The Latest News Affecting Your Benefits
Whether you're active or retired, decisions about your long-term security are being made every day ... in Washington, Sacramento and the city hall around the corner.
Bookmark this page and check back often to check in on the decisions that affect your retirement security.
5 Big Financial Changes for Retirees in 2010
Retirees should start getting ready now for major changes next year that will affect their income and health expenses. The precise impact of these changes will vary by individual, so consumers should take stock of their financial situations and plan accordingly.
Changes to CalPERS Retirement Checks
Retired CalPERS members may have noticed some changes to their April 1 retirement check. The IRS recently released new tax withholding tables to incorporate key tax provisions included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These tables have been applied to members’ April 1 retirement check.
Senior Stimulus Payments to Start in May
The check is almost in the mail. In May, retirees and other Social Security beneficiaries will get an extra $250 per person from Uncle Sam, as part of the economic stimulus bill signed into law last month.
CalPERS Retirement Planning Fairs
Find out more about CalPERS benefits, programs and services at a CalPERS Retirement Planning Fair. CalPERS is sponsoring 20 retirement planning fairs in 17 cities this year from March to September.
CalPERS Educational Classes
Retirement planning doesn't end just because you're retired. Make sure that your current plans will meet your near-term and future financial needs. CalPERS offers online and instructor-led classes which some are specifically geared for retirees.
Q & A: A Talk with CalPERS' Chief Investment Officer
CalPERS is getting a new chief investment officer, but don't expect any immediate wholesale changes in how the big pension fund invests its money. Joseph Dear, the newly appointed chief investment officer at CalPERS, says this isn't the time to panic. (SacBee registration may be required.)
Federal HELPS Legislation Aids Retired Firefighters
The Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety Officers (HELPS) Act is a new retiree health care benefit that provides a tax-free distribution of up to $3,000 from retirement plans to help retirees pay for health insurance or long-term care insurance. The IRS has published new instructions on how retired fire fighters can take advantage of the HELPS benefit on their tax returns.