Retirement Services Department Provides Recommendations for a Smoother Retirement Process

May 10, 2018

As we are sure you recognize, transitioning from an active worker to a retiree is a tremendously important, life-changing process. When you decide to retire, it is the job of the Fund Office, and more specifically our Retirement Services Department, to ensure that your transition is smooth, successful, and as stress free as possible. We want to provide you with the best service possible and ensure optimum results as you move toward the next phase of your life. For this reason, we recently made some changes to our retirement planning process. We have detailed these changes below and have also provided some recommendations as to how you can maximize the effectiveness of this new process.    

Effective May 1, 2018, the Retirement Services Department implemented a process in which there is now an option for members to make appointments if they have requests for specific Pension Analysts to handle their transition to retirement. This process was implemented to better service the membership. By allowing for the scheduling of appointments with specific Pension Analysts, the Analysts will know in advance whom they are meeting with and when the meetings are taking place. As a result, the Analysts will then be able to collect information and prepare data specific to members prior to these meetings. This preparation will lead to quicker overall service and a better experience. If you are planning to retire, we strongly recommend that you make an appointment prior to meeting with a Pension Analyst.

Appointments with selective Pension Analysts are available Monday-Thursday from 9:30AM-4:00PM, and on Friday from 8:00AM-3:00PM. These appointments can be made by calling the Member Services Department at (800) 529-FUND (3863). If you would like to schedule an appointment with a specific Pension Analyst in mind, please give the Pension Analyst’s name to the Member Services Representative with whom you are speaking. You will then be provided available meeting times from which to choose by our helpful staff. After a meeting time is established, you will then receive a call from the requested Pension Analyst. The Pension Analyst will ask you questions about your retirement, which will assist in preparing for the upcoming in-person meeting.     

*Note: Members who visit the office in person as a walk-in, but do not schedule an appointment prior, will be accommodated as well. You will not have the option of choosing a specific Pension Analyst. Instead, you will be afforded a meeting with whichever Analyst is available at that time. Additionally, a lack of lead-in preparation may result in a longer, more difficult process. Again, we urge members to make an appointment prior to any in-person meetings to provide the most productive and effective outcome.