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5 Financial Goals to Consider with Help from Fidelity and TIAA

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As a benefits-eligible employee, you may be aware of the generous retirement savings programs and resources MSU offers to help set you up for a successful retirement. However, MSU’s retirement plan vendors, Fidelity and TIAA, can help you with more than just retirement planning. Whatever your financial goals may be – such as funding a big purchase, paying down debt, or creating a sustainable budget – Fidelity and TIAA can help you create a plan to achieve them.

Fidelity and TIAA are financial professionals who can provide strategies and advice to help you take charge of your finances. Review the goals below and then reach out to your vendor using the following contact information.

Everyone can benefit from having a clear financial plan. Yet, many people need clarity on their goals or the strategies necessary to make them happen. If you’re not sure where to start, the following financial goals with resources from TIAA and Fidelity are recommended for all individuals at any stage of life:

  1. Create a Budget: Many people only have a vague understanding of their spending habits or financial situation. Between trying to comprehend financial jargon, figuring out your money goals, and understanding how to balance debt, saving, and investing, it’s no wonder people often choose to bury their heads in the sand. Luckily, Fidelity and TIAA have tools, resources, and advice to help us make a plan and stay on track.
    More Information:
  2. Build an Emergency Fund: Setting aside money for an emergency – such as unemployment, surprise medical or vet bills, or unplanned home repairs – is a key element of basic financial planning and often the first step advisors will recommend. According to TIAA, “it’s good to maintain an emergency fund that would cover three to six months of living expenses” (Waltenberger, 2024). These living expenses include the things you absolutely must pay for each month, such as food, housing, utilities, child care, health care, transportation, debt payments, or similar.

    The latest report released by the Federal Reserve found that 37% of adults would not be able to afford a $400 emergency expense (2022, Federal Reserve), which means they would have to use credit cards, personal loans, early retirement withdrawals, or ask family/friends for assistance. Saving towards an emergency fund – even if it’s only a small amount each month – can help you build a safety net that can keep you out of debt.
    More Information:
  3. Pay Down Debt: The average American owes $104,215 in debt across mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, student loans, auto loans, credit cards, and personal loans (Experian, 2024). While it’s important to note that having debt isn’t necessarily bad – a mortgage loan, for instance, can help you build wealth and eventually own a home – having too much debt or high-interest debt can lead to serious financial stress. Fidelity clarifies, “Good debt is generally considered any debt that may help you increase your net worth or generate future income. Importantly, it typically has a low interest or annual percentage rate (APR), which experts say is normally under 6%” (Fidelity, 2023).

    If you’re only able to make the minimum payment on your credit card, have trouble paying your monthly bills, or have debt payments that are more than 35% of your gross income, you may need help managing your debt (TIAA, 2024). Luckily, TIAA and Fidelity have actionable steps to help you move in the right direction. Review the resources below for advice on managing debt and reach out to your vendor directly to receive personal financial advice.
    More Information:
  4. Maximize Your Retirement Investment: Most benefit-eligible employees1 are enrolled in the 403(b) Base Retirement Program, which consists of a 5% employee contribution of your eligible compensation and a generous university matching contribution of 10%. That’s an immediate two-for-one match of your investment for a total contribution of 15%. While this provides a great foundation for your retirement savings, you may eventually want to consider additional options. It’s important to note the IRS places limits on how much employees can contribute to their retirement savings accounts each year. However, many people may discover there is a lot of room before their current contributions reach that limit. Fidelity and TIAA can help you determine what your retirement contributions should be to help you reach your personal retirement goals – whether that date is 30 years in the future or just around the corner.
    More Information:




  5. Plan Your Estate: According to TIAA, “Pondering your incapacity or mortality, and what might happen to your loved ones when you are no longer with them, can be tough to face. It’s what keeps most people from starting the estate planning process” (TIAA, 2024). Despite the challenging nature of the topic, creating a solid plan can give you and your family peace of mind and the confidence that your wishes will be carried out as desired.
    More Information:

Questions? We encourage you to reach out to Fidelity (800-642-7131) or TIAA (800-732-8353) with your financial or retirement planning questions.

1 Certain types of employees are excluded to participate in the 403(b) Retirement Plan. Please see the 403(b) Base Retirement Program Eligibility Chart for more detail. 

Sources:

Five Essential Estate planning questions to ask. TIAA. (n.d.-a). https://www.tiaa.org/public/learn/retirement-planning-and-beyond/important-estate-planning-questions

Good debt vs bad debt. Fidelity. (2023, October 9). https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/smart-money/good-debt-vs-bad-debt Horymski, C. (2024, March 22). Experian study: Average U.S. consumer debt and statistics. Experian. https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/research/consumer-debt-study/

How to make a financial plan. Fidelity. (2024, February 21). https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/wealth-management-insights/how-to-make-a-financial-plan-video

 Report on the economic well-being of U.S. households in 2022 – May 2023. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. (2023, May 22). https://www.federalreserve.gov/publications/2023-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2022-executive-summary.htm

Tips for managing and reducing your debt. TIAA. (n.d.). https://www.tiaa.org/public/learn/personal-finance-101/debt-consolidation

Waltenberger, A. (n.d.). 5 must-have financial goals. TIAA. https://www.tiaa.org/public/learn/personal-finance-101/5-must-have-financial-goals

America Saves Week 2023

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This week is America Saves Week, an annual event that encourages you to learn and plan for increased savings, lower debt, investing and preparing for retirement. This year’s focus is on financial confidence. America Saves Week defines financial confidence as, “the intersection of building a savings habit, knowing what resources you have available to support your financial stability, and taking advantage of those resources as needed.” 

You can do all this using resources provided to employees by the university and our benefits partners. Both of MSU’s retirement partners, Fidelity and TIAA, offer tips and tricks, courses for financial literacy, and other resources. Through America Saves Week, you also have access to planning tools for managing financial emergencies.

Fidelity Resources

Fidelity provides many resources to MSU employees that can help you learn how to save better and prioritize your financial confidence. You can access your Fidelity account here to get started. Interested in learning the specifics about Fidelity’s rainy day investment and savings plans? Visit their Netbenefits site. Other tools and calculators provided by Fidelity to their MSU members can be found here.

TIAA Resources

If you feel dissatisfied about your current financial situation, TIAA wants to remind you that you are not alone. Read the 2023 TIAA Personal Finance Index and learn that it’s not just you. Some ways to start building financial resiliency with TIAA include contributing to your retirement savings, paying down debt, and growing an emergency fund. According to a survey conducted by TIAA, having more in retirement savings is a top contributor to financial resiliency. Visit the EBS portal to learn more about your contribution options.

Schedule a Virtual Consultation with Fidelity or TIAA

Both Fidelity and TIAA offer virtual appointments with financial consultants. Be sure to set up an appointment to get your questions answered for no additional cost. Set up your Fidelity consulting appointment here or set up your TIAA consulting appointment here.

For general questions about retirement, contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or (517) 353-4434 or visit the HR website. For questions about your specific financial plans, contact your vendor.

Tackle Savings, Debt, and More During America Saves Week 2022

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America Saves Week is February 21-25, 2022! This week is an annual event that encourages you to learn and plan for increased savings, lower debt, investing, and preparing for retirement. You can do all this using resources provided to employees by the university and our benefits partners. Both of MSU’s retirement partners, Fidelity and TIAA, offer ways to plan during this week. This includes live webinars, courses for financial literacy, and other resources. Through America Saves Week, you have access to planning tools for managing financial emergencies, which can be very useful during these uncertain times. 

Fidelity Resources

Check out online workshops from Fidelity that cover topics including “Ditch your Debt,” “Manage Unexpected Events and Expenses,” and “Invest Confidently for Your Future,” among many other topics throughout the week. All the programs can be attended live by registering here and important information can be viewed on-demand as workshops here. Interested in learning the specifics about Fidelity’s rainy day investment and savings plans? Visit their Netbenefits site. Other tools and calculators provided by Fidelity to their MSU members can be found here. 

TIAA Resources

If you feel dissatisfied about your current financial situation, TIAA wants to remind you that you are not alone. Read the 2021 TIAA Personal Finance Index and learn that it’s not just you. Some ways you can start to build financial resiliency with TIAA include contributing to your retirement savings, paying down debt, and growing an emergency fund. According to a survey conducted by TIAA, having more in retirement savings is a top contributor to financial resiliency. Visit the EBS portal to learn more about your contribution options. You can also read about financial vulnerability and how to avoid it in this published study, created to help millennials address their finances.

Schedule a Virtual Consultation with Fidelity or TIAA

Both Fidelity and TIAA offer virtual appointments with financial consultants! Be sure to set up an appointment to get your questions answered for no additional cost. Set up your Fidelity consulting appointment here or set up your TIAA consulting appointment here.

For general questions about retirement, contact the HR Solutions Center at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or (517) 353-4434 or visit the HR website. For questions about your specific financial plans, contact your vendor. 

Tips to Enhance Savings During America Saves Week!

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Today marks the start of America Saves Week, taking place February 24-29, 2020. America Saves Week is a nationally recognized time to encourage individuals and families “to save money, reduce debt, and build wealth” (America Saves, 2018). Saving money is much easier said than done, so MSU’s retirement vendors TIAA and Fidelity have provided tips and tools to make saving for retirement and (life in general) a bit easier.

  • Save just 1% more. If you’re already saving, that’s great! But, did you know that increasing your 401(k) savings by just 1% can cause your savings to grow exponentially? Try the Power of Small Amounts tool by Fidelity to see how a small increase can have big effects on your savings.
  • Utilize a financial goal planner. Reveal your personal financial path in just three steps:

1. Map your income and expenses.

2. Write down each of your goals.

3. Match each goal to a time frame.       

4. Find an in-depth financial goal planner from TIAA here.

  • Try an online webinar. Both Fidelity and TIAA offer a variety of online resources. Fidelity hosts webinars on everything from managing life to saving and investment, to preparing for retirement. Fidelity is offering live webinars for Fidelity members during America Saves Week; if you’re not a member, you can find previous webcasts available any time on the Fidelity website. TIAA offers educational articles on saving, tools for goal setting, a retirement calculator, and free live webinars. You don’t need to be a TIAA member to participate in the live webinars, simply select the “Guest Login” option on their website when signing up for a webinar. You can also give them a call at 800-842-2252.
  • Try to follow the 50/30/20 rule. Allow 50% of your income to go towards necessities, 30% towards discretionary items, and 20% towards savings. Click here to learn more about monthly savings plans and the 50/30/20 rule from TIAA.

Whether you’re looking to save for retirement now or start planning for your future, Fidelity and TIAA can help you plan with webinars, online professional help and financial planners.

For general questions about retirement, contact MSU HR at SolutionsCenter@hr.msu.edu or 517-353-4434. For questions about your specific retirement plans, please contact your retirement vendor directly.

 

TIAA offers financial workshops for women to learn more about investing, saving and more!

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Looking to learn more about financial literacy? TIAA, one of MSU’s retirement vendors, is offering upcoming workshops on April 11 specifically geared towards women who are either in the early stages of their careers or mid-career. The She’s Got It: Financial Knowledge for All workshops are guided to help woman learn about investing, building actions plans and learning how to secure your future well-being. This workshop will focus on core concepts on investing, finding ways to save for life events and developing financial goals.

Why is it important to save? In life, anything can happen, and it is important to save for your future and for both expected and unexpected life events. You may not end up saving as much as you like every year, but you can start with a goal and plan from there. The workshops will go over ways to save if your single, married, in long-term relationship and saving with children and parents.

Below are some of the basics things you can learn from the workshops:

Saving and investing:

  • Setting aside an emergency fund
  • Increasing contributions from raises
  • Learn how to pay yourself first!
  • Two secrets of making your money grow

What to consider when investing?

  • Investment risk
  • Volatility
  • Asset allocation and diversification
  • Expenses

The workshops will be held on Thursday, April 11. Choose from one of the following sessions:

  • 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. OR
  • Noon – 1:30 p.m.

Both workshops will be at the MSU Student Center, Lake Huron Room, located on the third floor. For more information on this workshop or to reserve your seat, visit the TIAA website or give them a call at 800-732-8353.