Common acronyms/terms used in the UC retirement world:
Annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
Each year the retiree who has elected Monthly UCRP income will receive an Annual COLA, which is applied to the annual August 1st pension deposit. To be eligible for your first Annual COLA you must first be retired for one full year. The Annual COLA cannot exceed 6%.Capital Accumulations Plan (CAP)
Free money deposits given to UCRP members who did not receive pay raises, due to California budget shortfalls, CAP I took place 1992 – 1994 and accrues 8.5% annual interest, and CAP II took place in 2002 and 2003 and accrues 6.75% annual interest.
Capital Accumulations Plan (CAP)
Free money deposits given to UCRP members who did not receive pay raises, due to California budget shortfalls, CAP I took place 1992 – 1994 and accrues 8.5% annual interest, and CAP II took place in 2002 and 2003 and accrues 6.75% annual interest.
Contingent Annuitant
Is designated at the time you retire, and can be any person you wish. However, when you designate a Contingent Annuitant your monthly UCRP pension income (Basic Retirement Income) is actuarially reduced as the UCRP must pay out over two life expectancies.
If your Contingent Annuitant dies, no one else can assume the Contingent Annuitant position and your benefit remains at the reduced level. You can name only one Contingent Annuitant and it cannot be a Trust.
Highest Average Plan Compensation (HAPC)*
Highest Average Plan Compensation over 36-consecutive months; full-time equivalent for part-time employees.
*$133 is deducted from the HAPC for our 1976-Tier Members Coordinated with Social Security.
Inactive COLA
Applies only to 1976-Tier Members. You must retire in one fiscal year (July 1 or later) but be inactive in a prior fiscal year. Inactivity in a prior fiscal year is required and inactivity can be as little as 1-working day. The maximum Inactive COLA is 2 percent and is measured every prior February.
Retirement Date
This is your first day of retirement, and you are no longer an active University employee on this day. The Retirement Date is usually the day after your Separation Date.
Separation Date
This is your final day on University employment/pay status prior to your retirement.
UCRP Survivor
Applies to the 1976-Tier UCRP Members, and are in order of hierarchy:
- Your spouse/registered domestic partner, to whom you have been in that documented relationship with for at least 1-year prior to your retirement and whom you remain such relationship.
- Current child sentence: If you have no spouse…
- If you do have a spouse/registered domestic partner and no Eligible Children, then parent(s) who live with you and who you support at least 50% of their income as demonstrated by tax returns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Retiree Health Benefits are based on the Member’s Plan Entry Date: UC has 3-Retiree Health Benefits Levels:
- Graduated Eligibility Level 1: UCRP Entry date 12/31/1989 or earlier without a break-in-service,
- Graduated Eligibility Level 2: UCRP Entry date 1/1/1990 to 6/30/2013 without a break-in-service,
- Graduated Eligibility Level 3: UCRP Entry date 7/1/2013 or later
For more information, see UCnet's Eligibility for retiree and home benefits page.
To be eligible to continue your UC Health and Welfare (medical, dental, vision, legal and/or AD&D coverage), you must meet the following criteria:
- Be an active eligible employee enrolled in either UCRP (including Pension Choice) or Savings Choice
- Meet the service credit eligibility requirements for UC coverage (see at right)
- Be eligible for UC-sponsored coverage when you leave UC employment; for medical and/or dental, you must be enrolled in either UC coverage or other qualifying non-UC coverage
- Elect to continue coverage at the time of retirement or, for medical and/or dental, suspend UC coverage because of other qualifying coverage
- Have a retirement date that is within 120 calendar days of your separation from UC employment (for Savings Choice participants, the date your retiree health benefits coverage begins will be treated as your retirement date for this purpose) and
- Have continuous coverage from the date of your separation until your retiree insurance begins
- If you and/or your dependents are 65 or older, enroll in Medicare if eligible for premium-free Part A, or submit a denial letter from Social Security. If you are eligible for Medicare under an eligible current, former or deceased spouse, UC requires that you enroll.
- If you returned to work after separation from UC employment, work for at least 12 months in a UCRP or Savings Choice eligible position. If there is a gap in time between your last day on active pay and your retirement date, you may have to pay the full cost for your monthly medical and dental plans (including UC’s contribution) in order to remain covered and to continue eligibility into retirement. (Please note that the gap must be less than 120 days, or you will lose eligibility for retiree health and welfare
Both active University employees and retirees may insure their children to the age of 26.
Only you can run your own UCRP pension estimates by visiting the UC RAYS website. All UCRP administration has been moved to UCRAYS.
Your spouse/domestic partner may be eligible for monthly UCRP Survivor income, providing specific criteria is met. If you have no spouse/domestic partner, but you have children under age 18 or to age 22 and in school, your children may be eligible for UCRP Survivor income. If you have no spouse/domestic partner, and you have no children, then whomever you have named as your UCRP Beneficiary would receive a full refund of your cumulative pretax payroll contributions to the UCRP.
- Federal tax (if applicable, subject to citizenship/tax treaties)
- State tax (if applicable, subject to state residence)
- Medical premium (if applicable)
- Dental premium (if applicable)
- ARAG premium (if applicable)
- Other plans, including VSP Optical, may be converted into private plans.