Retirement guidance

For more information on any of the educational opportunities below, contact USC Retirement Plan Administration at (213) 821-8100. Other campus organizations offer free educational programs related to retirement issues including the USC Credit Union.

Retirement navigators

USC’s retirement navigators are your go-to source for questions before and after your retirement from the university.

Keri Marroquin, Benefits Retirement Navigator
kerimarr@usc.edu
(213) 821-8100

Debbie Jones, Faculty Navigator
jonesdeb@usc.edu
(213) 740-7641
(for additional questions regarding the impact of retirement on academic life)

Janette Brown, Emeriti Center
emeriti@usc.edu
(213) 740-8921
(providing resources, privileges, support and social activities for pre-retirees and retirees)


Webinars

Retirement planning webinars will be offered in February and September 2023. Details will be shared here and in the Gateway Connect newsletter.

Counseling

Personal consultations are available on an ongoing basis from all of USC’s retirement investment providers, at no charge.

These sessions, held by phone or via Zoom, give you a chance to review your USC retirement savings accounts with a retirement planning and guidance consultant from your investment company. During your appointment, the consultant can help you review your asset allocation, determine if you are saving enough to meet your retirement goals, and evaluate your distribution options at retirement. Bring your questions!

See below to schedule your personal consultation.

Fidelity Investments
Fidelity scheduling link

TIAA
USC scheduling link

Vanguard
Vanguard scheduling link


Social Security and Medicare information

Social Security is a federal benefit program funded by taxes on employees and their employers. Social Security and Medicare taxes are withheld from your paycheck and the university matches that amount, sends those taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, and reports your earnings to the Social Security Administration.

Benefits are paid primarily during retirement and are meant to supplement other income you have from pension plans, savings and investments. Your Social Security benefit is a percentage of your earnings, averaged over most of your working lifetime. Social Security also provides benefits for disabled workers and their dependents, and benefits for the surviving dependents of a worker who dies. The Medicare program provides health insurance for American citizens and permanent residents over age 65 and their spouses.

All employees, with the exception of those claiming student status or holding certain types of visas, pay Social Security (also known as FICA-OASDI or Federally Insured Contributions Act—Old Age, Survivor and Dependent Insurance) and Medicare (FICA-Medicare) taxes through payroll deduction.

The employee and the employer share of FICA-OASDI is based on a percentage up to the annual wage base limit, while the employee and employer share of FICA-Medicare is based on a percentage of all compensation. More information is available at the USC Payroll site.

Social Security taxes are automatically deducted from your paycheck. Make sure the name under which your earnings are reported is the same as the name on your Social Security card. The Social Security Administration sends annual statements to those working in Social Security-covered employment who are over age 25. You can request the statement online at any age, or contact USC Payroll.

When it comes time to retire, if you are age 65 or older you must contact your local Social Security for a Medicare application, or you may apply online. We recommended you apply 3 months in advance. Social Security will require USC to verify when your employer coverage began and is expected to end. Social Security will give you an employment verification form for Benefits to complete if you are past 65 years of age.

You do not have to sign up for Medicare Part B and Part D as long as you and/or your spouse are covered under an employer group health plan. Medicare recommends, however, that you sign up for Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) in order to get your information in the Medicare system. Part A is free in most cases. Medicare Part B (doctor services) will not be required until your group coverage ends.

More information on how to apply for Medicare B is available at this webpage.


Questions?

Questions about the amount of Social Security taxes withheld from your paycheck should be directed to your HR/Payroll Analyst. For other questions, visit the Social Security Administration site, which includes information about when you can draw Social Security benefits and how to estimate your retirement benefits, including a benefit calculator that lets you use different parameters and assumptions about when you will stop working, your earnings projections, etc.

The site also includes an office locator so you can find a nearby Social Security field office. You may also call the Social Security general inquiry line at (800) 772-1213.