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Cash-strapped pension

December 22nd, 2012 at 06:10 am

I know CalPers has a lot of financial issues, but refusing to disburse money to people who left their system is a bit much.

They kept insisting that I'm still an active public employee despite the fact that I've handed in my resignation and gone private almost a year ago. So, to get them to update their system, I need to contact my former employers and ask them to inform CalPers that I'm terminated.

Here's the kicker. My former employers told me they sent the info over on the day I left and the last time they tried to contact CalPers, they were put on hold for over 2 hours and then got hung up on. They don't know how to make me more terminated than I already am.

Also, by law, CalPers was supposed to contact me regarding the handling of the fund within 60 days of my termination. Refusing to acknowledge that I'm a former employee certainly is a good way to circumvent that law. I was hoping to tie up all the loose ends within this year, but this is going to take much longer than I expected.

6 Responses to “Cash-strapped pension”

  1. Another Reader Says:
    1356183142

    Make an appointment with the nearest CalPERS office. Yep, it's going to take an hour on the phone to get that appointment, but the in person service is better. Take all the paperwork from your former employer to that appointment. If you want to retire, you need to fill out a retirement application. If you don't have the years in, then you can apply to get the contributions back. All the paperwork should be able to be filled out and submitted at the appointment, if you have the resignation/retirement paperwork from your former employer.

  2. creditcardfree Says:
    1356189206

    Good luck...I'm sure it will work out eventually, but I'm sure VERY frustrating. Good advice from AnotherReader.

  3. snafu Says:
    1356202204

    Are the forms needed available on-line? Is it feasible to go to their office? Would you consider contacting Board members and ask for their assistance? Can your former employer facilitate by requesting an appointment for you? Do you have a union representative from former employment who would help? I'd call the executive assistant from your State's representative to intercede on your behalf. Your taxes pay for those services so you may as well use them.

  4. Homebody Says:
    1356219611

    My mom and sister are both retired teachers and have Cal Pers money coming each month. I also handle the Cal Pers long term care insurance at work for those residents who are covered by it and find them to be very responsive. I talk to them at least once a month or so on the phone and they are very good about getting back to me. But then my mom has been retired for about 20 years and my sister about 5.....the state's finances have gotten much worse in the meantime. I don't worry about my sister because she is still working, but I worry about my 83-year-old mother if the state goes bankrupt.

    Good luck and I agree, go to an office in person, but where I live there is no local office.

  5. Jerry Says:
    1356978131

    I think that I agree with the above, this is something that NEEDS to be managed face to face, with hard copies and documentation so you have some insurance of getting what you need. I hate to suspect the worst, but I think that government entities will try to do stuff like that all the time to lead to lower costs. Good luck!
    Jerry

  6. Firstofmanysteps Says:
    1356989255

    Thanks for the advices. Unfortunately, there's no local office where I live. I can only deal with them via phone, email and mail. Frown

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