Benefits Bulletin June 2024

Welcome to the Benefits Bulletin!

Our goal with this monthly newsletter is to communicate benefit changes and keep you up-to-date and informed on approaching deadlines.

VRS Member News

Be sure to read the latest issue of Member News from VRS. Included in this issue is information regarding new laws affecting VRS, increases to life insurance limits, and important information regarding updating beneficiaries. Subscribe to Member News directly for the latest updates.

June's Social Security Column Newsletter

SOCIAL SECURITY OMITS FOOD FROM IN-KIND SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE CALCULATIONS

Supplement Security Income (SSI) provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness. It also provides monthly payments to adults aged 65 and older, who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits help pay for basic needs like rent, food, clothing, and medicine. People applying for and receiving SSI must meet eligibility requirements, including income and resource limits.

Under our current rules, we include food assistance as unearned income when calculating In-Kind Support and Maintenance (ISM). We understand this rule could affect your SSI eligibility or reduce your payment amount, so we made changes. Beginning September 30, 2024, we are no longer counting food that someone gives you as income when we figure SSI payments. This new rule removes a critical barrier for SSI eligibility due to informal food assistance from friends, family, and community networks of support.

For more information on the SSI program, including who is eligible and how to apply, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi.

Please share this with those who may need it.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO TELL US ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS

Do you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? If so, you need to tell us about any financial accounts you own, alone or with someone else. That’s because SSI is a needs-based program, and eligibility is determined by your resources as well as your income. Examples of financial accounts include:

  • Checking, savings, and credit union accounts.
  • Christmas club accounts.
  • Certificates of deposit, also known as CDs.
  • Stocks and U.S. savings bonds.

What you need to tell us

You need to tell us about changes to your financial accounts or account balances to ensure you receive the correct SSI payment amount. Let us know if you:

  • Open a new account.
  • Close an account.
  • Add a joint owner to an existing account.
  • Increase your account balance over the SSI resource limit of: $2,000 for an individual and $3,000 for a married couple living together and receiving SSI.

Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Accounts

ABLE programs allow people with disabilities to save money without losing important benefits, including SSI. We exclude ABLE accounts with balances less than $100,000 when determining SSI eligibility. To learn more about ABLE accounts, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-able.html.

How to Report Changes to Your Financial Accounts

  • Call us toll free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
  • Contact your local Social Security office. You can find your local office at www.ssa.gov/locator.

Additional Information

For a complete list of SSI reporting responsibilities, please refer to the publication What You Need to Know When You Get SSI at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-11011.pdf.

Please share this information with those who need it.

SOCIAL SECURITY’S COMMITMENT TO THE LGBTQI+ COMMUNITY

June is Pride Month. It’s a time to acknowledge the LGBTQI+ community and also celebrate diversity, love, and respect. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states.

We recognize same-sex marriages in all states, as well as some nonmarital legal relationships (such as some civil unions and domestic partnerships). This recognition is important to determine entitlement to benefits.

Here are a few things you should know about our benefits for same-sex couples:

  • Marital status is important — A member of a same-sex couple may be entitled to benefits when a spouse receives retirement or disability, or dies. We also consider marital status when we determine eligibility and payment amount for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
  • What type of benefits you can receive — Social Security taxes pay for 3 kinds of benefits: retirement, disability, and survivors. If you’re entitled to benefits, your spouse and eligible family members may receive benefits, too.
  • When you apply for benefits is important — If you’re married or have entered a nonmarital legal relationship, we encourage you to apply right away, even if you’re not sure you’re eligible. Applying now may protect you against the loss of any potential benefits.
  • Report life changes right away — You should let us know if you move, marry, separate, divorce, enter into (or leave) a nonmarital legal relationship, or become the parent of a child. Let us know if you change your name. You should report changes as soon as possible so benefits are paid correctly.

For more information, please visit our website for same-sex couples at www.ssa.gov/people/lgbtq. You can also read our publication What Same-Sex Couples Need to Know at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10014.pdf.

10 WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Identity theft affects millions of people each year and can cause serious harm. Protect yourself by securing your personal information, understanding the threat of identity theft, and exercising caution.

Here are 10 things you can start doing now to protect yourself and your loved ones from identity theft:

  1. Protect your Social Security number by keeping your Social Security card in a safe place at home. Don’t carry it with you or provide your number unnecessarily.
  2. Be careful when you speak with unknown callers. Scammers may mislead you by using legitimate phone numbers or the real names of officials. If they threaten you or make you feel uneasy, hang up.
  3. Create strong, unique passwords for each of your accounts. Use different passwords for different accounts so if a hacker gains access to one account, they can’t access others.
  4. Never give your personal or financial information in response to an unsolicited call or message, and never post it on social media.
  5. Shred paper documents that contain personal information, like your name, birth date, or Social Security number.
  6. Protect your mobile device from unauthorized access by securing it with a PIN, adding a fingerprinting feature or facial recognition. You can also add a password and adjust the time before your screen automatically locks.
  7. Regularly check your financial accounts for suspicious transactions.
  8. Avoid internet threats by installing and maintaining strong anti-virus software on all your devices—including your mobile device and personal computer. Use a virtual private network (VPN) to stay safe on public Wi-Fi. Do not perform activities that involve sensitive data, like online shopping and banking, on public Wi-Fi networks.
  9. Protect yourself on social media by customizing your security settings and deleting accounts you no longer use. Also, double check suspicious messages from your contacts, as hackers may create fake accounts of people you know.
  10. Never open a link sent via unsolicited email or text message. Type in the web address yourself. Only provide information on secure websites.

We encourage you to create your own personal my Social Security account to track your earnings record. For more information, please read our publication, Protecting Personal Information, at oig.ssa.gov/files/21-540_Protecting_Personal_Information.pdf. Contact us if you see suspicious work activity on your record. You could be a victim of identity theft.

Please share this information with your family and friends.

READY TO RETIRE? APPLY ONLINE WITH SOCIAL SECURITY

It’s never too early to start planning for retirement and our online tools can help. Go to www.ssa.gov/myaccount to access your personal my Social Security account to get an estimate of your retirement benefits based on your earnings record. Once you have an account, you can use our Plan for Retirement tool to see how your benefits can change at different ages. Don’t have a personal my Social Security account? You can create one at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.

You can also use your personal my Social Security account to see your entire work history and make sure we have all your wages recorded correctly. We base your benefit amount on the earnings reported to us. If you find any errors in your work history, read our factsheet, How to Correct Your Social Security Earnings Record at www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10081.pdf.

When you’re ready to apply for Social Security retirement benefits, you can complete our online application in as little as 15 minutes at www.ssa.gov/retirement. We will contact you if we need any further information. You can check the status of your application using your personal account.

You can apply online for Social Security retirement benefits, or benefits as a spouse, if you:

  • Are age 62.
  • Are not currently receiving benefits on your own Social Security record.
  • Have not already applied for retirement benefits.
  • Want your benefits to start no later than 4 months in the future. (We cannot process your application if you apply for benefits more than 4 months in advance).

Note: If you were born on the first or second day of the month, you meet this requirement in the month of your 62nd birthday. If you were born on any other day of the month, you do not meet this requirement until the following month.

Find out more about retirement benefits at www.ssa.gov/retirement.

REGISTER HERE!

Need to Talk with an Expert?

Upcoming Training: Little Red Corvette

July 9 - For VRS Plan 1 and 2 members ONLY

July 11 - For VRS Hybrid members ONLY

Shift into retirement savings/planning gear, boost retirement knowledge and drive into a more secure future. Participants will leave with a better understanding of how to prepare for a secure retirement and take advantage of all of JMU’s retirement offerings.

Participants are encouraged to register for a myVRS account and bring their login credentials with them to the workshop.

Objectives:

  • Familiarize and understand your current retirement plan
  • Determine if you are on track with saving for retirement and securing your future and if not, find out how you can save more
  • Create a myVRS account and take a tour
  • Access and Review your Member Benefit Profile

Discuss:

  • Purchasing Prior Service
  • Supplemental Retirement Accounts 403(b) and 457 (Pre-tax and Roth options)
  • 401(a) Cash Match

To sign up or for more information, click HERE.

June's Featured Benefit

This month's featured benefit is...

Online Doctor's Visits

Do you have a cold? Are your allergies bothering you? Did you wake up with a sore throat? Are you having difficulty getting an appointment with your doctor? Then use the online doctor’s visit through your state health insurance plan. You can speak with a doctor using your smartphone, tablet or computer with a webcam anytime, anywhere!

If you are enrolled in the COVA Care plan, access LiveHealth Online or download the Sydney Health app. You will have a $0 primary care copayment.

If you are enrolled in the COVA HealthAware plan, access Teledoc Health. You will have a $0 copay.

If you are enrolled in the COVA HDHP plan, access LiveHealth Online or download the Sydney Health app. You will pay 20% after meeting your deductible.

TIAA Webinars

Click here for more details and registration info!

University Holiday - June 19

The university will be closed Wednesday, June 19 (8 Hours Holiday Leave will be granted) in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. Full-time employees are expected to work 32.0 hours during the Juneteenth holiday week. Any hours short of a 32.0 hour workweek should be charged to available leave. Please see the Modified Summer Schedule website for additional information.

University Holiday - July 4th and 5th

The university will be closed Thursday, July 4 (8 Hours Holiday Leave will be granted) and Friday, July 5th (4 Hours Recognition Leave will be granted) in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Full-time employees are expected to work 28.0 hours during the Independence Day holiday week. Any hours short of a 28.0 hour workweek should be charged to available leave. Please see the Modified Summer Schedule website for additional information.

A&P Faculty Leave Year End

The 2023-2024 A&P Faculty Leave Year will end on June 30, 2024. All outstanding A&P Faculty Leave requests for the period between July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024 must be entered into MyMadison and approved by a supervisor by 5:00 p.m. on July 8, 2024. Though the 2024-2025 A&P Faculty Leave balance is effective July 1, 2024 and is available for use on that date, A&P faculty will not be able to view the new leave balance or enter leave requests for the New Year to MyMadison until Wednesday, July 10th due to year-end processing. Please hold on entering leave requests for the New Year until after the 10th. For additional information on A&P Faculty Leave, please visit the A&P Faculty Leave Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Mid-Year Leave Liability Reporting

In order for the university’s leave records to be as accurate as possible for the Commonwealth Leave Liability Report, it is important that all full-time employees enter all outstanding leave requests for the January 10 through June 30 time frame into MyMadison prior to June 30 for supervisor approval. Supervisors must act on their requests by Monday, July 8. This will provide a snapshot of all leave balances as of the end of the fiscal year.

Leave System Maintenance

MyMadison and Manager Self-Service for leave entry/approval will be unavailable to all employees on Tuesday, July 9th 2024 for AP Leave Year End processing. Leave entry/approval will resume as usual on Wednesday, July 10th 2024. For questions about this issue or any other questions about leave, please contact Reagan Neese, Leave Specialist, at neeserw@jmu.edu.

Tickets at Work

THANK YOU FOR READING!

This bulletin has been brought to you by the JMU Benefits Team. If you have any questions or would like to reach out to us, please give us a call at 540-568-3593, visit us on the web at www.jmu.edu/humanresources/benefits, or email us at benefits@jmu.edu. Look for the Live Chat on our website and reach one of us instantly!