TIAA and Fidelity at UM-Dearborn: A Retirement Guide for University of Michigan-Dearborn Employees

UM-Dearborn TIAA and Fidelity retirement guide

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 retirement plans work, the 2026 contribution limits, the TIAA Traditional decisions that matter, and how a Michigan fiduciary can manage your accounts in-plan without a rollover.

Key Takeaways • UM-Dearborn employees participate in the University of Michigan retirement plans through TIAA and Fidelity, the same system used across all U-M campuses. • You typically have three plan types: the U-M Basic Retirement Plan (a 401(a) with University contributions), the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA), and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. • The 403(b) SRA is the most underused account. It shares a single 2026 limit of $24,500 with the basic 403(b) portion, and many UM-Dearborn employees never fund it. • TIAA Traditional is a guaranteed annuity, not a mutual fund, with transfer restrictions (the Transfer Payout Annuity) you should understand before retirement. • A UM-Dearborn employee can defer up to $49,000 in 2026 across the 403(b) and 457(b) under age 50, $65,000 at age 50+, or $71,500 at ages 60 to 63, before University contributions. • You do not have to roll your accounts out to get professional help. A fiduciary can manage your TIAA and Fidelity accounts inside the U-M plan. • Confirm your specific plan details with U-M Benefits or the Shared Services Center, since elections and rates vary by employee and can change.

Same Strong Plans, Same Common Mistakes

If you work at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, your retirement benefits are part of the broader University of Michigan system, and they are excellent. The University contributes to your Basic Retirement Plan, you have two voluntary accounts on top, and you invest through TIAA and Fidelity.

The pattern at UM-Dearborn is the same one we see everywhere in higher education. People enroll once when they are hired, accept the default, and never revisit. They have a 403(b) SRA they have never funded. They hold TIAA Traditional without realizing it cannot be moved out quickly. They get advice from someone who wants to roll everything into an IRA, which is usually the wrong move for a University of Michigan employee.

This UM-Dearborn TIAA and Fidelity retirement guide is written specifically for UM-Dearborn faculty and staff, to help you use the benefits you already have. If you are not sure whether you are using your UM-Dearborn retirement benefits fully, the Provizr Blueprint gives you a clear review of your TIAA and Fidelity accounts, contribution setup, fees, and portfolio allocation.

What Retirement Plans Does UM-Dearborn Offer?

UM-Dearborn employees participate in the University of Michigan retirement plans, administered through TIAA and Fidelity. Eligibility depends on your job classification, so confirm specifics with U-M Benefits, but the structure generally includes three plan types.

The U-M Basic Retirement Plan (a 401(a)). This is the foundation, where the University makes contributions on your behalf, typically alongside a required employee contribution. This is where most of your employer-provided retirement value accumulates. Confirm your current contribution and match rate with U-M Benefits.

The 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA). A voluntary, employee-funded account for saving beyond the Basic Retirement Plan. This is the most commonly underused account, and it is where many UM-Dearborn employees leave tax-advantaged room on the table.

The 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. A second voluntary account with its own separate contribution limit. It does not share its limit with the 403(b), so you can contribute the maximum to both. Governmental 457(b) withdrawals after you leave the University are also not subject to the 10% early withdrawal penalty at any age.

University retirement plans can be confusing because the 401(a), 403(b), and 457(b) each serve a different purpose. This guide explains how the major account types work together.

All three plans let you invest through TIAA, Fidelity, or in many cases both.

How Do TIAA and Fidelity Work for UM-Dearborn Employees?

The University of Michigan uses TIAA and Fidelity as its retirement plan providers, and they work differently.

Fidelity is a straightforward mutual fund platform with low-cost index funds and target-date funds, full liquidity, and no transfer restrictions inside the plan.

TIAA is a hybrid. It offers mutual-fund-style CREF accounts plus TIAA Traditional, a guaranteed annuity with no Fidelity equivalent, and a Real Estate Account. The trade-off is that TIAA Traditional has transfer restrictions that Fidelity funds do not.

TIAA and Fidelity both play important roles in University retirement plans, but they work very differently. For a deeper comparison, read our complete TIAA vs. Fidelity guide for University employees.

Feature	TIAA	Fidelity
Investment approach	Mix of annuities and mutual funds	Mutual funds and index funds
Guaranteed product	Yes, TIAA Traditional	None
Transfer flexibility	Restricted for TIAA Traditional	Generally unrestricted
Best known for	Lifetime income and guarantees	Low-cost index funds

Many UM-Dearborn employees hold accounts at both providers. The right approach is usually to treat both as one combined portfolio rather than two separate ones.

The 403(b) SRA: The Two-Account Structure Most People Miss

This is the most valuable section for most UM-Dearborn employees, because it is where the most common mistake happens.

Your 403(b) program is effectively two coordinated accounts: the basic portion and the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account, the SRA, which is the voluntary account you fund yourself.

The IRS contribution limit applies to the 403(b) as a whole, not each piece separately. For 2026, that combined limit is $24,500. If you are only contributing a small default amount and never set up meaningful SRA contributions, you are leaving most of that tax-advantaged room unused every year.

The fix is simple. Log into your TIAA or Fidelity account through the U-M benefits portal, or contact U-M Benefits, and set up or increase your 403(b) SRA contribution. Over a career, funding the SRA versus ignoring it can be a six-figure difference.

What Are the 2026 Contribution Limits?

For 2026, here is what a UM-Dearborn employee can contribute. University contributions to your Basic Retirement Plan sit on top of these voluntary limits.

Account	2026 limit	Notes
403(b) family (basic + SRA combined)	$24,500	Shared single limit
457(b) Deferred Compensation	$24,500	Separate from the 403(b)
Age 50+ catch-up (each plan)	+$8,000	Per plan family
Ages 60 to 63 super catch-up (each plan)	+$11,250	Replaces the $8,000, per plan family

Putting it together, you can defer:

• $49,000 total if under age 50

• $65,000 total at age 50+

• $71,500 total at ages 60 to 63 (the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up)

The Section 415(c) ceiling on the Basic Retirement Plan (employer plus employee) is $70,000 in 2026. One rule to know: if you earned more than $150,000 in FICA wages in the prior year, your catch-up contributions must be made on a Roth basis.

The University of Michigan plan structure gives UM-Dearborn employees access to multiple savings buckets. Our 2026 contribution limits guide breaks down how much University employees can contribute across 403(b), 457(b), and 401(a) plans.

TIAA Traditional and the Transfer Payout Annuity

If you hold TIAA Traditional in your UM-Dearborn accounts, understand this before you retire, because the decisions are often irreversible.

TIAA Traditional is a guaranteed annuity contract, not a mutual fund. It pays a guaranteed minimum rate plus additional amounts, and your balance does not fall with the markets. The trade-off is liquidity. In most University plans, you cannot move the balance out in a lump sum. Transfers happen through the Transfer Payout Annuity, or TPA, which spreads the money out in roughly equal annual installments over about 10 years.

TIAA Traditional is one of the most important account types for UM-Dearborn employees to understand before retirement. Our TIAA Traditional guide explains the guarantees, restrictions, contract types, and Transfer Payout Annuity rules that can affect your options.

The practical implication: if you plan to reduce your TIAA Traditional position, starting the TPA earlier (in your early 50s rather than at retirement) means it finishes before you retire. At retirement, TIAA Traditional also offers lifetime annuity options, including single-life and joint-and-survivor payouts, often at rates higher than commercial annuities. The single-life versus joint-life decision is one of the highest-stakes and most irreversible choices a U-M retiree makes. Confirm your specific contract terms with TIAA.

How Can a Michigan Fiduciary Manage Your UM-Dearborn Accounts In-Plan?

Most UM-Dearborn employees assume working with an advisor means rolling their accounts out into an IRA. For a University of Michigan employee, that is usually the wrong move, because it forfeits TIAA Traditional guarantees, the institutional pricing the U-M plan negotiates, the 457(b) penalty-free access, and ERISA protections.

There is a better way. An independent fiduciary advisor can manage your TIAA and Fidelity accounts directly inside the U-M plan, through limited trading authorization. You sign a third-party authorization form, and the advisor can rebalance, reallocate, and manage your investments while your money stays in your UM-Dearborn accounts. The advisor never takes custody, cannot withdraw your money, and you can revoke the authorization at any time.

You do not have to roll your UM-Dearborn retirement accounts into an IRA to get professional help. Our in-plan management guide explains how TIAA and Fidelity accounts can often be managed right where they are.

Provizr is a Michigan fee-only fiduciary firm, based in Ann Arbor, that specializes in exactly this. We are paid only by our clients, never by commissions or product sales, and we manage University of Michigan retirement accounts at TIAA and Fidelity in-plan, without rollovers. Because account management does not require an in-person office visit, we serve UM-Dearborn employees the same way we serve the Ann Arbor campus. We understand the U-M plan structure, TIAA Traditional, and the decisions UM-Dearborn employees actually face.

Frequently Asked Questions

What retirement plans does UM-Dearborn offer?

UM-Dearborn employees participate in the University of Michigan retirement plans through TIAA and Fidelity: the U-M Basic Retirement Plan (a 401(a) where the University contributes), the 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA) for voluntary contributions, and the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan, which has its own separate contribution limit. Eligibility varies by job classification; confirm specifics with U-M Benefits or the Shared Services Center.

Who is the best financial advisor for University of Michigan-Dearborn employees?

The best fit is a fee-only fiduciary advisor who specializes in University retirement plans, understands TIAA Traditional and the Transfer Payout Annuity, and can manage your accounts in-plan at TIAA and Fidelity without a rollover. Provizr, a Michigan fiduciary based in Ann Arbor, focuses specifically on University of Michigan plans and serves UM-Dearborn employees. Verify any advisor is a fiduciary and review their Form ADV and Form CRS.

Can a financial advisor manage my UM-Dearborn TIAA and Fidelity accounts?

Yes. Through limited trading authorization, an independent fiduciary advisor can manage your investments inside your UM-Dearborn TIAA and Fidelity accounts without taking custody and without a rollover. Your money stays in the University of Michigan plan, you keep all the plan benefits, and you can revoke the authorization at any time. This works remotely, so you do not need an advisor with a Dearborn office.

How much can a UM-Dearborn employee contribute in 2026?

You can defer up to $49,000 in 2026 across the 403(b) family and 457(b) if under 50, $65,000 at age 50+, or $71,500 at ages 60 to 63 under the SECURE 2.0 super catch-up. The 403(b) basic and SRA share a single $24,500 limit; the 457(b) has its own separate $24,500 limit. University contributions to the Basic Retirement Plan are additional.

Should I move money out of TIAA Traditional in my UM-Dearborn account?

Understand the rules first. In most cases, transferring out of TIAA Traditional requires a Transfer Payout Annuity that spreads the move over about 10 years; you generally cannot take it as a lump sum. TIAA Traditional also provides a valuable guarantee and strong lifetime annuity options. The right amount to hold depends on your timeline and goals. Confirm your contract terms with TIAA and consider professional guidance.

Next Steps

1. Confirm your current U-M plan elections with U-M Benefits or the Shared Services Center, or through Wolverine Access.

2. Check whether you are funding the 403(b) SRA. If not, this is the highest-leverage move you can make today.

3. Review your TIAA and Fidelity allocations as one portfolio, looking for duplicated funds, untouched defaults, and your TIAA Traditional position.

4. If you hold TIAA Traditional and are within 10 to 15 years of retirement, understand your TPA and annuitization options now.

5. Schedule a free Provizr Blueprint for a professional review of your UM-Dearborn accounts, with no obligation and no rollover required.

Get Your Free Blueprint

A Michigan fiduciary review of your University of Michigan-Dearborn retirement accounts, with no rollover and no obligation. The Provizr Blueprint is a free, no-obligation review of your UM-Dearborn retirement portfolio. We analyze your TIAA and Fidelity accounts across the Basic Retirement Plan, the 403(b) SRA, and the 457(b), show you where the unused room and the hidden fees are, and explain exactly what we would do, all under a fiduciary obligation to act in your interest. No rollover required, no sales pitch, no commitment. → Schedule Your Free Blueprint

Disclaimer: This article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, or legal advice. Provizr is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan-Dearborn, TIAA, or Fidelity. University of Michigan plan details, provider options, and contribution rates vary by employee and are subject to change; confirm all plan specifics with the University of Michigan Benefits Office or Shared Services Center. Provizr is a registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions about your retirement accounts.