As we begin a new decade, it might be a good time to think about your financial goals for the next 10 years or more. When saving for retirement, our approach must be a long term approach so we can properly invest the money and generate additional funds through investment in the market. For some of us, retirement may be coming in the next decade and others retirement may be more than a decade away. Either way saving for retirement is important no matter where you are in your savings journey.
Tagged Retirement, Savings, Financial Independence
Diane, our pension expert benefits officer at LAGERS, retired last week after over 40 years in the pension industry. I was able to ask her a few questions about her career in the industry and how working to serve to local government employees of Missouri made a difference in her life.
Tagged LAGERS, Retirement
This post was originally posted in August of 2017, and has been updated to reflect this year's COLA numbers.
This year LAGERS retirees will receive a COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) of around 2.87%. This increase will be reflected on October 1st and it means much more than just a slight increase to your monthly benefit. It shows the strength and overall financial security of your LAGERS pension system.
Tagged Defined Benefit, COLA, Funding, Members, Retirees, Retirement, Security
If your employer has elected the Rule of 80 option for your LAGERS retirement benefit, you have another option for when you can retire and collect your benefit.
Tagged Benefit, pensions, Retirement, Retirement Benefits, Retirement Options, rule of 80, early retirement
Jackie Barnett, PHR, SHRM-CP is a long-term public employee at the City of Columbia, MO. She has completed 23 years of service and is the HR Manager responsible for payroll support and benefits for over 2000 employees. The City of Columbia has recently engaged LAGERS to do on-site meetings for its employees in order to better inform them on the value of a LAGERS pension. Since pensions are a great tool to attract, but also retain quality employees, the City wants to educate its employees on LAGERS in order to increase retention among City employees. This is her account of their experience.
Tagged reitrement, Retirement, value of local government, Value of pensions, Financial security, cities, municipalities, Local Government
On May 23 LAGERS held our first Facebook LIVE event. Assistant Director Jeff Kempker answered the 5 most common questions we get from members on their LAGERS benefit, then answered your questions live. We had a great discussion about pensions and how they contribute to a secure retirement for many and how LAGERS is leading that effort.
Tagged contributory, eligibility, LAGERS, myLAGERS, purchasing service, Retirement, Retirement Benefits, Retirement Options, Retirement, Retire, rule of 80, Facebook
Defined benefits.
Funding levels.
Investments.
Contributions.
Economic Impact.
Any of this making sense yet?
Tagged Economic Impact, pensions, Retirement, Value of pensions, Financial security, Retirement, Retire, Local Government
My colleague Penny and I recently spent some time in Rolla to honor one of our long-standing members, Rolla Municipal Utilities employee Rosalie Spencer, who was celebrating 50 years with the organization with a lunch reception. Around 70 of Rosalie's friends, family and coworkers present and past were on hand to celebrate her accomplishment. "When I started here, I told them if they hired me I wanted to stay until I retire. And I am." Rosalie plans to retire at the end of April of this year, and because she has stayed for 50 years should be able to replace a sizable amount of her salary with her LAGERS benefit.
Tagged LAGERS, pensions, retiree, Retirement, Retirement Benefits, Retirement Security, Secure, secure retirement, Security, Financial security, Retirement, Retire
“I think ethics is the most exciting topic in the world to talk about,” said no one ever.
I know people who actually cringe when they discover a seminar or conference they will be attending has a session on ethics. Some professions require training in ethics—for example, those of us with a CPA license must obtain a whopping two hours of ethics training per year. (Thank you Enron, Arthur Anderson, etc…)
Tagged compliance, Defending Pensions, Defined Benefit, Getting it Right, Members, pensions, Retirement, retirement planning, Retirement Security, Secure, secure retirement, Security, Strategy, Goals, ethics
