Put MNEA-R into your retirement plan

As the new MNEA-Retired president, I appreciate the opportunity to serve our 4,000 members. If you have just retired and haven’t joined MNEA-R and NEA-R yet, please join us and enjoy the many benefits and security of membership.

If you are considering retiring (let’s hope so) at some time in the future, I urge you to consider joining the MNEA-R and NEA-R now. By joining now, your transition from active membership to retired membership is seamless, with no loss of benefits. By joining now, you avoid the inevitable dues increase down the line. The dues for MNEA-R and NEA-R together are currently a bargain at $350. This is not $350 a year, but it is a one-time dues payment for life membership.

Retired membership provides continued eligibility in many Member Benefits programs, which provide savings over the years that dwarf the dues amount. As a member, you also receive the retired publications that keep you informed of issues important to public school retirees.
MNEA-R sends representatives to the Public School Retirement System/Public Education Employees Retirement System board meetings to monitor their management of the retirement system. MNEA-R lobbies the legislature for laws that work for the benefit of retirees. NEA-R lobbies Congress for tax, Medicare, and Social Security laws that benefit public school retirees.

Currently, MNEA-R and NEA-R are lobbying tirelessly for the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset (WEP/GPO), which drastically cut Social Security benefits to public employee retirees. The successful repeal of these offsets will pay back your membership dues many times over.

You can drop by your Uniserv office to pick up a membership form, call the membership department at (800) 392-0236, or join online using a credit card at www.mnea.org/membership/retired.htm.

by Cecil T. Sharp
MNEA-Retired president

sb, fall 07