Retirement? Me?  

Retirement? Me?

It's natural for you to have lots of issues on your mind, and retirement probably isn't even on the list. But we'd like to let you know that DSEA has an organization called DSEA-Retired.

While you're an active school employee, DSEA-Retired members are busy trying to make things better for you when you do retire - things like pension benefits and health care.

It's not too early to think about the quality of life you'd like in your retirement and to plan for it now, before it's too late. Here are two reasons why:
  • the State of Delaware does not provide automatic pension increases to keep up with inflation; and
  • thirty years of service will only provide approximately 58% of your final average compensation.

Our advice? Plan now. We urge you to explore various savings options, such as tax-sheltered annuities, individual retirement accounts, and tax-sheltered bonds which are available to school employees.

The DSEA Executive Board has endorsed several investment companies who offer various tax-sheltered investments:

MetLife Insurance Co. (formerly CitiStreet), 8815 Centre Park Drive, Suite 300, 1-800-446-1615 Patrick Caliguiri, regional manager;
Tim Ferrell (Appoquinimink, Caesar Rodney, Capital, Lake Forest, Milford, New Castle VT, Polytech, Smyrna);
Lisa Rydzefski (Brandywine, Red Clay);
Vince Begatto (Christina, Colonial);
Marianne Larock-McGuckin (Kent & Sussex Counties), 302- 540-4052.

Horace Mann Insurance Companies, One Horace Mann Plaza, Springfield, IL 62715-0001, 1-800-999-1030.
Dieter Hofmann, 1-800-314-6031(serving Appoquinimink and Colonial);
Melissa Brayman (Brandywine);
Ron Brayman (Red Clay & NCC Vo-Tech);
Rich Collins (Cape Henlopen, Delmar, Sussex VT, Indian River, Seaford, Laurel);
Kevin Lammers (Christina);
Val Tanner (Capital, Caesar Rodney, Lake Forest, Milford, Polytech, Smyrna, Woodbridge).

Kades-Margolis, 998 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1220, Wayne, PA 19087, 1-800-433-1828; Ed Margolis or Clyde Louth, 302-239-4184; Steve Agabides or Nate Zahn at 610-971-1080.

AXA Advisors/ Equitable - Michael Stecher 1-800-277-7773; Patrick Lawrence, 302-475-6037; Jim Boyd, 610-660-4134; and Andrew Meimbressi 302-463-0022.

NEA Member Benefits, 4733 Bel Pre Road, Rockville, MD 20853-2211, 1-800-800-4706, Richard Smith
The NEA Valuebuilder Annuity is the only annuity nationally sponsored by the NEA. This tax-advantaged investment can help you build a more substantial retirement nest egg faster than with taxable short-term investment and can help reduce your current income taxes.

DSEA and DSEA-Retired also encourage you to keep informed about anything which impacts your retirement compensation, such as changes in tax law, pension law, Social Security rates or savings opportunities.

The more you know, the better prepared you will be for your retirement years.

© 2007 Delaware State Education Association. All rights reserved.