There are many reasons for participating in the University's Retirement Plan including the fact that it is currently estimated that the Contributions you are making to Social Security will provide for only a small portion of the income you will need after you retire. The University's Retirement Plan is an excellent means of setting aside money you will need in the future.

Any employee on the regular payroll who is scheduled to work half-time or more (17.5 or more hours per week) and is at least age 24 may participate in the University's Basic Retirement Plan and make contributions which will be matched by the University. Any employee who is at least half time or more may participate in the Supplemental Retirement Plan.

of January 1, 2003 under IRS rules, you can generally contribute 100% of your Northwestern University salary up to $12,000, whichever is lower. Employees who have attained 15 years or more years of qualifying University service may make additional contributions above the limits specified in the table above if they failed to maximize their 403(b) contributions earlier in their employment.

Review Retirement Plan literature including the University's descriptive summary of the plan along with brochures and other materials published by TIAA-CREF and Fidelity Investments. Determine your retirement income goals - How much you feel you will need as income once you retire. Translate this figure to the amount you will need to contribute today in order to accumulate the necessary funds for the future.

First of all, I am note employed, so I don't know if there is such a thing like retirement for me, but if there is, I want to be a get-upper in Subway. What is this? You know, people fall asleep during the subway ride. I get them up when they need to get off. Especially at the Flushing-Main street stop, if you don't get off, you will be sent back to Times Sq. I am sure many people will appreciate my job.

You can direct contributions to two investment companies, TIAA-CREF and/or Fidelity Investments These two investment companies offer a full range of diversified aggressive to conservative investment funds. Voluntary (unmatched) or Supplemental contributions may be directed by employees enrolling in the plan for the first time to the Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA) contract offered by TIAA-CREF. Voluntary Contributions may also be directed to any Fidelity mutual fund.

The IRS takes the position that the money you contribute to the Retirement Plan is to be used as income after you retire. While the IRS encourages your participation by allowing you to make Contributions and receive associated earnings on a taxed-deferred basis, there are restrictions on when you may access accumulated funds.

Yes, (effective January 1, 1999) you may borrow against RA, GRA, GSRA and SRA and both Basic (matched) and Supplemental (unmatched) Fidelity Contributions.

Can we borrow money from our retirement plan?A. No. You're only allowed to withdraw your retirement funds when: 1) You retire from the University. 2) You separate from the University.

No. Employees enrolled in EPP will receive a letter each August stating that they will remain enrolled and must sign and return the letter only if they wish to STOP participation.

All regular full-time and part-time employees who are scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week are eligible to participate in the plan after one year of service and completion of at least 1,000 or more hours worked during the preceding year. Employees entering service within three months of participation in another qualified employer retirement plan may qualify for earlier participation if they are not currently receiving benefits from the other plan.

Any U.S. citizen or resident alien can open an account, as can trusts, corporations, and other organizations. You are not restricted by age, income, or state of residence.

Participation in the Retirement Plan requires the completion of the online enrollment process at hire and during Open Enrollment and afterward the submittal of a completed Retirement Plan Enrollment and Contribution Change Form as well the eatablishment of an investment company account which may be done online. Contributions will not commence until the enrollment process is completed.

The money you contribute to the Retirement Plan belongs to you and is immediately vested. When you leave the University, you take the amount you have accumulated with you. You will continue to earn interest and applicable dividends on such funds until you begin receiving annuity income at retirement or withdraw funds at an earlier date.

Yes! Although an MSA operates under many of the same rules that apply to traditional IRAs, it is not an IRA. In other words, an MSA is not a "retirement" plan--it is a "savings account" plan for medical expenses. Plus, unlike an IRA, there are no special income restrictions!

All State employees have to contribute to a retirement fund. Because UNM is an educational institution all employees are required by law to contribute to the Educational Retirement Board.