SDRS Outlook Retired Member Newsletter: March 2026


 

 

OUTLOOK Retired Member Newsletter
March 2026

2026 Legislative Wrap-Up

In keeping with SDRS’s ongoing commitment to support our members by continuously striving to improve plan administration and enhance clarity and flexibility, the Board of Trustees, with valuable input from the Retirement Laws Committees, authorized six legislative proposals for the 2026 Legislative Session at its December 2025 meeting. The proposals received unanimous approval from both legislative chambers and were signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden. The changes will take effect July 1, 2026.

Senate Bill 50 updates the statutory reference to the Internal Revenue Code to reflect current federal law, ensuring SDRS maintains its tax-qualified status and the associated tax benefits for members and employers.
Senate Bill 51 clarifies the grievance process for contesting SDRS determinations and extends the appeal window from 30 to 60 days to improve transparency and accommodate postal service delays.
Senate Bill 52 clarifies disability application deadlines and extends the termination window for SDRS disability benefits from 30 to 60 days, ensuring fair treatment and addressing postal service delays.
Senate Bill 53 extends member identity verification protocols to the SDRS refund process for inactive members’ accumulated contributions, ensuring consistent, secure standards across all member interactions.
Senate Bill 54 allows active members of the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) to begin receiving in-service distributions from the SDRS-SRP as early as age 59½, aligning state law with federal provisions and offering greater financial flexibility to employees nearing retirement. This bill will not affect the SDRS defined benefit plan.
Senate Bill 65 updates the SDRS Supplemental Retirement Plan (SRP) and Special Pay Plan (SPP) to allow a surviving spouse to delay required minimum distributions by using the deceased member’s age, aligning state provisions with recent federal changes. This bill will not affect the SDRS defined benefit plan.

Upcoming Board of Trustees Meetings

SDRS Board meetings are held at the SDRS Campus, 222 E Capitol Avenue, Pierre, SD, unless otherwise indicated. Meetings are livestreamed online at sd.net (audio only). Agendas and meeting materials are available on the SDRS website, sd.gov/sdrs.

How to Link Your MySDRS Account to mySD

MySDRS has been integrated with the mySD Citizen Portal. You must have a mySD account to link and access MySDRS. For more detailed instructions, please click here to view our "Linking Your MySDRS Account" instructions.

  1. On the SDRS homepage (sd.gov/sdrs), click on “Log in using mySD.”
  2. You will be redirected to the mySD Login page.
    • If you already have a mySD account: Enter your existing mySD account information to log in.
    • If you need to create a mySD account: Follow the instructions on your screen to create your mySD account.
  3. Once logged in to your mySD account, you should be redirected back to the SDRS homepage. Your mySD profile is located in the top right corner.
  4. Click on "Link MySDRS Account."
  5. To link your MySDRS account, you must have a verified mySD account.
    • If your mySD account is verified: It will be indicated on this page. Enter your Social Security Number and click "Submit."
    • If your mySD account is not verified: You must first verify your mySD account. Click the link on the "Link MySDRS Account" page to proceed with secure identity proofing using Socure. For this process, you will need a mobile phone with a working camera and a form of identification, such as your driver's license. Follow the instructions on your screen to verify your identity. Once you have successfully verified your identity, navigate back to the "Link MySDRS Account" page. The "Verified mySD Account" field should now indicate "Successfully Verified." Enter your Social Security Number and click "Submit."
  6. After clicking "Submit," you will see a message "Your account link has been successful. Please wait while we redirect you...". You will be automatically redirected back to the SDRS homepage.
  7. You should now see “MySDRS” in the navigation bar. Click the dropdown to access your information!
NOTE: mySD is maintained by the South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications (BIT). If you need help with your mySD account or with the mySD log-in process, click on the “Login Help” link on the mySD sign-in page.

Available MySDRS Menu Items:

For questions about linking your MySDRS account or the information presented on MySDRS, please contact the SDRS office at 605-773-3731.

Locate Your Documents on MySDRS

Did you know you can access your personal SDRS documents, like 1099 tax documents, retiree statements, and other notices, through your online MySDRS account? If you have an email on file with SDRS, you will receive an email notification when new documents are available through your MySDRS account.

On the "Documents" page, you will see your notices, statements, and tax documents. These documents are available for you to download to your computer or device and save/print at your convenience.

If you have questions about accessing your documents on MySDRS, contact the SDRS office at 605-773-3731.

South Dakota Retirement System
sd.gov/sdrs  |  605-773-3731