I Submitted My Application Three Months In Advance Why Didnt I Receive My Benefits My First Month As A Retiree
It will depend on the retirement date you selected. Its recommended to submit your retirement application three to four months prior to your retirement date. However, keep in mind that even if you submit your application this far in advance, we pay in arrears. This means if you retire on November 1, you wont receive Novembers retirement check until December 1.
If youve submitted your retirement application less than three to four months in advance, your first payment can be expected approximately 30-45 days from the retirement date or application received date, whichever is later. Around two weeks after your application has been processed, well send you a First Payment Acknowledgement letter, which includes the date youll receive your first retirement check, the amount you can expect to receive, and income tax information.
Keep Your Nutrition In Mind
Our nutritional needs change as our bodies change. As we age, healthy eating can make a difference in our health, help to improve how we feel, and encourage a sense of well-being. Learn how much to eat from all five food groups and find out how many calories you need each day to help you maintain energy using the MyPlate Plan.
Find Joy In Your Relationships And In What You Do Everyday
Adjusting from a packed schedule to an open one can be challenging. Try creating a flexible schedule by penciling in activities you enjoy. Or, add activities you didnt get a chance to do while being busy at work. For example, rekindle your love for gardening, reading, or exercising, just to name a few. Read 131 Retirees Share What Brings Them Joy in Retirement for inspiration.
Try to build, maintain, and nurture relationships with friends and family. Connecting with loved ones will help your overall health and happiness. Schedule weekly calls with friends, plan to visit relatives you havent seen in a while, or join a social club with like-minded people. Staying socially active will help you feel happy and fulfilled after retirement.
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After You Submit Your Application
We’ll send you an acknowledgment letter after we receive your retirement application. We may also contact you if we have questions or need additional information.
Approximately two weeks before your first retirement warrant, weâll mail you a First Payment Acknowledgment Letter that provides important information about your service retirement, including the date and amount of your first retirement check.
You may sign up to receive your retirement checks through direct deposit at the same time you submit your retirement application. To set up direct deposit online, log in to myCalPERS. Go to the Retirement tab and select Payment Options. Alternatively, you can complete and mail the Direct Deposit Authorization to:
CalPERS Benefit Services Division
Retiree Plans & Rates
Visit your health plan’s website to learn how benefits, claims, and payment of claims are covered, as well as the service limitations and exclusions that may apply. You can also log in to myCalPERS to use the Search Health Plans tool to research the health plan coverage and benefits most important to you and your family.
Some health plans are available only in certain counties and/or ZIP Codes. Contact the health plan before enrolling to make sure they cover your ZIP Codes and that their provider network is accepting new patients in your area. You may also use our online service, the Health Plan Search by ZIP Code.
Open Enrollment is an annual process that occurs in the fall. During this time, you can enroll, change health plans, add eligible dependents, delete dependents, or cancel coverage.
Are you an active member? View Active Member Plans & Rates customized just for you.
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Your Social Security Benefit Will Be Smaller
If youre eligible for Social Security, every year you retire before the full retirement age you will receive a reduced benefit. For example, if you were born in 1960 or after, your full retirement age is 67. Lets say you plan to retire at 62, which is the minimum age to claim retirement benefits under Social Security. This means your monthly benefit would be reduced by 30%. If you were to wait until age 65, it drops down to a 13.33% reduction. Make sure to calculate the differences in benefit amounts so youre aware of what the best option is for you.
Fast Facts About Calpers Health Benefits
Today, we are sharing the third post in a series of Fast Facts for CalPERS members.
CalPERS releases the annual Facts at a Glance reports at the end of each fiscal year to provide members, stakeholders, and the public with a wide range of data and information about the state of the system.
Here are some important facts about our health benefits program:
Learn more about CalPERS health benefits by reading Facts at a Glance on Health Benefits and our Health Benefits Program Annual Report . You can also read our Facts at a Glance on Pension & Retirement , Investment & Pension Funding , and About CalPERS .
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Transitioning To A Medicare Health Plan
When you retire, become Medicare eligible, and enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B, you’ll have the option to choose a new Medicare health plan. If you do not choose one, CalPERS will enroll you in a CalPERS Medicare health plan.
| If… | |
|---|---|
| Your current health carrier offers a CalPERS-sponsored Medicare health plan | CalPERS will enroll you in your current health carrier’s Medicare health plan |
| Your current health carrier does not offer a CalPERS-sponsored Medicare health plan | CalPERS will enroll you in the UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage PPO Plan. |
Disability & Industrial Disability Retirement
If you have a disabling injury or illness that prevents you from performing your usual job duties with your current employer, you may be eligible for disability or industrial disability retirement. If your disability or industrial disability retirement is approved, you’ll receive a monthly retirement payment for the rest of your life or until you recover from your injury or illness.
| An injury or illness that doesn’t need to be job related | A job-related illness or injury | |
| Age Requirement | None | |
| Vesting Requirement |
Generally, you must have at least five years of service credit to be eligible. members must have 10 years. Some exceptions apply to the service requirement. Contact us to see if you qualify. |
None |
If you’re a patrol member in Bargaining Unit 5 of the Department of California Highway Patrol, you may be eligible for an enhanced industrial disability retirement benefit. You must have sustained a serious bodily injury as the result of a single event and must be unable to participate in substantial gainful employment.
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How Does Social Security Impact My Benefit Calculation
If your employer withheld Social Security taxes from your paycheck, you may be subject to a one-time Social Security offset. This means well reduce your final compensation by $133.33 before your retirement benefit is calculated. This is a one-time reduction and is done before your monthly pension is calculated. The reduction is not applied as a monthly reduction to your pension. For example, if your final compensation is $3,133.33, we would use $3,000.00 in your retirement calculation.
You can find more details and resources on our Social Security & Your CalPERS Pension webpage.
Many Retirees Receive Calpers Benefits After Leaving California
Thousands of CalPERS recipients leave California after retiring but still receive pension and retiree health care benefits from the state, the Sacramento Bee‘s “The State Worker” reports.
About 15% of the 561,000 CalPERS recipients spend retirement out-of-state, according to “The State Worker.”
In 2013, CalPERS paid $2.16 billion in benefits to about 81,000 pensioners who lived somewhere other than California. In comparison, about $14.4 billion in benefits were paid to in-state pensioners that year.
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A Guide To Changing Your Health Coverage
If you’re a retiree who needs to make a change to your health coverage during Open Enrollment, follow these instructions to make changes online.
Medicare Part B Premiums
State and California State University retirees and their dependents enrolled in a CalPERS Medicare health plan may be eligible for a reimbursement of all or part of their Medicare Part B premium .
Pursuant to the Public Employees Medical and Hospital Care Act section 22879, the following bargaining units with a first state hired date are not eligible for Part B premium reimbursement:
| Civil Service Bargaining Unit |
|---|
| 9, 10, and related employees |
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, related employees and the Judicial Branch |
| 5 and related employees |
If you or your dependents are eligible for Medicare Part B reimbursement, well automatically reimburse the eligible amount of the standard Medicare Part B premium, beginning the date of your enrollment into a CalPERS Medicare Health Plan. Your reimbursement will be listed on your warrant as Medicare Reimbursement.
If you receive SSA benefits, the Part B premium will be deducted from your SSA benefits otherwise, the SSA will bill you quarterly.
Each year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announces the Medicare Part B premium amount. CalPERS sets the standard Medicare Part B premium reimbursement amount on January 1 based on the amount determined by the CMS. According to the CMS, most Medicare beneficiaries will pay the standard Medicare Part B premium amount.
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Figure Out What Works Best For You
If after reading this article you realize youre not ready to retire, there are still ways to plan for the retirement freedom you desire.
You may be eligible to purchase service credit. Review the information on our Service Credit webpage to learn more.
And, if youre still in need of some form of income stream but want the retiree benefits, you might consider being a retired annuitant for a CalPERS employer, working for a private industry employer, or another public pension system. Keep in mind there are restrictions. For example, CalPERS disability retirees cannot be employed in the same position from which they retired or in a position which includes duties or activities they were restricted from performing at the time of disability retirement. Read Employment After Retirement for important details.
Requirements To Continue Your Calpers Health Coverage
Before you turn 65, you must meet these requirements to continue your CalPERS health coverage:
Apply for Medicare by contacting the Social Security Administration . If you qualify for Medicare Part A at no cost because either you or your qualified spouse worked for 40 quarters in Social Security/Medicare-covered employment, you must also enroll in Medicare Part B as soon as you’re first eligible.
When you enroll in Medicare Part A and Part B two to three months prior to your 65th birth month, CalPERS will work with the CMS to obtain your Medicare information and automatically transfer you from a CalPERS Basic health plan to a CalPERS Medicare health plan. If CalPERS is unable to obtain your Medicare information from CMS, you’ll need to complete and submit the Certification of Medicare Status form to CalPERS with copies of supporting documentation for manual processing.
If you’re ineligible for Medicare Part A at no cost, or if you’re deferring enrollment in Medicare Part B due to current working status and covered under an employer group health plan, you must complete the Ineligibility of Medicare Certification form.
Submit the Ineligibility of Medicare Certification form to CalPERS with copies of supporting documentation prior to your 65th birth month to prevent cancellation of your CalPERS health coverage. You may remain in a Basic health plan if you’re ineligible for Medicare.
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Thinking About Moving Out Of California In Retirement
What You Should Know About Taxes, Health Benefits, and More
We would love you to retire in California and spend your retirement dollars in the golden state. However, you may be considering a move to another part of the country, whether to save money, have a change of scenery, or be closer to loved ones.
As you plan your CalPERS retirement, we want you to make an informed choice. Do your research and consider contacting a financial advisor to make sure you understand the financial impacts of retiring out of state. The information below will help you as you make your decision.
Did you know that 84% of CalPERS retirees and beneficiaries reside in California?
Whats Used To Calculate My Benefit
While many soon-to-be retirees think their earnings are whats used to calculate their benefits, this isnt correct. Its your pay rate thats used. Whats the difference? Your earnings are your take home pay after deductions, while your pay rate is your gross pay prior to deductions.
You can see an estimate of your retirement benefit right now. Log in to myCalPERS to do an estimate using the latest data we have on record. You can create and save multiple estimates.
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Enrolling Through A Spouse Under 65
If you’re currently ineligible for Medicare Part A without cost in your own right, you may be or become eligible through a current, former, or deceased spouse’s work history. If you’re eligible through a spouse, you may apply when your spouse is first eligible to receive Social Security benefits, generally at age 62. Contact the Social Security Administration at 325-0778 or TTY 325-0778 to clarify your Medicare eligibility through a spouse.
What You Need To Know After Retirement
During your retirement years, youll likely experience certain life events or changes in your circumstances. Its wise to consider your current situation and evaluate what may lie ahead for you and your loved ones.
Take a moment to review the information below and do some research to make sure you are prepared for any changes that come your way.
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Dont Forget To Change Your Address
When youre contacting your utilities and other service providers to change your address, dont forget about CalPERS. We need your current address if you receive benefit payments, tax statements, or other important correspondence about your pension and health benefits.
Read Moving? Heres What You Need to Do to learn how to change your address, or simply log in to your myCalPERS account.
You May Need To Cut Expenses On Extra Activities
While a cost-of-living adjustment typically begins the second calendar year of CalPERS retirement, the annual rate of inflation and existing retirement law could affect the onset of your adjustment. While its hard to predict what inflation will look like when you retire, the 40-year high were currently in might be a good time to reflect on how you plan to cut expenses to added retiree activities, such as travelling, eating out, and hobbies.
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Special Power Of Attorney
Through the CalPERS Special Power of Attorney, you can appoint a representative to make retirement-related decisions on your behalf, should you become incapacitated. The CalPERS special power of attorney grants authority specifically for CalPERS retirement issues. For this reason, we recommend filing a Special Power of Attorney form , regardless of whether you already have a power of attorney set up through another resource.
Continuing Benefits & Deductions
Health Coverage
If you’re currently a member of the CalPERS Health Program, you must meet specific requirements to continue your health insurance coverage into retirement, or maintain the right to re-enroll in the future after retirement.
To continue your CalPERS health benefit coverage after retirement, you must meet both of the criteria below:
- Be enrolled in a CalPERS health plan upon separation from employment, either in your own name or as a dependent
- Retire within 120 days of your separation from employment
If you don’t meet both requirements before you retire, you’ll lose all future rights to be in the CalPERS Health Program. If your family members are included in your CalPERS health plan at the time of your death, their enrollment will continue automatically if they’re eligible for and receive a monthly allowance.
Public Agency or School Members
If your employer doesn’t contract with CalPERS for health benefits, contact your employer to determine if your benefits will continue.
Dental Coverage
To continue dental coverage into retirement, you must:
- Be enrolled in a state-sponsored dental plan on the date of your separation from employment
- Retire within 120 days of your separation
Long-Term Care
If you’re enrolled in CalPERS Long-Term Care and have premiums deducted from your paycheck, you’ll need to call 982-1775 before you retire to find out how to continue your premium deductions.
Other Deduction Payments
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Choose A New Health Plan
CalPERS health benefits out-of-state may differ from those in California, and some health plans are available only in certain ZIP codes. Be sure to contact the health plan before enrolling to make sure they cover your new ZIP code and that their provider network is accepting new patients. You can use our Health Plan Search by ZIP Code or log in to your myCalPERS account to determine which plans are available in your area.
For an overview of all CalPERS health plans, visit Retiree Plans & Rates on our website.
