Preparing for Retirement with New Tool
Carlene Hamilton
OSURA Communications
The Office of Human Resources (OHR) and The Ohio State University Retirees Association (OSURA) collaborated to update retirement information and resources for Ohio State retirees. A new publication, Retirement Handbook: Retirement Information and Resources for Ohio State Retirees, combines information from two former publications: one for current employees preparing for retirement and another for those who have already retired.
Handbook Explains Critical Steps
The handbook is a resource to help you connect with the many new opportunities in retirement life. The first section includes information about the process an employee needs to follow to ensure a smooth transition to retirement including departmental notification, payouts for sick leave and vacation, final pay date and deductions, final W-2, and selected retirement system (e.g., OPERS, STRS, ARP vendor, and perhaps Social Security).
What Will You Do After Retirement?
Once retired, the possibilities are endless: re-employment at Ohio State, taking classes through Program 60 for no cost or credit, studying subjects of interest that couldn't previously be worked into collegiate schedules, getting updated on current developments in a particular field, and taking college-level classes with little or no previous college experience—just to name a few. OSURA membership also keeps you on the inside track of knowing about benefits provided by the university and the government, university events, and other retirees' news. Additionally, membership gives you contact with those who share similar interests.
Retirement Still Offers Benefits
Ohio State offers many benefits to retirees with 10 years of continuous service. (For a list of these benefits, see the “University Benefits After Retirement” section.) Also, be sure to read the sections on employee group life insurance, post-retirement death benefit, and other insurance and assistance programs.
The “Planning for the Future” section includes information on health and leisure, housing, legal, financial, and estate planning, long-term care insurance, and Medicare. The handbook's last section, “Post-retirement Resources,” provides contact information including university and non-university resources with addresses, telephone numbers, and web sites.
The Retirement Handbook is a valuable resource as you prepare to retire. It is available at hr.osu.edu/hrpubs/index.aspx#retirement, or you can obtain a copy by contacting the OHR Customer Service Center at (614) 292-1050 or service@hr.osu.edu.