“Portable,” as defined in Webster’s Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary, means “capable of being transported or conveyed.” A portable retirement account would allow you to move it from one employer to another without any discernible detriment to you. As a rule, employers in either the not-for-profit or the for-profit sector rarely permit employees to bring retirement plans from previous employers to their new positions. On occasion, Congress has debated enacting legislation that would allow for the creation of individual pension accounts that could be moved from one employer to another. (more…)

As the name indicates, a Supplemental Retirement Annuity (the “SRA”) operates as an adjunct to your Retirement Annuity. If your employer offers an Supplemental Retirement Annuity, you have the opportunity to augment your retirement stash on a tax-deferred basis through a salary deferral agreement, provided you are within the contribution limitations stipulated by law. Again, your benefits office will be able to advise you as to how large a percentage of your salary you may contribute to your Supplemental Retirement Annuity. Not all institutions offer the SRA. If your employer is one who does, try your hardest to take advantage of this feature of your employer’s plan. (more…)

The Group Retirement Account (or “GRA”) and the Group Supplemental Retirement Account (or “GSRA”) resemble the Retirement Annuity account and the Supplemental Retirement Annuity account in many respects. There are, however, some fundamental differences between the group accounts and their nongroup counterparts.

Both the RA and the Group Retirement Account are contracts with TIAA-CREF. (more…)

TIAA offers two investment choices at present: the TIAA Traditional Annuity and the Real Estate Account. Both accounts are relatively stable investments.

The TIAA Traditional Annuity is the only investment option that offers a guaranteed return. The guaranteed level is generally low and can be changed, depending on prevailing market conditions. It provides an absolute bottom for those participants looking for a minimum return level, albeit well below existing market rates. (more…)