Still haven’t hung out with Mo, the Empower RIA, to talk retirement dreams? Relax—you still can and let’s face it, you probably should.

Now if you haven’t, that’s okay—we’ve all been busy adulting. But here’s the secret: sitting down now to dial in your finances is how you turn “someday” into a future that actually looks like your dream.

Here’s the thing: life has an annoying habit of changing without checking in with your benefits plan. You fall in love, you get married, you get divorced, you bring home a baby—or suddenly that baby grows up, gets a job, and their own insurance. Or maybe, your ex already has them covered under their insurance plan.

Deadlines, like gravity, don’t negotiate. The Summary Plan Description (SPD) spelled it out and so have we (repeatedly). And now, one more time for good measure:

📅 Tuesday, September 30 @ 4:30 PM
📅 Wednesday, December 31 @ 12:00 PM

I’ll stop flipping breakers here and wire this straight to what matters: 71 of you already know your second-quarter hours weren’t enough to secure Health & Benefit Plan coverage for the fourth quarter.

Ah, back-to-school season—the magical stretch where your coffee disappears faster than your patience, and your kids somehow manage to get sick within 48 hours of Day One. Here’s a thought most people miss: the Plan built a service for exactly this chaos.

(If you have to ask …., You’re not one of them).
(And that’s exactly why you should pay attention.)

The strategy to win in retirement is now live.

We’ve officially set in motion the plan we discussed—creating tax-free retirement income by putting a portion of your employer contributions to work.

Since the inception of the Medicare Advantage program, the Board of Trustees has maintained stable coverage by keeping UnitedHealthcare as your provider. This consistency has delivered reliable benefits and peace of mind, even as Plan costs have risen—a reflection of the Board’s prudent stewardship

Looking ahead, preliminary discussions about next year’s premiums suggest significant increases.

You know what’s better than a good question?

A bad one—because at least it’s honest.

Look, we get questions. Some are smart. Some are… well, let’s just say “enthusiastically accusatory.” But here’s the thing—they all help.

“Once in a while, you get shown the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right.”

- Robert Hunter

Apparently, some people out there believe that updating the Fund about changes in their insurance status—like a divorce, a new dependent, or a child who’s aged out—is optional.

Optional! Like extra guac. Or pants on a Zoom call. Or, you know, showing up a Benefit Funds educational meeting or a Local 697 membership meeting.

We’ve removed its functionality.

Why?

Was it because it was mostly ignored? Well… that’s true. Let’s be honest—most of you are probably surprised to learn it even existed. It’s been sitting there for seven years, and it never really got much love.