Gain a better understanding of UT Select retiree insurance, Medicare and coordination with UT Select, returning to work after retirement, and so much more.
Live streamed presentations are offered on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. For more information and to register, please visit UTLearn (EID and password required).
2) Contact Your Retirement Program
Teacher Retirement System (TRS)
Review the Planning for Retirement page on the TRS website. This page provides information that will help you decide when it is the right time for you to retire, and what retirement option is best for you.
Optional Retirement Program (ORP)
Contact your ORP retirement provider or financial advisor three months before retirement to review distribution options and beneficiary designations.
3) Contact Social Security (If Applicable)
Social Security benefits are generally available at age 62 or older. If eligible, you should apply for retirement benefits at least 3 months prior to the date you want your benefits to start.
Medicare is generally available at age 65. To avoid significant financial penalties, if you and/or your covered dependents will be age 65 or older at the time of your retirement, you/they should contact the Social Security Office at least 3 months prior to your retirement date to discuss your/their Medicare enrollment options.
You and/or your covered dependents must be enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B no later than the first of the month following your retirement date. If you/they are not enrolled in Medicare, then you/they will be responsible for paying the portion of the health insurance claims costs that Medicare would have paid had you/they been enrolled.
ORP Retirees who will immediately return to benefits eligible employment on the first of the month following retirement, may delay their and/or their covered dependents enrollment in Medicare Part B until they are no longer working in a benefits eligible job. For additional information, please visit the Benefits During Phased Retirement webpage.
TRS Retirees who will be returning to benefits eligible employment following the required one month break in service should ensure that they and/or their covered dependents are enrolled in Medicare prior to their retirement date. For additional information, please visit the Benefits During Phased Retirement webpage.
4) Notify Human Resources – Benefits
TRS retirees must complete the TRS Notice of Retirement form (online), and upload a copy of their Application for Service Retirement (TRS-30) directly to the form.
Once HR – Benefits receives this form, they will enter your expected retirement date into Workday.
Your department will not be able to process your termination with a reason code of retirement until this step has been completed.
5) Notify Your Department
Notify your department of your intent to retire in accordance with departmental policy. Once your department has been notified, they will process your termination with a reason code of retirement in Workday.
Your department will not be able to process your termination unless you have submitted your TRS-30 or ORP Declaration of Retirement to Human Resources – Benefits.
If you and/or your dependents will be aged 65 or over at the time of your retirement, you should also review the UT Care Medicare Plan webpage.
Group Term Life Conversion
Conversion allows retirees and their covered dependents to convert the excess Basic and/or Voluntary Life Insurance they had as employees to an individual whole life policy if any portion of their Life insurance terminates by remitting premium directly to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (formerly Dearborn National).
For more information, contact Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas (formerly Dearborn National) at 1-866-628-2606.
7) Enroll in Retiree Insurance
Your current medical, dental, and vision insurance elections, including coverage for your spouse and dependents, will automatically carry over into retirement. You will also receive an email notification to log into My UT Benefits to enroll in voluntary life and make other changes. If you do not receive this email within seven days after your retirement date, please check My UT Benefits to confirm whether you have an open enrollment event, and if not, contact the Human Resources Service Center.
Your eligibility for coverage under the university's AD&D, disability, and UT Flex plans will end on the last day of the month in which you retire.
If you are enrolled in UT Flex, please ensure that you spend the funds in your account(s) prior to last day of the month in which you retire. Any funds remaining in your account after that date will be forfeit.
All retiree insurance elections and changes must be completed within 31 days of the retirement date listed on your TRS 30 or ORP Declaration of Retirement.
If you or your covered dependents will be aged 65 or older at the time of your retirement, and are already enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B, you/they will be automatically enrolled in the UT Care Medicare medical plan and UT Select Part D prescription drug plan within 60 days of retirement.
Once your enrollment is complete, you will receive welcome packets in the mail along with new identification cards. You should continue using your current medical and and prescription drug cards until your new ones. To ensure you receive maximum benefits, you should give your healthcare provider a copy of your Medicare ID card(s) as well.
If you are not enrolled in Medicare Parts A & B at the time of retirement, you will remain enrolled in UT Select until the first of the month after your Medicare enrollment is completed. While in UT Select, you will be responsible for paying the portion of your health insurance claims costs that Medicare would have paid had you been enrolled.
8) Pay Your Premiums
The university will pay the full cost of your UT Select/UT Care medical insurance plan premiums and half of the cost of your spouse and dependent's UT Select/UT Care medical insurance plan premiums.
You will be billed for the remainder of your out of pocket costs (even if you return to work).
If you fail to pay all of your bill, your dependent and voluntary coverages will be canceled, and you will be required to pay a significant penalty to re-enroll yourself or your dependents in the future (including during Annual Enrollment).
For more information about billing and retiree insurance premium payment options, please visit the Retiree Insurance Billing Information webpage on the Payroll Services website.
You will not be able to set up automatic retiree insurance until after your retirement date.
9) Decide What to Do With Your Accrued Paid Time Off
Unused vacation time off may be paid out or wholly or partially deferred into a Deferred Compensation (DCP) or Tax Sheltered Annuity account. If you choose to defer, please complete an Annual Leave Deferral Agreement, and submit it prior to your last day of employment.
Unused sick time off is not paid out upon your retirement, but you are welcome to donate it to the Family Leave Pool or Sick Leave Pool by submitting the requisite donation form prior to your last day of employment. If you choose to donate, please keep in mind that the Family Leave Pool is new, has a very low balance of hours, and is in greater need of donations.
10) Keep Your Contact Information Up-to-Date
To ensure that you receive important plan and enrollment updates, please keep your address, phone number, and personal email address up to date.
Consider registering for a UT Mail email account and changing the work email address listed in Workday to your UT Mail address just prior to retirement. This will ensure that you continue to receive important benefits information once you lose access to your employee email account.
11) Request Your Certificate of Retirement
If you would like a commemorative certificate of retirement, please submit your request.
12) Keep Your UT Connections
The Retired Faculty-Staff Association (RFSA) of The University of Texas at Austin provides a point of connection, continuity and communication for the mutual benefit of its members and the university. Enjoy many activities including travel, discussion groups, new restaurants, service to UT, and being part of the scholarship fund for students. For more information, please visit the RFSA website.
13) Return to Work
ORP retirees may return to work on the first of the month following retirement without restrictions.
TRS retirees should review the Employment After Retirement brochure provided by TRS. To avoid losing your retirement benefits, please review the brochure thoroughly, and contact TRS for questions or to discuss your particular return to work scenario. Please note that you are responsible for complying with TRS’ return to work requirements.
Retiree insurance premiums cannot be deducted from a return to work retiree's pay, so you will continue to receive a bill for your monthly out of pocket premium costs.
For additional information about how your return to work may impact your benefits, please visit the Employment After Retirement webpage on the HR website.
