19 – Days until the August Membership meeting. Remember, stepping-up is showing up! When was the last time you stepped up?
37 – That is percentage of Defined Contribution participants that have protected their Defined Contribution account by registering with Empower. Which means that there are six hundred and eighty (680) participants who have yet to do so. If you fall into the latter category, or know someone who falls into the latter category, tell them to check out the “A Letter to My Future Self” article within this month’s newsletter.
47 – The number of days until Empowers own, retirement plan advisor extraordinaire, Mr. Moises Flores will be conducting another round of one-on-one meetings with the interested. If you are in the latter camp and want to have a retirement financial check-up or retirement planning session, then you need to get on his calendar. To do that click on the following link: Book Appointment (empowermytime.com).
Afterwards, stay for the September monthly membership meeting. You can see some old friends, make some new ones, grab a “nosh” and get current all at the same time. What do you have to lose. Come on – you know you have not been in years. And yes. The membership meetings are still held on the third Monday of each month and still begin promptly at 6:00 P.M.
61 – There are sixty-one days, sixteen hours and thirty minutes until the Benefit Fund Office can no longer accept any shortage of hours payments for medical, dental and vision coverage in the fourth quarter of 2024. If you did the math, you will note that the day, date and time is Monday, September 30th, 2024, at 4:30 P.M. Which is eight (8) weeks and three (3) days away from now. So, if you did not work sufficient hours in the second quarter of this year, and you want to maintain continuous Health and Benefit Fund coverage, mark your calendar and act accordingly.
64 – The number of days until this year’s Benefit Fund Educational Session for active and early retirees of the Health & Benefit Plan. The meeting will begin at 6:00 P.M, on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024. So, mark your calendar. Space is limited, therefore reserving a seat for yourself and/or your spouse is required. To accomplish that, call the Benefit Fund Office at 219-940-8181.
98 – As of this writing, there are ninety-eight (98) Health and Benefit Plan participants who need to re-read the fourth paragraph of this “By the Numbers” section and read the “Self-Payment Amounts and/or Due Dates” article of this month’s newsletter.
$395,000 – According to Milliman’s 2024 Retiree Health Care Index/Report, a retired and healthy sixty-five (65) year old couple with a Medicare Advantage Plan with a Plan D rider (MAPD), like the one the Plan provides Medicare eligible participants of the Plan, will spend upwards of $395,000 on healthcare costs in their retirement.