Elizabeth Althoff
It’s been another great year for LAGERS Bloggers, and we have had so much fun writing for you! Over the past 12 months, we’ve covered a variety of topics about your retirement benefits, and now, 52 blogs later, we wanted to close 2015 by reflecting on our favorite blogs of the year. Here are our picks!
Bob Wilson, Assistant Director, Member Services – In Case You Missed it, A Recap of the 48th Annual Meeting
While I like all of our blogs because we get right to the point, my favorite is the recap of our LAGERS 48th Annual Meeting. Everything about what we do and why we do it – best service for our members – is captured with that meeting and the article. I’m so proud and thankful to get to do what we do. We’re focusing on the right things for the right reasons; and Elizabeth’s blog brings that home!
Jeff Kempker, Manager of Member Services – 4 Things I Learned About Retirement Planning from an NCAA Basketball Game
This was my favorite blog of 2015 because it somehow makes the link between the National College Basketball Championship Tournament, AKA March Madness, and saving for your retirement. I remember reading something last year about people spending more time filling out their tournament brackets to predict the winners than they spend on retirement planning each year. I have to admit, I may be one of those people. But, as this blog points out, saving for retirement doesn’t have to be complicated. The important things are to realize that time is precious, to take advantage of opportunities presented by others, ask for help from a good coach if you need it, and that it’s OK to foul every now and again as long as you don’t foul out and impair your chances of winning.
Jeff Pabst, Communications Specialist – Three Things You Must Think About Before Taking the Partial Lump Sum at Retirement
The blog that comes to mind for me was Jeff Kempker’s blog, “Three Things You Must Think About Before Taking the Partial Lump Sum at Retirement.” I know I have regularly referenced this blog at Pre-Retirement Seminars for those who are looking for a little more information about the Partial Lump Sum. Jeff does a great job explaining the Partial Lump Sum (PLUS) and all of the issues you need to consider before blindly picking the largest number on the page.
Elizabeth Althoff, Communications Specialist – Pension Reform Jeopardy: “I’ll take The Real Truth for $1,000, Alex!”
Picking a favorite blog from this year almost feels like having to pick a favorite child, but I went with Bob’s Pension Reform blog, because I think that this is a topic that we all have heard at least one (or a hundred) media soundbites about this year. I get that doom and gloom sells papers, but the sad part is, fearmongering the American public into thinking that all pensions are bad and unsustainable will ultimately end in retirement tragedy for public and private sector workers alike. Well-designed pensions, like LAGERS, are helping workers achieve modest and sustainable retirement benefits that will help them avoid financial hardship later in life. Everyone who works hard should have a decent retirement benefit that they can count on, and that’s just what LAGERS and many other extremely well run pension systems across this county provide!
