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| In 2018, TCDRS launched Online Counseling, enabling you to meet with a TCDRS representative online from the comfort and privacy of a location of your choice. TCDRS Member Field Representative Richard Ashcraft reflects on one of his first online counseling sessions. It was with a member who had more than 16 years of service time with his employer but decided it was time for another opportunity. He was vested but not quite eligible to retire, so he scheduled an online counseling session to learn more about his account options. “Attending a benefit counseling session is a little like having a ‘retirement therapy session’ because each member receives their own experience and their session is tailored specifically to them,” Richard says. “Our goal for every benefit counseling session — whether online or in-person — is to help members feel important and leave with the assurance they can retire with confidence.” After talking with Richard, the member decided to delay starting his retirement benefit for as long as possible, so his open account would continue to grow with 7 percent compound interest each year. Richard also helped the member verify that his beneficiary information was up to date and understand how the TCDRS Survivor Benefit would work if he passed away before starting his retirement benefit. “He was very grateful for the opportunity to meet one-on-one online,” Richard says. “This program is exciting because now we actually have more availability and flexibility to meet with members than we do when we’re on the road. The service has become more valuable both for us and our members due to the fact that we can’t go out and be with them eye-to-eye and heart-to-heart in their space right now.” Visit TCDRS.org/OnlineCounseling to learn more and register for your own session. |
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