DHRM Financial Wellness Events and Resources:  National Retirement Security Month! 

October 8, 2024 / Get Well

October is National Retirement Security Month! Take charge of your future by dedicating some time this month to boost your retirement readiness. Whether you’re just starting your career or nearing retirement, now’s the perfect time to:

  • review your savings strategy
  • explore investment options
  • learn about Social Security benefits and/or 
  • review your VRS Member Benefit Profile to gauge whether you’re on track with your retirement savings goals. Just log in to your myVRS account, go to My History, and then choose Annual Statements. View your profile and consider using other tools, such as the benefit estimator or the gap analysis, to take action if needed. 

Dive into the wealth of retirement planning resources available and take a step towards a more secure financial future today! 

NOVA’s Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW) continues to provide resources to help you achieve financial independence as your financial wellness remains a priority in 2024. Our Financial  Wellness Partner, Virginia’s Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) offers a variety of resources to help you plan your future (and your present). Please check out October’s financial wellness newsletter and the highlighted items below to learn more about the financial education offerings and resources.

Spotlight: Happening Today at 12! Don’t miss this DHRM-sponsored educational opportunity- All About That Money Tuesdays (Live Session via Webex) How to Protect Your Identity. Protecting your identity is more important than ever. In this webinar, we’ll show you how to protect yourself from identity theft and inform you of your options if the worst happens.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP). All health plans offered to state employees and their dependents have employee assistance programs (EAPs). Included are up to four sessions at no charge for such services as mental health, alcohol or drug abuse assessment, child or elder care, financial, grief counseling, and legal services such as estate planning.

Learn More With myVRS Financial Wellness (Virginia Retirement System). The nationally recognized myVRS Financial Wellness program will help you make informed and educated decisions on everyday financial matters while saving for the future. Log in to myVRS Financial Wellness to access articles, videos, customized action plans and more –  over 100 different topics all tailored to help you pursue and meet your short- and long-term financial goals.

Get Free Financial Planning Assistance. VRS members may sign up for no-cost webinars and one-on-one 30-minute consultations with Certified Financial Planning (CFP) professionals. Services are provided through MissionSquare Retirement, the third-party record keeper for VRS Defined Contribution Plans. Learn more about annuities, Medicare, tax planning, Social Security and more by attending an upcoming CFP webinar. Topics refresh and rotate, so check back for the latest.

The Virginia Employee Discounts Marketplace (VEDM). October is here and though the leaves may be falling, your discount marketplace is still blooming with great offers! After signing in, you will have access to exclusive savings and discounts on theme park tickets, HelloFresh meal kits,  mortgages, the latest HP technology, and more! Visit online today for offers on Rosetta Stone learning programs, discounts to your veterinarian bills with Nationwide Pet Insurance, and much more. Your discount marketplace is here to help you make sure you have a cornucopia of savings this fall! Explore October offers:

  • Movie Tickets. Discounts on Regal ($9.00 tickets and discounts on concessions), AMC Theatres Tickets (30% off), and LOOK Dine-In Cinemas ($9.00 tickets)
  • Broadway and Off-Broadway Shows
  • Preferred Pricing on Concerts 
  • Walt Disney World® Theme Park Tickets- Adult Tickets at Child Prices -for 3+ Day non-FL resident 

(Please note: When you access the discounts marketplace for the first time, you will have to create an account using your work or personal email address. The marketplace will validate your email address to ensure that the entry is not a bot, and then you will be able to access all the available discounts.) Click here to get started by creating an account!

Looking Ahead- Holiday Spending. Watch the webinar Balance Your Holiday Spending | Virginia Credit Union (vacu.org) from Virginia Credit Union and use the My Holiday Gift List to help you stay within your budget.

Virginia Department of Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Division. Have you checked to see if you’re missing out on money? TRS offers a user-friendly website and the secure document upload feature, making claiming your funds quicker than ever before! Unclaimed property can include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, stocks and dividends, insurance proceeds, refunds, and more. Visit the free search site to check your name and start the claims process. Search for Missing Money! https://vamoneysearch.gov/

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). State employees may be eligible for the PSLF Program. Keep reading to see whether you might qualify. The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying monthly payments under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Click here to learn more.

Want More Offerings? Click here for financial wellness resources curated by NOVA’s Office of Employee Wellness and Wellbeing (OEWW).

Submitted by:
Dahlia Henry-Tett, Chief Wellness Officer (CWO), employeewellbeing@nvcc.edu