Wrong Retirement System Paid Corrections

Owned by Lori Miller
Last updated: Feb 02, 2024 by Lori Nye
4 min read

The examples below are refunded using 'Processing/Payroll Item Refund'

SERS was Withheld and Should Have Been STRS

The SERS refund will need to be processed separately if the employee is not being paid on a SERS position. 

The example below is SERS was paid into and it should have been STRS--

  • Go to Payroll Items and create a STRS 450/591 and/or (691 if employee has pickup) for the employee.

  • Enter Error Adjustments amount on the STRS 450/591 and/or 691 for contributions missed.

  • Add negative error adjustment amount on the SERS 590 record.

  • Adjust STRS Retirement Days from Core, Adjustments

  • A Refund of the SERS Payroll Item will need be processed following these steps:

    • Go to Processing, Payroll Item Refund where you will find the SERS 590 refund record. You can process this refund either before posting payroll or after a payroll. Either option is fine.

    • Mark the box on the left next to the refund amount and then click on Refund Selected Payroll Items.

    • You can either create a physical check for the refund or you can select to create an ACH electronic Payment which will contain only this payment.

    • Make sure you select the correct pay plan so that taxes are applied correctly. The net amount paid may be less because of tax withheld since it was a pre-tax withholding originally. Any tax amounts withheld will automatically show up in Outstanding Payables along with the negative adjustment amount for SERS. 

  • When you run the SERS Per Pay Report, it will show the negative adjustment with earnings code of 51.

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    • For submission, make sure to select the box for “Generate Submission File for Adjustments Only?” to create a separate adjustment file for eSERS

  • The SERS employer (400/690) refund amount(s) will need to be processed on the USAS side.

  • Prior to posting payroll, view the Pay Report and verify it looks correct before posting payroll.

  • After payroll is posted, the STRS Per Pay Report will show the full withholding amount which includes the error adjustment amount. 

After the refund, payroll processing and STRS Per Pay and SERS Adjustment file are created:

  • Go to Core/Adjustments and make the following updates:

    • Adjust the total and applicable gross on the 450/591/691 records by adding amounts missed from previous payroll.

    • Adjust the total and applicable gross on the 400/590/690 records by adding negative amounts to reduce the figures on the Payroll Items to zero (paying close attention to the *TD fields)  

    • Adjust the 'Board's Amount of Payroll Item' 400 by the amount refunded (paying close attention to the *TD fields)

  • For any issues that cannot be resolved using these instructions contact SERS or STRS.



STRS was Withheld and Should Have Been SERS 

The STRS refund will need to be processed separately if the employee is not being paid on a STRS position. 

The example below is STRS was paid into and it should have been SERS--

  • Go to Payroll Items and create a SERS 400/590 and (690 if employee has pickup) for the employee.

  • Enter Error Adjustments amount on the SERS 400/590/or 690 for contributions missed.

  • Add negative error adjustment amount on the STRS 591 record.

  • Adjust SERS Retirement Days from Core, Adjustments

  • A Refund of the STRS Payroll Item will need be processed following these steps:

    • Go to Processing, Payroll Item Refund where you will find the SERS 591 refund record. You can process this refund either before posting payroll or after a payroll. Either option is fine.

    • Mark the box on the left next to the refund amount and then click on Refund Selected Payroll Items.

    • You can either create a physical check for the refund or you can select to create an ACH electronic Payment which will contain only this payment.

    • Make sure you select the correct pay plan so that taxes are applied correctly. The net amount paid may be less because of tax withheld since it was a pre-tax withholding originally. Any tax amounts withheld will automatically show up in Outstanding Payables along with the negative adjustment amount for STRS. 

  • When you run the SERS Per Pay Report, it will show the adjustments with earnings code of 51.

  •  

    • For submission, make sure to select the box for “Generate Submission File for Adjustments Only?” to create a separate adjustment file for eSERS

  • The STRS employer (450/691) refund amount(s) will need to be processed on the USAS side.

  • Prior to posting payroll, view the Pay Report and verify it looks correct before posting payroll.

  • After payroll is posted, the SERS Per Pay Report will show the full withholding amount which includes the error adjustment amount. 

After the refund, payroll processing and SERS Per Pay and STRS Adjustment file are created:

  • Go to Core/Adjustments and make the following updates:

    • Adjust the total and applicable gross on the 400/590 and/or 690 records by adding amounts missed from previous payroll.

    • Adjust the total and applicable gross on the 450 (amount refunded/14%) 591 (amount refunded/14%) and/or 691 (calculate pickup gross) records by adding negative amounts to reduce the figures on the Payroll Items to zero (paying close attention to the *TD fields)

    • Adjust the 'Board's Amount of Payroll Item' 450 by the amount refunded (paying close attention to the *TD fields)

  • For any issues that cannot be resolved using these instructions contact SERS or STRS.

STRS Pickup was Withheld and Should Have Been SERS Pickup 

  • Go to the Position record and change the Appointment Type to Classified and the Retirement Code to SERS.

  • Go to Payroll Items and create the correct retirement Payroll Items - 400 and 690.

  • Create positive Error Adjustments on the SERS 400 and 690 Payroll Items for the missed board amounts.

  • Go to Core>Adjustments and create adjustments for SERS Days and SERS Hours fort the missed payroll.

  • Process payroll.

  • Generate the SERS Per Pay Report. The employee will be listed with the adjustments with earnings code of 51.

  • Generate the submission file by clicking Generate Submission File option.

  • Generate the adjustments file by clicking the Generate Adjustment Only Submission File option.

  • Adjustments will need to be made on the USAS side for the STRS employer amounts (450/691) withheld on the original payment.

  • Go to Core>Adjustments and create adjustments for the following:

    • The Total Gross and Applicable Gross on the 400 and 690 records as positives for the amounts missed from previous payroll.

    • The Total Gross and Applicable Gross on the 450 and 691 as negatives for the amounts paid on the previous payroll.

    • The Board's Amount of Payroll Item on the 450 as a negative for the amount withheld on the previous payroll.

    • The Board’s Pickup of Payroll Item on the 691 as a negative for the amount withheld on the previous payroll.

  • File the necessary corrections with STRS.