Starting a new University job? Use this first-90-days checklist to review TIAA, Fidelity, 403(b), SRA, 457(b), old accounts, and beneficiary elections before the defaults settle in.

Changing University jobs can leave retirement accounts scattered across TIAA, Fidelity, 403(b), 457(b), and 401(a) plans. Here is what Michigan University employees should review before moving anything.

Hello Friends! Equity markets are entering the latter part of the summer in familiar territory. Corporate fundamentals remain solid and earnings have generally been supportive, but uncertainty continues to grow around several of the forces that could determine the market's next direction. Election season is ramping up ahead of the November midterms, and while political outcomes rarely determine the long-term direction of markets on their own, this election could be conseque

University of Michigan-Flint employees participate in the same strong University of Michigan retirement system as the Ann Arbor campus, with plans offered through TIAA and Fidelity. That includes the U-M Basic Retirement Plan, the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account, and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. The challenge for most UM-Flint faculty and staff is the same as everywhere: the plans are generous but underused. This guide explains how the UM-Flint retirement ...

At 50, "am I on track to retire" stops being abstract. You have enough saved that the number matters, enough time left to fix a gap, and not so much time that you can ignore it. This guide gives University employees a concrete way to answer the question: five financial questions to work through, savings-to-income benchmarks by age (adjusted for the unusually generous University plan structure), the simplified can-I-retire math, three stress tests, and a fill-in worksheet. ...

For women approaching retirement, TIAA Traditional decisions are not just about income — they are about longevity, survivor protection, and flexibility. This guide explains how to think through annuitization, joint-life benefits, Social Security timing, and the widow’s trap before making a decision you may not be able to reverse.

University of Michigan-Dearborn employees participate in the same strong University of Michigan retirement system as the Ann Arbor campus, with plans offered through TIAA and Fidelity. That includes the U-M Basic Retirement Plan, the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account, and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. The challenge for most UM-Dearborn faculty and staff is the same as everywhere: the plans are generous but underused. This guide explains how the UM-Dearborn re...

Not every advisor who says they act in your best interest is truly fee-only or conflict-free. This guide explains what a fee-only fiduciary advisor is, how to verify one, and what University employees with TIAA and Fidelity accounts should ask before choosing retirement help.

University of Michigan employees have one of the most generous retirement benefit structures in the country, spread across the U-M Basic Retirement Plan, the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account, and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan, all offered through TIAA and Fidelity. The complexity is the problem: most U-M faculty and staff never fully use the plans, misunderstand TIAA Traditional, or leave money on the table in the SRA. This guide explains how the U-M plans wo...