Retirement Ready events help faculty, staff develop plan

There’s a lot to plan for and consider before retirement. In an effort to help prepare University of Colorado faculty and staff members who are within five years of retirement, Employee Services will host Retirement Ready on CU campuses from Oct. 26 to Nov. 6.

Retirement Ready presents a comprehensive overview of the ins and outs of retiring with PERA or CU 401(a) retirement plans, Medicare, Social Security and income options after retirement.

Between talks, employees can fuel up with refreshments and stop by the Vendor Fair to speak with representatives from each presentation, get their questions answered, pick up informational material and set up appointments with TIAA.

“If you are thinking about retiring within the next five years, I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available at Retirement Ready,” said Sharon Bishop, assistant vice president of benefits and payroll in Employee Services. “You have worked hard for your retirement. Let these knowledgeable professionals help you navigate through the details.”

Running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., events will be held Oct. 26 at CU Anschutz, Oct. 29 at UCCS, Oct. 30 at CU system administration, Nov. 5 at CU Boulder and Nov. 6 at CU Denver. Participants can customize their talk schedules when they register. Spouses and partners are welcome to attend.

Presentations

• CU's Process for Retiring: 401(a) Participants: This talk for CU 401(a) participants explains university retiree benefit options and the process behind becoming a university retiree. Topics include eligibility requirements, the process of retiring with CU and available benefit options.
• CU’s Process for Retiring: PERA Participants:  This presentation will teach PERA participants about university retiree benefit options and the process behind becoming a university retiree. The talk covers topics such as eligibility requirements, the process of retiring with CU and available benefit options.
• Paying Yourself: Income Options in Retirement: It’s almost time to turn retirement savings into a regular monthly income. Learn about basic rules that govern the most common retirement accounts, when to tap into different assets and flexible income choices offered by TIAA.
• Preparing for Retirement from PERA: This session provides valuable planning information to help PERA participants meet retirement goals. Topics include monthly and lump-sum benefit options, annual increases, tax implications and more.
• PERACare: Learn about the PERACare Health Benefits Program, including eligibility, pre-Medicare and Medicare plan choices, prescription benefits and other subjects.
• Medicare 101: This presentation covers the four basic parts of Medicare: hospital insurance, medical insurance, Medicare Advantage plans and prescription drug plans. Experts will detail how Medicare works with other insurances and provide helpful informational resources.
• Social Security: Social Security is a large part of retiring – one that often leaves people confused. This interactive lecture provides clarity on Social Security retirement benefits, pre-retirement planning and more.

Registration is open: Visit the Retirement Ready website to view full event information and register.