Janis Bliss This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. The Easterner Online - TIAA-CREF offers consultations to faculty and staff

   www.easterneronline.com/vnews/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/17/2005   Last Visited: 1/19/2005

   Janis Bliss, administrator of benefits at EWU, in regard to the TIAA-CREF company, said ,it,s been a really good plan to work with. Our retirees seem to be very happy with it.,
   
   Bliss said that TIAA, Teachers Insurance Annuity Association, was founded in 1912 by Andrew Carnegie.
   ...
   Bliss said that they are set up to be a guaranteed annuity, and a person should be able to calculate and keep track of exactly what they are going to receive when they retire.
   
   CREF, College Retirement Equity Funds, was created in 1952 as an alternative retirement plan for educators. The CREF system is composed entirely of stock accounts, and it is a riskier path than the TIAA accounts. Bliss said that the system is based on buying units of stock, and depending on the stock values and the fluctuation of the market, the values of CREF accounts could go up or down.
   ...
   ,Think of it as a thermometer from low-risk to high-risk,, said Bliss.
   
   Each faculty member,s retirement is based on how they invested it and how well it has done.
   
   Bliss said that there was a man who worked for EWU and left with $25,000 in his retirement annuity. He continued working elsewhere and let that money sit until he was ready to use it, 20 years later, and now his annuity has grown to over $530,000.
   
   The pamphlets that are available in Showalter Hall are full of information regarding TIAA-CREF retirement funds.
   
   They essentially provide all the information to walk people through planning out their retirement account.
   
   TIAA-CREF seems to be doing well, said Bliss.
   
   ,I,ve enjoyed working with them. They are very personable and hands on,, said Bliss, ,and they provide good materials.,