You may begin thinking about what you want the next phase of your life to look like well before you set a date for UA retirement. This page has resources for the issues you may contemplate late in yourUA career. You will find a self-assessment and bibliography to help you recognize your attitudes about and preparation for this new phase of life. Other materials address the psychological transition and planning for a fulfilling retirement lifestyle. Of course, there are also resources relating to financial planning to ensure you have the money to live where and how you want to.
Once you have committed to retiring from the University, you have numerous decisions to make. Beginning with a 36-month checklist of the action steps to UA retirement, this page covers the nuts and bolts of the process. Find information about Medicare, continuing your UA benefits, calculating your pension or retirement account distributions, phased retirement, and Retiree Accumulated Sick Leave (RASL) payout.
Investigate the Workshops tab for Road Ahead workshops that interest you. Also "Planning Your Retirement Path" explains the process of retiring from the University. (Recommended for employees 6–12 months from retirement; select the session geared to your retirement plan.)
Yes, UA retirement involves departure, but it’s also a bridge to a new phase of life. Learn what official UA retirement status is and what perquisites it offers you. Consider options for staying involved with UA, including a host of volunteer opportunities. Finally, there are books and articles about how to create a fulfilling and meaningful retirement.
The Resources page lists all the articles, books, websites, videos, handouts, and other materials on this site, in case you just want to browse for whatever interests you.
When Social Security was established in 1935, the average US life expectancy was 62 years. “Retirement” implied not only stopping work, but retiring from life. In 2015, life expectancy is 80 years or more, and “retirement” means something very different. It’s time to start checking off that bucket list, from starting a new business to doing independent research to joining the Peace Corps.
What hasn’t changed is that retirement is a major life transition from days shaped by the responsibilities of UA employment to controlling your own time. And transition, whether good or bad,tends to be stressful. This website is designed to help you take charge of that transition—emotionally, logistically, and financially—so that you can enter UA retirement on your terms, heading to the future of your choice.
