UPCOMING EVENTS

Financial Wellness: Starting Line: Why and How Retirement Should Begin Now

Human Resource Services will host two informational sessions on how to start saving for retirement. Join us to learn how smart steps in the beginning of your career can help lead you to a more solid financial future. Learn the importance of saving early, how to evaluate and manage debt and the benefits of contributing to your employer sponsored retirement plan. See how budgeting can help you find money where you least expected it - and help you save it. All faculty and staff are welcome to attend. The hour long sessions will be presented by TIAA: September 16 at 3 p.m. in the ScholarSpace LIB and September 17 at noon in the State College Room MAU. Please register in advance.

Financial Wellness: Investing 101

Human Resource Services will host two informational sessions on Investing 101. Learn the basics of investing and investment related concepts. All faculty and staff are welcome to attend. The hour long sessions will be presented by Veridian: September 16 at 3 p.m. and September 17 at noon in 007 GIL. Please register in advance.

My Well-being: Confidential Biometric Screening

Human Resource Services will host a confidential biometric screening on September 20 from 7 to 9 a.m. in the Safety Training Room, located at 3219 Hudson Road. All benefit eligible employees may participate in one free biometric screening each academic year. For more information visit the confidential biometric screening webpage.

To register visit: https://hrs.uni.edu/wellbeing/bioscreening#register

My Well-being: Annual Flu Vaccinations

Each year, Employee Well-being provides free flu vaccinations for faculty and staff. The first clinic of the year is scheduled on September 25 in the Redeker Center Lounge from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional clinic times and dates can be found on our Flu Vaccination page. Plan ahead to protect yourself and others from the flu!

Retirement Readiness: Social Security 101

Human Resource Services will host two informational sessions on Social Security benefits and how to prepare for retirement. Learn how Social Security benefits affect retirement, strategies to maximize your benefits, and ideas to help you set up your retirement income. All faculty and staff are welcome to attend. The hour long sessions will be presented by VALIC: September 30 at 3 p.m. and October 1 at noon in the State College Room MAU. Please register in advance.

Retirement Readiness: Estate Planning Basics

Human Resource Services will host two informational sessions on the basics of estate planning. Join us to learn how estate planning affects retirement and strategies to maximize your benefits. All faculty and staff are welcome to attend. The hour long sessions will be presented by John Englin, Director of Financial Planning and Trust Services, Veridian Credit Union: October 7 at 3 p.m. and October 8 at noon in the State College Room MAU. Please register in advance.

Please be advised the above sessions may be cancelled if 10 or more employees are not registered. If cancelled, you will be notified directly via UNI email or campus phone. Room location is subject to change. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UNI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact a benefits team member at 319-273-2954, or hrs-benefits@uni.edu, at least one week prior to the event.

Save the Date:

TIAA October Financial Wellness Webinars:

Open to all Employees

• October 15 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: Making gifts to loved ones and charities
• October 16 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: Understanding Health Savings Accounts (HSA's)
• October 16 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST
  • Lifetime Income: Market-proof your retirement
• October 17 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: Quarterly economic and market update with TIAA's Chief Investment Strategist
• October 17 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST
  • Within Reach: Transitioning from career to retirement
• October 22 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: Help protect you, your family and your money
• October 22 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST
  • Money at Work 2: Sharpening your investment skills
• October 23 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: Understanding Medicare
• October 23 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST
  • Start to Finish: The early career woman's guide to financial wisdom 
• October 24 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Special Topic: The 411 on 529 college savings plans
• October 24 | 2 to 3 p.m. CST
  • Tomorrow in Focus: Saving for your ideal retirement
• October 31 | 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. CST
  • Lifetime Income: Planning for Retirement: The Why, What, and How

To register visit: www.tiaa.org/webinars

Times through the webinar link will be shown in Eastern Standard Time.

WW (formally Weight Watchers) Upcoming Webinars

WW webinars are available to all employees. If you are interested in a webinar, but are unable to attend the scheduled date and time, please still register. You will be sent a recorded link following the live event that you are able to view at your convenience.

• September 19 | 1 p.m. CST
  • Topic: Cooking with Julie: ZeroPoint Cooking
• November 4 | noon CST
  • Topic: Cooking with Julie: Solutions for the holidays
• November 5 | 1 p.m. CST
  • Topic: WW for Diabetes
• December 3 | 1 p.m. CST
  • Topic: The WW Experience (Updated for 2020 Innovation!)

HEADLINES

Stay on Track During Market Fluctuation

The stock market has gone through a lot of ups and downs recently. Here are some tips to help you manage your investments and to stay on track to reach your long-term savings goals.

1. Know Your Risk Tolerance
   • Determine your comfort level with market ups and downs to help you choose investments that best meet your goals and timeline for retirement.
2. Diversify
   • Spread your savings over a mix of investments that include higher and lower risk. This may help balance losses from an investment with gains from another.
3. Determine If You Need To Rebalance
   • When choosing investments you decide the mix of low and high risk and which percentage of your money is going into each one. This is called your asset allocation and over time it can adjust as the market moves up and down. This may cause you to have more money in a higher or lower risk investment than you originally selected. Rebalancing helps you return to your investments to the original asset allocation.

If you need assistance please contact your TIAA consultant or financial professional.

Want to learn more about the basics of investing? Register to attend Financial Wellness: Investing 101 presented by Veridian.

Continued Success and Support with Healthy Weight @ UNI

The WW at UNI program is in its second year and going strong. The second year began in March and since then the total group has lost a total of 1,696 lbs! If you speak to members of the group you will likely hear not only what they lost, but more importantly what they have gained.

One UNI WW member recently shared, "I am down 34 pounds since beginning in March. I feel so much better. I am able to move better, have less pain in my joints, and feel better emotionally."

This program is about working towards a healthy lifestyle and a healthier weight, to support overall health. There are no foods excluded and no specific products you have to purchase. It is not a one size fits all approach, nor an approach towards obtaining a certain size. It is about finding a balance, and what will work for you, to live a healthy life.

An added bonus of this program is the community. Support is provided through workshops, motivational emails, social media, and electronic tools. Every employee group on campus is represented (faculty, merit, P&S), and everyone is there for the same common goal. You will find a very helpful, inclusive, and non-judgmental group to join.

At the on-campus meetings, we are very fortunate to have motivating, engaging, and experienced WW coaches to lead our workshops. They have been through the programs themselves and they have coached at work meetings for years. They are happy to assist others on their journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

If you are looking for a program that provides group support and proven weight loss methods that work through healthier choices, then search no longer. Paying members can join any time and still experience the UNI discount. For more details on how to join, contact Therese Callaghan at therese.callaghan@uni.edu or call 273-4246.

Taking Ownership

Read Your Explanation of Benefits (EOB), it Can Save You Money

Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, our health insurance provider, will provide an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) each time a health or prescription claim is processed. Understanding your EOB is very important. The document tells you:

1. Your doctor’s appointment/service, or prescription, has been reviewed by Wellmark.
2. How much our health plan account will pay towards what is owed for the appointment.
3. What you will owe as ‘patient responsibility’.

An EOB is not a bill. If you owe anything you will be billed directly from the doctor’s office. By knowing your plan, and reading your Explanation of Benefits, you can ensure what you are paying is correct. You should always receive an EOB prior to receiving your bill, this way you understand why you are being charged.

For example, your provider could incorrectly submit a claim resulting in Wellmark denying the claim. You could then receive a bill for the service when UNI’s plan actually covers the service that you received. By understanding your health plan, you can double check these charges and potentially save money. If you have questions on any charges relating to your health insurance, please call the number on the back of your Wellmark ID and/or your provider. To learn more please watch our video.

COMING IN OCTOBER

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