Ready to Retire?

As a YWCA Retirement Fund participant, you are 100% vested in your account from the day you are enrolled. That means you may receive all or part of your account at any time after you leave YWCA employment, or you can leave it with the Fund, where it will continue to accrue interest, until you reach the mandatory distribution age of 73.

If you are ready to retire, congratulations! Here’s what happens next.

Before requesting an options package from the Fund, many participants first use our Retirement Fund Estimator tool to obtain a broad view of their future benefits. Results are solely based on the information and assumptions you input, such as your age at retirement and the estimated interest rate over your YWCA career. No login, passwords, or security questions are required for use, and you may run as many estimates as you like.

The first step in moving forward with retirement is to obtain an options package from the Fund, which will provide you with estimated sums for all of the distribution options available to you based on the balance of your account.

Estimates may be adjusted for actuarial differences when your application is processed.

If you are about to terminate YWCA employment...
Your association must notify the Fund when you leave. Once we receive this notification, our Member Services team will provide you with an options package within two to four weeks, or as soon as administratively possible.

If you have already terminated YWCA employment...
Once your association notifies the Fund that you have terminated employment, you will receive your options package.

Options packages are considered valid for up to six months. If your YWCA termination date was such that your options package is older than six months, please contact our Member Services team for updated distribution estimates.

Please note: If you chose to leave your money with the Fund, IRS regulations require that you start receiving a distribution of your benefits by age 73. Approximately six months before your 73rd birthday, our Member Services team will send you an options package to allow you make a distribution election.

The biggest decision you must make regarding your YWCA Retirement Fund benefit is HOW you wish to receive your money.

You may receive your account as:

• A lump-sum payment (one-time payout to you or to a financial institution of your choosing)
• Lifetime monthly payments (an annuity)
• A combination of the above.

Included in your options package are the necessary application forms and instructions to complete your application.

According to ERISA (a Federal act that governs the Fund), we are not permitted to offer financial advice regarding which option may be best for you. However, we can explain the differences between the options in order for you to make an informed decision.

An annuity is a guaranteed monthly payment from the day you retire until the day you die. Your retirement income is at no risk from market fluctuations, offering you unparalleled peace of mind.

The Fund offers annuities for balances of $5K and over, which vary based on how much – if at all – you would like to leave to a beneficiary after your death.

In contrast with private-sector investors, the Fund does not charge any fees or surcharges for a life annuity. We simply convert your balance into a monthly annuity after applying interest and conversion factors based on your age and option selected.

Annuity elections are final. You cannot change your election at a later date.

Find out more about the benefits of a YWCA Retirement Fund annuity here.

Lump-sum payments are subject to a mandatory 20% income tax withholding at the time of distribution. In addition, the taxable portion of your benefit may be subject to a 10% penalty tax if you retire before age 55. You may also incur additional charges if you live in a state that taxes pension distributions.

Included in your options package is a Special Tax Notice and applicable federal and state tax forms. Please review all carefully.

You may submit all forms to the Fund via postal mail, fax, or email:

YWCA Retirement Fund, Inc.
P.O. Box 463
Elmsford, NY 10523-9906
Fax: 212-922-9511
Email: info@ywcarf.org

Your retirement election takes between 30 - 45 days to process after all valid and completed forms have been received by the Fund and your association has submitted all contributions.

Should you select a partial distribution (leaving some of your money with the Fund), you will continue to receive an annual statement from us until you receive the rest of your benefit.

Before you begin the retirement application process, check the following:

• Is your contact information up to date?
• Have you designated a beneficiary, and is their contact information up to date?
• Did you receive your options package from the Fund within the past six months?

You may review and update your personal and beneficiary information within the Fund’s self-service portal. To register, have your account number on hand and follow these instructions.

Forms are also available here.