Basic Retirement

The RF helps you prepare for a financially secure retirement by contributing an amount based on a percentage of your RF biweekly earnings (as described on the Contributions page) to a retirement account at TIAA.  This plan does not permit employee contributions. See the Optional Retirement Plan if you want to supplement your retirement income with payroll deductions. 

Eligibility

All non-student RF employees who complete a waiting period of one year of qualified service (975 hours of service for a 37.5-hour work week or 1,000 hours for a 40-hour week) are eligible for the Basic Retirement Plan.  The following individuals are not eligible to participate in this plan:

• Full-time SUNY students employed in a specific RF student title; however, student service as an RF employee will be considered toward the waiting period if the student is subsequently appointed as a regular RF employee, and before incurring five consecutive one-year breaks in service
• Members of a collective bargaining unit unless participation is agreed to pursuant to good faith bargaining
• Leased employees
• Persons engaged as independent contractors

Pre-1989 Plan

Some long-service RF employees may have funds in our plan that was in effect prior to 1989.  Those participants who wish to view the fees and expenses information for that plan can do so here. 

Additional information

For additional information, you may also refer to the Benefits Handbook or Postdoctoral Employee Benefits Handbook and/or www.tiaa.org/rfsuny.