Retirement

All UTA employees participate in either:

• Teacher Retirement System (TRS), or
• Optional Retirement Program (ORP)

If you are in TRS:

• Log in to MyTRS to review service credit, contributions, and estimate your monthly benefit
• Review TRS retirement eligibility and retirement options
• Watch TRS retirement education videos such as:
  • Navigating the Steps to Retirement
  • Financial Awareness
• Review the TRS Benefit Handbook and consider whether you want to purchase additional service credit
• Schedule a one on one session with a TRS Benefit Counselor

If you are in ORP:

• Contact your ORP retirement provider or financial advisor
• Review your account balance and distribution options
• Update your beneficiary designations
• Discuss your investment and withdrawal timeline

Each ORP vendor has its own forms and procedures, so you will need to work directly with your provider.

TIP: It is helpful to meet with both your TRS or ORP representative and your personal financial advisor to plan your long term income strategy.

UTA retiree insurance is administered by UT System Office of Employee Benefits (OEB). If you meet UT System retiree eligibility, you may be able to continue:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance

Key Steps:

• Review the UT System Retirement Insurance Eligibility Flowchart
• Learn about your retiree insurance options:
  • Under age 65:  UT SELECT Medical Plan
  • Over age 65:  UT CARE Medicare Plan
• Visit UT Benefits Billing (UTBB) to understand how premiums are billed after retirement 

Important: You must be enrolled in UT insurance on your last day of active employment in order to carry coverage into retirement.

• Social security retirement benefits may begin as early as age 62. Apply through ssa.gov about three (3) months before you want benefits to start
• If you will be 65 or older at retirement, contact the Social Security Office about three (3) months before your retirement date to discuss Medicare enrollment and avoid penalties
• Review how UT SELECT or UT CARE works with Medicare

Keeping beneficiaries current ensures your benefits are distributed according to your wishes.

• Insurance: Log in to My UT Benefits
  • Select the View Benefits link found under active benefits in the Welcome Back bar
  • Scroll down to each of the life insurance coverage(s) to add/edit beneficiaries
• Retirement Accounts:
  
  • TRS: update through TRS directly
  • ORP: update directly with your ORP or voluntary retirement provider

Once you have a target retirement date in mind, use this time to get official estimates and confirm your financial picture.

If you are in TRS:

• Use the MyTRS Retirement Calculator for an initial estimate
• Submit TRS-18 Request for Estimate of Retirement Benefits through MyTRS

TRS will mail your official estimate and retirement packet, generally within about 60 days.

If you are in ORP:

• Ask your ORP Provider for a retirement projection and review your distribution options
• Confirm your expected retirement date and how and when you plan to take distributions

Each ORP vendor has its own forms and procedures, so you will need to work directly with your provider.

TRS Retirees:

• Submit TRS-30 Application for Service Retirement through MyTRS
• Provide required documents such as:
  • Copy of your driver license or birth certificate
  • IRS W-4P for tax withholding
  • TRS-278 Direct Deposit Request for annuity payments
• Once TRS processes your application, you will receive a TRS-32 Retirement Application Acknowledgement confirming that your application is under review

Processing typically takes around 31 business days from receipt of application

ORP Retirees:

• Complete the ORP Declaration of Retirement Form
• Email the signed form to benefits@uta.edu

Email benefits@uta.edu to start your official retirement file. Include the following in your notification:

• TRS-18 (or your most recent TRS annual statement)
• First page of TRS-30 Application for Service Retirement
• TRS-32 Retirement Application Acknowledgement, once you receive it from TRS
• A copy of your written notice of retirement, if you have already notified your supervisor/department 

• Provide written/email notice of your official retirement date and official last working day
• When possible, give at least 60 days notice to help your department plan the transition

 We highly recommend sending a copy of your notice to benefits@uta.edu

• Apply for Medicare Parts A and B at least three (3) months before your retirement date if you will be 65 or older
• Complete Section A of the CMS-L564 Request for Employment Information
• Email the CMS-L564 form to benefits@uta.edu for completion by a People Service team member
  • Please allow for at least 48 - 72 hours turnaround time
• Submit the completed CMS-L564 along with your CMS-40B Application For Enrollment in Medicare Part B to the Medicare/Social Security Office
  • Follow the instructions on the form

• Vacation and Floating Holidays:  Paid out approximately one (1) month after your final paycheck
• Optional Deferral of Unused Vacation:
  • You may defer unused vacation to a UTSaver retirement account
  • Submit the UTSaver Unused Annual Leave Deferral Agreement to the People Services team at benefits@uta.edu before you last day and once your supervisor/department has entered all appropriate leave requests and usage into timekeeper.
• Sick Leave:
  • Not paid out
  • May be donated to the Sick Leave Pool or Family Leave Pool
  • For questions, email leaves@uta.edu
  • See policies HOP 4.26 Sick Leave Pool and HOP 4.34 Family Leave Pool

 TIP: Donating unused sick leave helps colleagues who need extended leave due to illness or family emergencies.

Overview

UT Care Medicare PPO is the medical and prescription plan for Medicare eligible retirees and dependents who are enrolled in Medicare Part A and B. Retirees who are in UT SELECT and eligible for Medicare will be automatically enrolled into UT Care when Medicare becomes effective.

It is important to begin this process early to avoid gaps in coverage or Medicare penalties.

When to Enroll in Medicare A and B

Enrollment in both Parts A and B is required for UT Care coverage. Follow the timing that applies to you.

If you retire before turning 65:

• Enroll in Medicare Parts A and B 90 days before your 65th birthday so your Medicare starts on the first day of the month you turn 65.

If you continue working at UTA past age 65:

• Enroll in Medicare Parts A and B 90 days before your retirement date.
• Covered dependents who are Medicare eligible must also enroll 90 days before your retirement date.

You must also:

• Contact the People Services team at benefits@uta.edu at least 90 days before retirement to begin the UT retiree insurance process.
• Respond quickly to any Requests for Information from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas.

How to Enroll in Medicare

You can enroll in Medicare Parts A and B by:

1. Visiting a local Social Security Office
2. Calling Social Security at (800) 772-1213
3. Applying online at ssa.gov

Once processed, you will receive your Medicare ID card with your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI).

You must share your MBI with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, or enter it directly into My UT Benefits to ensure your benefits are set up correctly.

Important: You may be assessed a Medicare Part B penalty if you delay enrollment once you are retired and age 65. Employees who have active UT insurance at age 65 generally qualify for a penalty exemption.

What You Will Receive After Enrollment

After Medicare Part A and Part B are active and approved, you will receive:

• Your Medicare ID card
• A UT Care Welcome Packet
• Your UT Care Medicare PPO ID card
• A separate UT Care Medicare Part D prescription drug card

If Medicare cannot process your enrollment due to missing or incorrect information, you will remain in UT SELECT with reduced coverage until the Medicare enrollment is corrected.

When UT Care Coverage Begins

Your UT Care coverage will start on:

• The first day of the month after Medicare approves your enrollment, or
• The date Medicare Parts A and B become effective, whichever is later.

If you have medical visits scheduled before this date, contact UT SELECT Customer Service to confirm how claims should be processed.

UT CARE Customer Support

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas

Phone: (877) 842-7562

TTY: 711

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

bcbstx.com/retiree-medicare-ut

Retirees and dependents who are eligible for Medicare will automatically be enrolled in UT Care. If you choose to decline UT Care, you must opt out through My UT Benefits.

Important consequences if the retiree opts out:

• You and your dependents will not have UT medical or prescription drug coverage
• The retiree will not have UT basic life insurance

Log in to My UT Benefits within 31 days after your retirement date.

• If you take no action, your medical, dental, vision and basic life coverage will continue automatically
• Voluntary Life Insurance does not continue automatically. You must actively re-enroll if you want to keep it
• Coverage for UT Flex, Disability, and AD&D ends on the last day of the month in which you retire

TIP: If you are enrolled in UT Flex, use your remaining funds before the last day of the month you retire. Unused funds are generally forfeited unless continued through COBRA for mid-year retirees. Refer to the UT Flex Plan Guide for details.

You may convert your basic and voluntary group term life insurance to an individual policy.

• Contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (formerly Dearborn National) at (866) 628-2606 for conversion options
• Review the Life Insurance Certificate for more details

All retiree premiums are billed through UT Benefits Billing (UTBB).

Choose one of the following:

• TRS Annuity Deduction Form, or
• Direct Payment or ACH enrollment

Allow one (1) to two (2) months for setup and continue paying paper invoices until you receive written confirmation that automatic payments have started.

TIP: To begin drafting the next month, setup must be completed by the 15th of the month. Monthly drafts occur on the 5th, or the next business day if it falls on a weekend or holiday.

• Review current monthly premiums for each coverage
• Contact UT Benefits Billing at UTBenefitsBilling@utsystem.edu or (855) 688-2455 with billing questions

  Important: Failure to pay full premiums will result in cancellation of dependent and voluntary coverages, and re-enrollment penalties may apply.

After retirement, it is a good idea to reconfirm beneficiaries:

• For Insurance: Review in My UT Benefits
• For TRS, ORP or Voluntary Accounts: confirm directly with providers

If you are 65 or older, you will be automatically enrolled in the UT Care Medicare plan, which includes Medicare Part D prescription coverage, within about 60 days of your retirement.

• You will receive a welcome packet and new ID card
• Continue using your current card until you receive your new UT Care card and activation instructions

If you do not receive any of the above in the mail, please contact UT Care Customer Service at (877) 842-7562 or visit the Retiree Medicare Insurance website.

*Also refer to section 3 - 6 Months Before Retirement above, UT Care Medicare PPO Coverage section.

TRS Retirees:

• Review the TRS Employment After Retirement rules before returning to work
• A full one month break in service is required before you may return to work in a TRS covered position
• After the break in service, retirees may generally work part-time up to 19 hours per week, subject to TRS rules

ORP Retirees:

• OPR retirees are generally eligible to work on the first day after the month after their retirement date without TRS restrictions
• Once fully vested (one year and one day), ORP retirees may resume part-time employment (up to 19 hours per week) as early as the following day

Premium Reminder

• Retiree insurance premiums cannot be deducted from UTA paychecks
• Retirees continue to receive monthly invoices from UT Benefits Billing
• You may set up automatic payments through the Direct Payment or Debit via ACH for Retired Employees form

UTA retirees may be eligible for additional perks that help you stay connected to campus life. These may include:

• Free Parking with a retiree parking permit
• Membership in the UT Arlington Retirees Club
• Access to select campus events, programs, and facilities
• Access to the UTA Library and other campus resources (varies by department)

For current details about retiree perks, visit the UTA Retiree Club website.