You can meet in-person with a TIAA rep to discuss your retirement outlook and any questions you may have!
Whether you are just getting started or planning to retire soon - a session with Ms. Jahleel Gordon (TIAA rep) can help you create a plan for your goals. It’s at no additional cost and included as a part of your retirement plan.
You can discuss these questions and more:
TIAA on campus dates:
Welcome to your 2026 Thrive journey! Throughout 2026, the Wellness Program will support you with inspiring webinars, fun challenges, and practical resources so you can stay informed, engaged, and thriving. You can jumpstart 2026 with their new challenge:
Start your year with energy, fun, and a chance for a (virtual) fortune! Watch this video to learn more.
Join Feel Like a Million and get daily, easy-to-do activities designed to boost your energy and mood. Each activity brings you closer to a virtual million dollar prize - and bragging rights as a (virtual) millionaire! Hit the million mark and you'll be entered to win real $25 gift cards in our raffle drawings! It’s a fun, motivating way to launch into the new year with healthy fun and positivity! Register here
Monday, January 12, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Happy Habits
This is the perfect time to establish healthy habits for the new year. Set realistic goals with small actionable changes to prioritize your self-care.
Register for 1/12 Happy Habits
Thursday, January 15, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Preventive Care Guidelines
Staying on top of preventive care is one of the most powerful steps you can take to protect your health and well-being. In this session, an expert will provide preventive care guidelines, explain which screenings are recommended and when, and help you understand how early detection can make a meaningful difference.
Friday, January 9, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Focusing on the Positive Moments of the Day
Pause to focus on the positive moments of your day. You'll get a positivity boost and train your brain to notice more good things in the future.
Register for 1/9 Focusing on the Positive Moments of the Day
Friday, January 16, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Reflecting on a Positive Future
Envision your positive future in this guided meditation.
Register for 1/16 Reflecting on a Positive Future
Friday, January 9, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Know Your Health Numbers
Start the new year by understanding the numbers that matter most - such as blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and more.
Register for 1/9 Know Your Health Numbers
Friday, January 16, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Understanding Preventive Care
Prevention is powerful! Learn how to create your personalized preventive care checklist to stay ahead of potential health issues.
This premium deduction holiday does not apply to University System of Maryland (USM) MetLife deductions for Long Term Disability (LTD) and/or Optional Term Life insurance coverages.
Employee contributions to their supplemental retirement accounts (SRA) are not impacted by the premium deduction holidays, so the SRA contributions will occur per usual on the January 2, 2026 paycheck.
Health Benefits deduction holidays for Regular State of Maryland employees typically occur twice a year. This is the last anticipated deduction holiday.
Please send any questions to hrbenefits@umbc.edu.
As the holidays approach, we want to remind employees about the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a resource for eligible employees (Regular and Contingent II) and members of the employee's household.
Turn the holidays into a happy, stress-free time by taking care of yourself, bringing balance to your work and home life, and letting yourself relax and enjoy the season. Please see the attached flyer for tips on how to take care of yourself this holiday season.
Highlights of the EAP program via ComPsych and Guidance Resources:
There are two ways to access EAP services:
Call 1-855-410-7628 to speak to a counseling professional who will listen to your concerns and can guide you to the appropriate services you require.
OR
Visit Guidance Resources Online at www.guidanceresources.com and enter our company ID: USMEAP
We wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season!
MSRP webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff.
"Saving for a Purpose: Strategies for Achieving Your Financial Goals"
Whether you're building an emergency fund, planning a dream vacation, saving for a home, or preparing for retirement, having a clear purpose behind your savings can transform your financial future. In this webinar, we'll explore practical, proven strategies to help you set meaningful financial goals and create a personalized saving plan that works.
"Getting to Know EMPOWER: Participant Technology in Action"
Explore the tools, technology, and experiences that help participants make the most of their retirement journey with EMPOWER.
(Presented by Empower, MSRP's Contractor for Plan Administrator)
"Beyond the Basics: MSRP Strategies for Every Age of Your Career"
As a State of Maryland employee, UMBC employees have access to exclusive savings opportunities through the Maryland Supplemental Retirement Plans. This webinar will provide an in-depth look at practical strategies to help employees maximize these benefits at every stage of their careers.
These financial webinars are open to all Faculty and Staff, regardless of your retirement plan or vendor.
Register for TIAA’s live webinars to get financial information, news and tips from their experts.
Reserve your spot by clicking the registration links below. These webinars are a part of your retirement plan benefits.
Wednesday, December 10, 12pm to 1pm: Social Security
Learn how to maximize the benefit we've been paying into our entire working life. Social Security will likely play a significant role in your retirement income.
Wednesday, December 17: Top 10 Webinars of 2025
Published on or around December 17 will be featured on tiaa.org/webinars.
The holiday season is a time of joy, laughter, and togetherness. It's also a time of whirlwind activity and cheerful chaos! This makes it easy to forget about caring for ourselves. But just like this gingerbread family strolling hand-in-hand, you and your loved ones can embrace simple, meaningful habits that keep everyone healthy, happy, and thriving throughout the season. The Wellness Program is here to support you and your family during your Holiday Thrive Journey!
Monday, December 8, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Holiday Mental Health Checklist
Learn how to set realistic holiday expectations and recognize the main sources of your holiday stress as you develop a plan for a stress-free holiday.
Register for 12/8 Holiday Mental Health Checklist
Monday, December 15, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Holiday Sleep and Your Heart
The holiday season is a time of joy and togetherness, but it can also bring late nights and disrupted routines that impact both your sleep schedule and your heart health. With planning and awareness, you can maintain good sleep habits to enjoy this time of year to the fullest and keep your heart happy!
Register for 12/15 Holiday Sleep and Your Heart
Thursday, December 4, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Chair Pilates
Holiday wellness is about supporting your body through a season that demands more from it than usual. Pilates enhances digestion, relaxes muscle tension due to stress, and provides a well-being boost just when it's needed. This class is a gift to your body!
Register for 12/4 Chair Pilates
Thursday, December 11, 11:00 am - 11:45 am: Healthy Holidays Tips
The holidays don’t have to derail your health. Moderation, movement, mindfulness, and smart planning keep you on track throughout the holidays!
Register for 12/11 Healthy Holiday Tips
Thursday, December 18, 11:00 am - 11:30 am: Chair Yoga
The holidays can feel like a priority juggling act, making it easy to put yourself last on your list. But neglecting self-care now can lead to burnout, leaving you too exhausted to enjoy the season. This class provides you with a moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with yourself - just the mini-retreat you need!
Friday, December 5, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: The Power of Acceptance
Developing your capacity to accept the reality of the present moment may help to reduce stress and increase inner peace - perfect timing for the holidays!
Register for 12/5 The Power of Acceptance
Friday, December 12, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Dropping the Suitcase of Worries and Regrets
Drop your heavy suitcase of worries and regrets to allow yourself to rest and feel a peace that will carry you through the holidays and beyond.
Register for 12/12 Dropping the Suitcase of Worries and Regrets
Friday, December 19, 11:00 am - 11:15 am: Connection Reflection
Technology promises connection with others yet can actually distance you from genuine human interaction - collecting digital friends like trading cards misses the comfort of being fully present with another human being. Reflecting on your connections and how to nurture them beyond the screen can restore depth, warmth, and authenticity that no algorithm can replicate.
Register for 12/19 Connection Reflection
Friday, December 5, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Five Fundamentals of Financial Wellbeing
Finances can be more stressful during the holidays. Learn how to reduce this financial stress by practicing the five fundamentals of financial wellbeing.
Register for 12/5 Five Fundamentals of Financial Wellbeing
Friday, December 12, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Cold Weather and Wintertime Safety
Brush up on ways to stay safe during the colder months as common weather challenges and wintertime health practices are discussed.
Register for 12/12 Cold Weather and Wintertime Safety
Friday, December 19, 11:30 am - 11:45 am: Healthier Ways for the Holidays
The holidays can be delightful but also can hinder your nutrition and fitness goals. Learn how to make healthier choices while enjoying holiday fun!
Dear Colleagues,
We would like to share an upcoming IRS rule under the SECURE 2.0 Act that may impact how you make retirement contributions.
What is changing?
Beginning January 1, 2026, employees who are age 50 or older and
who make catch-up contributions to the USM Supplemental Retirement Plans
will be required to make those contributions on a Roth (after-tax) basis
if they earned $150,000 or more in wages from USM during the prior
calendar year. Roth contributions grow tax-free, and qualified withdrawals in
retirement are tax-free.
Who is impacted?
You will be affected by this change if all the following are true:
Employees who earned less than $150,000 in the prior year may continue to make catch-up contributions on either a pre-tax or Roth basis, depending on plan options. This change applies only to catch-up contributions. Your regular retirement contributions are not affected and may continue to be made on either a pre-tax or Roth basis, depending on plan options.
Eligibility for the 2026 Roth catch-up requirement is based on wages earned in the 2025 calendar year.
2026 IRS Contribution Limits:
Contribution Type and 2026 Limit
What are catch-up contributions?
Catch-up contributions allow employees age 50 or older to save additional money for retirement above the regular annual IRS limits.
What do impacted employees need to do?
If you are affected, beginning in 2026, your catch-up contributions will automatically be treated as Roth (after-tax) contributions.
If you wish to make a change to your deferral because of this update, you can review or change your contribution elections at any time through the Retirement@Work portal. Your elections can be updated at any time during the year and will apply to future pay periods.
Contribution changes apply only to future pay periods and cannot be applied
retroactively.
Participants
in the Maryland State Employees Supplemental Retirement Plan (MSRP)
If you also participate in an MSRP plan, you will receive additional
information directly from Empower, the plan's recordkeeper, explaining
how SECURE 2.0 will apply to your MSRP contributions.
Why is this happening?
This change is required by federal law (SECURE 2.0 Act, Section 603) and
applies to all employers that offer 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and similar
retirement plans.
We
will keep you informed
Please look for additional information about this change from TIAA, Fidelity or
Empower. If you have questions about catch-up contributions or your retirement
plan elections, please contact HRBenefits@umbc.edu
F-1, J-1, and H1-B Crash Course
Global Engagement Brown Bag Series
Intercultural Connection Games
Global Engagement Brown Bag Series