Welcome to the newly redesigned SamCERA Times! In this issue - Meet the New Board Members, what you can do to prepare for retirement & more!
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We've updated our look!
Welcome to the newly redesigned SamCERA Times. While the newsletter's look has changed, our commitment to our membership is stronger than ever. The newsletter will continue to provide important updates, news, educational retirement and financial information, and more!
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The 2018 SamCERA Board of Retirement Election was held on June 11, 2018 for three active member seats. Robert Raw (Sheriff's Department) and Katherine OMalley (Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections Office) were newly elected to serve on the Board, and Susan Lee (Probation Department) was reelected to serve as the Alternate Safety Member. In addition, on May 8, 2018, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors reappointed Eric Tashman and Mark Battey to serve on the Board. Visit our website to learn more about the Board of Retirement.
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Keeping Your Information Secure One of SamCERA's priorities is to safeguard your information, and we hold ourselves to the highest standards of security and privacy. We use a variety of methods to protect your information, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt data and host secure online transactions, and security audits and vulnerability tests. Below are a few things that you can do to protect your information when you access retirement benefit information on MySamCERA:
- Make sure that you are connected to a secure network
- Never share your login and password information with anyone
- Be sure to log out properly when you are done
Learn more about National Cybersecurity Month, and what you can do to protect your information online here.
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Life Changing Event? It's important to keep your member account information up to date with us. If you have had any major life changes, let us know! You may want to update the beneficiary(ies) on your retirement account for changes such as:
- Marriage
- Divorce
- Death of a spouse, partner or child
- Birth or adoption of a child
Remember -- changing beneficiaries with your employer will not update your retirement account with SamCERA. So, be sure to check who you have listed as your beneficiary(ies) on MySamCERA, and if needed, make an official request to change beneficiaries by submitting a Beneficiary Designation Form. Feel free to email us with any questions along the way! |
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The Road to Retirement If you're nearing the end of your career, it's time to start planning for your retirement!
- Get an Estimate - Log on to MySamCERA and get a retirement estimate in a few simple clicks!
- Attend a Workshop - Attend a "Ready to Retire" workshop to learn about your retirement pension options and the application process. These workshops fill up fast, so let us know if you are unable to attend, but still want to meet with someone. One-on-one counseling sessions with a Retirement Analyst are available by emailing samcera@samcera.org.
- Set Your Timeline - We encourage members to start preparing for retirement early in their career, but it is highly recommended that you start planning and set your retirement date at least 6 months before you retire. It pays off to plan ahead!
Read the "Ready to Retire" Guide and visit our website to learn more about how you can get started on the road to retirement!
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Service Purchase Deadline - 11/15 Have you worked as Extra-Help before? Or did you take a medical or military leave? For eligible members, purchasing service credit increases the monthly benefit you receive in retirement. Purchase request forms may be submitted for the purchase of:
- Extra-Help Time
- Plan 3 Upgrades
- Medical Leave
- Military Leave
- Redeposit of Withdrawn Funds (returning members)
There are two separate periods of time every year to make service purchases with SamCERA, and the deadline to submit your request for the second period of 2018 is November 15, 2018. Learn more about the application process here. |
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Free Classes for SamCERA Members!
Free financial planning classes are available in October, November and December for SamCERA members and their spouses/partners. Visit our website to learn more about the classes being offered and instructions on how to register!
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We want this newsletter to be valuable for you, and we welcome your feedback and suggestions. Email them to: njeong@samcera.org.
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