500 attend pension clinic

With workers’ rights and benefits under attack across the country, one of the most valuable assets UFT members have is a defined-benefit pension for a secure retirement. The UFT offers pension clinics several times a year to support members as they plan for retirement. The most recent two-part pension clinic for Tier IV members (generally, those hired after Sept. 1, 1983, and before April 1, 2012) attracted nearly 500 members to UFT headquarters on Jan. 25 and Feb. 1. A separate one-session clinic for members in Tier VI (those hired after April 1, 2012) is also offered on a regular basis. A mini-course on retirement benefits, a UFT pension clinic gives members an overview on how to calculate their defined-benefit pension; the Teachers’ Retirement System investment program; the Tax-Deferred Annuity program; optional forms of retirement allowance; terminal leave and termination pay; and retirement health insurance and Welfare Fund benefits. Members who attended the recent Tier IV clinic had the opportunity to ask detailed questions and came away with a substantial packet of information. “The retirement process and the various options can be daunting, and the meeting was incredibly informative,” said Denise Halpin, a teacher at IS 114 on the Upper East Side. “The speakers were so well-informed and delivered their message in a clear and memorable way, often citing humorous examples to make a point.”