Thinking About Retiring?

There's so much to think about when you are preparing for your retirement. Social Security and Medicare are the obvious, but some very basic questions can become overwhelming.

• Can I afford to retire?
• What will my budget be?
• How will I receive my pension?

These are all great questions and really not so basic. If you are considering retirement in the next couple of years start doing your research now. Transamerica is offering online webinars through nslij.trsretire.com's new link "Getting Ready to Retire?" These 30-minute presentations are provided, free of charge, on the five key areas - lifestyle, investments, healthcare, legacy, and income. All the topics that are critical to a more sustainable plan for retirement.

Get Organized
As knowledge is power, so is being organized. Get your personal information into one valuable document by downloading the "Personal Document Locator" under the "Getting Ready to Retire" tab on the TA site. This 26 page template will allow you to gather important data about your life, such as your loans, credits, financial dealing and contacts.
Your personal contact information about family, friends, and neighbors is also captured in the "Personal Document Locator".

Know Your Plan
Be on the lookout in early April for your next quarterly statement from Transamerica. Reviewing your statement should act as your gentle reminder to be smart about your saving strategy. Take this time to consider increasing your contribution, or allocating your funds to work better for you.
Keep in mind if you are anywhere near your retirement years (50 or over) your limit to your 403(b)/401(k) is 75% of your pay or $24,000.

Visit nslij.trsretire.com and click on the Getting Ready for Retirement blue button, and follow up by requesting a "Retirement Ready" one-on-one or group presentation from your site Transamerica retirement representative - today.

Sleep Well

Sleep well. Just one of the many solutions our friends from North Shore-LIJ's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offer when your schedule seems out of control. "It's true. most of us can get by with occasional sleep loss, but regular sleep loss leads to attention and memory problems, learning difficulties and increased tension," says Dr. Curtis Reisinger, Corporate Director, Employee Assistance Program and Physician's Resource Network. "In the end, lack of sleep can lead to poor performance and mistakes, that is why it is so important to get to the root of the problem with solution-oriented skills as soon as possible," adds Dr. Reisinger.

Need Help?
EAP is a part of your Total Rewards package at North Shore-LIJ. A team of licensed NYS behavioral health providers are available business days and on-call 24/7/365 (for urgent matters) to assist you with problems you may be experiencing at home or at work. All services are 100% confidential and in alignment with the health system's mission. Some typical requests include marital/couple problems, financial stress, issues dealing with a manager or fellow employee, and stress in general.

In addition to one-on-one counseling, EAP offers educational programs for managers and employees at the Center for Learning and Innovation. Customized programs are also available on-site upon request.

Help is Here for You
Don't brush off your lack of sleep - address it head on with the help of EAP.

• Call 1-877-EAP-4YOU (1-877-327-4968) 
• All services are free of charge 
• EAP is located at 333 East Shore Road, Manhasset, with additional offices at 410 Lakeville Road, Lake Success and 300 Community Drive, Great Neck
• EAP is also willing to meet you at an off-site location for purposes of confidentiality
• Employees may be referred to mental health in-system providers if the problem is not solutions-oriented - if so, a copay of $20 is due upon each visit

Education: A Big Part of Your Total Rewards

The health system is hard at work improving and broadening your chance to grow professionally, with access to an expanding platform of educational opportunities. Below are just two of the many programs the health system offers you.

Debbie Tascone Nursing Scholarship
Entering its second year, this annual program awards academic scholarships of $5,000 to six nursing students who are either employed by the health system or a qualified dependent of an employee. To be eligible, you must be enrolled - or have been accepted for enrollment - in an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program, or currently be taking graduate, post-graduate or certificate courses in palliative care.

These scholarships will be awarded every year, in recognition of Debbie Tascone, the first registered nurse and first woman to be appointed as a hospital executive in the health system's history when she was named head of Syosset Hospital in 1997.

To apply - click here. Note: you must be on a North Shore-LIJ in-network computer, running on Microsoft Internet Explorer) to complete the application.

Capella University Offers 10% Discount to Employees
Capella University is an accredited online university where working professionals gain skill and knowledge to make a bigger difference in their lives, work and communities. It serves over 37,000 students from 59 countries, offering more that 148 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 22 certificate programs. The university offers online degrees in:

• Business and Technology
• Education
• Healthcare and Nursing
• Counseling and Psychology 
• Public and Human Services

These categories encompass all areas of business management, supply chain management, human resources, accounting, project management and more.

To learn more about North Shore-LIJ's New Alliance Partnership Scholarship, the 10% tuition discount, waived application fee, and free professional development webinars, visit capella.edu/nshs.