Retirement! Planning Your NEW Future

Many resources for planning a successful financial transition into retirement for a positive cash flow are linked right here at the NSEA-R website. In addition to meeting with PERS and following up with the human resources office at your district, there is also an emotional aspect to making this change. While it is true that some people count down the days until retirement and then exit the building without looking back, others may feel a sense of sadness at being quickly replaced after a long-devoted career. These are common feelings for newly retired educators. To help support our members emotionally to make this transition, we have compiled these suggestions to help you create your new identity of value and purpose with some of the structure and benefits once provided by full-time employment.

One year before retirement...

- Step back from leadership roles. Allow others to step up and be available to provide guidance. 
 -  If you have accumulated many items stored at school, start whittling down your collection early. 
 - Set up your digital Social Security account online. This is a way to secure your Social Security number and access your account easily in the future. You can set this up at any time, not just when retirement is approaching.  - Begin a list of activities that interest you. Add to it over the next few months as you envision what to do with your new freedom. 

6 - 3 months

- Begin moving personal property back home. Take a few items home each week and find a new place for them. You may change your mind about what you really want to keep and realize you can let them go. 
 - When you are ready, submit your letter of resignation to your principal and HR. Make note of your HR tech so that you can communicate directly and monitor paperwork as it is processed. 
 - Move or delete any personal digital files that may have been saved on your district computer or shared drive. Save any contacts you want to have later. 
 - Join your retired association if you aren’t already a member. Visit https://www.nsea-r.org/Membership/ 


9 - 6 Months

- Purge your classroom teaching materials. This can be done as you teach a topic. When you finish the unit, toss the paperwork. Useful instructional items can be given to younger teachers or donated to a teacher warehouse (Ed Alliance in WCSD) 
 - Attend the retirement seminars offered at your local; come with questions. 
 - Apply for ESIP if you have at least 20 years of service, and it is offered. 
 - Continue adding to your activity list. Mix it up with a variety of options that will help you avoid getting bored. Think about taking a special trip to coincide with the beginning of the new school year when you may be missing returning to work. 
 - Ask PERS to run an estimate on your retirement benefit to catch any errors. 


3 - 0 Months

- Make an appointment with risk management to review your health benefit options. Update beneficiaries & make decisions. Get the representative’s contact information so you can monitor the transition of your benefits
 (i.e sick leave) - Provide an alternative email contact in your school district email if you want to be reached after your retirement. Your access to your district email account will be turned off at the end of your contract, and you will not be able to access any old messages. If you leave the district in the midst of a contract, your email will cease immediately. - Complete exit interview with your district. You should receive an inquiry at the end of your contract. If not, follow up with HR so you can provide feedback about the working conditions at your site. 

Final Steps

- Plan a retirement party! Besides celebrating the contributions you made over your career, it will be a chance to say goodbye to friends and give them your personal contact information.  
- If you are entitled to any Social Security money, hand-deliver the PERS retirement letter to Social Security. PERS will not do it for you, and you may miss out on money or end up paying back money. Make an appointment with SS, so you can go to the head of the line when you arrive.  - Happiness is about what you are retiring to, not what you are retiring from. Not having an idea of how you will spend your days can lead to boredom and unhappiness in retirement. 

As Your Retirement Freedom Begins... 

- Take that trip you planned. 
 - Start with a loose schedule and ease into it. You may find you prefer to sleep in or like staying up late. Now you can choose!  - Are you planning to earn a little cash by substituting? Remember, you will have to reapply to your district and wait 90 days from last contract day/first day of PERS, before you can go back as a substitute teacher.  
 - Stay healthy by exercising your body and your mind. See your doctor and dentist for your routine checkups. Use the wellness app to get started on improved fitness. If your health goes, all the positive cash flow in the world isn’t going to make you happy. 
 - Refer to your list of activities, and make some choices. Build a schedule of things to try during the first few months of retirement. If something doesn’t work out, try something else. Stay curious and engage in learning new things; it will help you keep sharp. Over time, your routine will develop. 
 - Stay up on issues related to our profession by being an active member of your retired local, reading the NEA Retired magazine, and visiting the NEA-R and NSEA-R websites regularly.  - Revisit your financial and insurance plans annually each fall. Update contact information with any changes, including beneficiaries. That includes NSEA-R and your local. We want to stay in touch! 
  

Activities and Volunteer Resources

Northern Nevada

City of Reno

Nevada Department of Wildlife

OLLI Reno

Food Bank of Northern Nevada

Nevada Museum of Art 

Sierra Club

Washoe County Library

Activities and Volunteer Resources

Southern Nevada

City of Las Vegas

Clark County Senior and Disabled Programs

Programs for Seniors

OLLI Las Vegas

Senior Centers

(Temporarily Closed)

Theater in the Valley

The Smith Center

Wetlands Park Trails