View and download University retirement forms.
For questions about retiring from the University or to schedule a one-on-one retirement advising session, contact the retirement advisor based on your location:
| Location | Advisor | Advisor's Email |
|---|---|---|
| Main Campus and College of Applied Science & Technology | Renee Aragon-Verdugo | hrsolutions@arizona.edu |
| UA Health Sciences | Andres Gabaldon | andresg1@email.arizona.edu |
| COM Phoenix | Michelle Wilson | wilson1@email.arizona.edu |
All the talk about different Medicare parts and the hype about Medicare advantage plans can be confusing. In short, there are four parts to Medicare:
Medicare Part A, the hospital coverage, is premium-free, and UA employees should enroll when they turn 65. If you are not yet retired, you can apply for Medicare through the Social Security Administration website or visit the Tucson Social Security Office at 3808 N. First Ave., Tucson, AZ 85719; Phone: (800) 772-1213.
As long as you remain benefits eligible, you are able to continue your UA-provided health insurance (through the Arizona Department of Administration or the UA Alternative Plan for Domestic Partners) rather than enrolling in Medicare Parts B and D. Be aware that enrolling in both Medicare and ADOA/UA health insurance costs you two premiums and provides duplicate coverage.
As long as you are a UA employee covered under the ADOA or UA Alternative health plan, you are not required to enroll in Medicare Part B. Nor would it be cost-effective to do so, as you would be largely duplicating coverage.
Once you are retired, if you enroll in Medicare Part B, your retiree medical plan will function as a secondary plan. Medicare is billed first, and the retiree plan would cover only what Medicare does not cover. If you enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan (Part C), then you may want to consider discontinuing your retiree plan, as Part C provides comprehensive coverage.
For more information contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or the Pima Council on Aging at (520) 546-2011.
Whether you are enrolled in the UA Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) or the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), you are eligible to enroll in health insurance through either ASRS or ADOA.
Important: To continue your ADOA health insurance, you must enroll in ADOA coverage within 30 days of your retirement date. If you decline or cancel your coverage, you will not be able to re-enroll with ADOA in the future. If you choose to keep either medical or dental coverage through ADOA, you may elect either or both during future Open Enrollment periods. However, you may decline retiree coverage through ASRS initially, but elect coverage during future Open Enrollment periods.
Yes, you can keep your health insurance with the Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA) as a retiree. However, you will be responsible for paying the full cost of ADOA insurance premiums with no UA employer contribution. You also have the option of enrolling in retiree health insurance through the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), whether or not you have ASRS retirement. Premiums will vary depending on whether you are Medicare-eligible or not.
We encourage UA retirees who are Medicare eligible to carefully evaluate all their health-care choices, including both UA retiree options and various Medicare plans to find the best and most cost-effective coverage for their needs.
Yes, retiring employees may continue (convert or port) their basic, supplemental, and dependent life insurance policies. For more information, please contact Securian and The Hartford. If you continue your life insurance within 30 days of your retirement date, you do not have to worry about medical underwriting.
RASL, Retiree Accumulated Sick Leave, is a benefit offered to state employees who have amassed 500 or more hours of unused sick leave. You can receive a payout for part of the value of that time upon retirement. Note: You must apply for a distribution from the ORP or a pension from ASRS no later than 31 calendar days after your termination of employment. You also must submit the RASL application to the UA Division of Human Resources no later than 150 days after your last day of work (to ensure processing by 180 days after retirement. If these deadlines are missed, you will forfeit the RASL benefit so it is wise to complete all paperwork prior to your last day of work.
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Frequently asked questions about RASL
Unfortunately, Human Resources cannot calculate your pension benefits. You will need to contact your retirement plan representative (either Arizona State Retirement System or Optional Retirement Plan ) to discuss retirement income estimates. If you’re not sure which retirement plan you are contributing to, you can look on your Benefits Summary in UAccess or contact the Human Resources Solutions team at (520) 621-3660.
The ASRS website has a generic pension calculator where you can estimate your benefits. To access your personalized information, register for an online myASRS account. ASRS also conducts a series of group seminars, either online or at the Tucson or Phoenix offices. You can also schedule an individual appointment with an ASRS representative.
You can arrange to meet in-person with a representative from Fidelity Investments or TIAA.
Plan to meet with ASRS or your ORP representative about 3–6 months before you end UA employment. We recommend that you apply for your ASRS pension or ORP distribution approximately 4 to 6 weeks prior to your expected retirement date, to allow processing time.
| Website | Customer Service |
|---|---|
| Fidelity Investments |
(800) 343-0860 Consultant: |
| TIAA |
(866) 548-3705 Consultant: |
| Arizona State Retirement System | Tucson: (520) 239-3100 Phoenix: (602) 240-2000 Areas outside Tucson & Phoenix: (800) 621-3778 |
The answer depends on whether you are enrolled in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) or Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS).
Employees in the ORP have the option to negotiate a three-year phased retirement agreement with their dean or vice-president. Phased retirement allows you to take distributions from your ORP account while gradually reducing your workload and hours.
There is no formal phased retirement program for ASRS participants. Reducing your FTE may impact your pension benefit. Contact ASRS for more information.
