is becoming popular with people of all ages. The idea involves stepping away from the workforce for an extended period to pursue passions, travel, recharge, or learn new…
Ep 69 - What is a record keeper?
If you’ve ever seen the name Voya Financial with your DCP or Plan 3 account and wondered what they do, this episode is for you. We look at the role of a record keeper: helping process transactions,…
Frequently Asked Questions
Fund Your Future with DRS has published 88 episodes since September 2022, covering topics in Business, Education.
Fund Your Future with DRS is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 19m.
