Learn about My Illinois Savings, a state-facilitated retirement savings program that makes it easy for Illinois workers to save for the future through payroll deductions and straightforward for employers to facilitate.
Mila, our family dog, passed away six months ago. It came soon after I last wrote about her. I thought I would share this news sooner, but Mila’s passing has been more difficult than I imagined. I was in the first grade when my friend’s dog bit me on the leg. I had a fear of dogs for a very long time, and it would be fair to say that I was not a dog person. When I met Erica, her dating profile didn’t quite say “Must Love Dogs,” but…
A friend recently asked if I ever had a job I didn’t like, because I seem to like all of those I have written about. I’ve shared stories about walking beans and detasseling corn, bagging groceries and stocking shelves at the IGA in Rantoul, teaching English in Taiwan, and my time as Champaign County Auditor. I learned something new at each one, and found some more fulfilling than others. Sometimes we work out of necessity. I needed to work a job as part of my financial aid package. I spent…
VIDEO WILL BE POSTED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CENTRAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES WEBSITE HERE SPANISH-LANGUAGE PRESS RELEASE AVAILABLE ON THE TREASURER’S WEBSITE HERE CHICAGO, IL — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced lower fees and technology improvements for employers and savers of the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program, which will take effect in June 2026. “A decade ago, too many Illinois workers didn’t have an easy way to save for retirement at work, so we set up a low-cost solution,” Frerichs said. “Now, workers have saved more than $300 million…
CHICAGO, IL — El Tesorero del Estado de Illinois, Michael Frerichs, anunció hoy una reducción en los costos y mejoras tecnológicas para los empleadores y ahorradores del Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program, que entrarán en vigencia en junio de 2026. “Hace una década, demasiados trabajadores en Illinois no tenían acceso a una forma sencilla de ahorrar para la jubilación en el trabajo, por lo que desarrollamos una solución de bajo costo”, dijo Frerichs. “Ahora, los trabajadores han ahorrado más de $300 millones gracias a nuestro programa de jubilación Secure Choice.…
CHICAGO – Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today urged state lawmakers to approve a bill that would allow parents who don’t use all the money in their Illinois 529 College Savings Accounts (Bright Start and Bright Directions) to roll over the funds into a Roth IRA. “One of the most common questions we get is what can you do with the Bright Start money you have saved if your child ends up not going to college, gets a scholarship, or you have leftover money,” Frerichs said. “This will give parents another…