Financial Intel Monthly

What is it? 

In today's corporate environment, cost cutting, restructuring, and downsizing are the norm.  We have found many employers are offering their employees early retirement packages. As you near retirement age, you may find yourself confronted with an early retirement offer from PG&E. PG&E may refer to the offer as an early out package or retirement offer or golden handshake or a golden parachute. While many early retirement offers seem attractive at first, it is important for you to review an offer carefully before accepting it to ensure that it is indeed a "golden" opportunity.

 

Details of the PG&E 2022 VSP:

Participation in the VSP is voluntary and offers the following benefits:

• Lump sum payment equal to 52 weeks of your base salary.
  
• $10,000 transitional lump sum payment.
  
• $50,000 retiree medical subsidy to your Retiree Health Account (RHA).
  
• Prorated 2022 STIP (Short Term Incentive Plan), consistent with Company’s overall STIP program. Participants understand STIP is a discretionary at-risk compensation program.

 

Typical elements of an early retirement offer
IAn early retirement offer usually consists of severance payments and post-retirement medical coverage coupled with already existing retirement benefits.  These may be in the form of healthcare financial incentives or a severance tied to years of service. 

In November 2021, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a roughly $1 trillion package that reauthorized existing programs and provided more than $550 billion in new funding over the next five years to help upgrade aging U.S. transportation, water, power generation, and communication systems.¹ The American Society of Civil Engineers applauded the bipartisan legislation, calling it a significant down payment on the $2.5 trillion in deficiencies identified in the industry group's 2021 Report Card for America's Infrastructure.²

The November interest rates, which AT&T uses to determine lump sum values for everyone who retires in 2022 will be released in mid December. Rates increased in November and if that trend holds we could see a reduction in lump-sum values for AT&T employees who retire in 2022. If you decide to stay past December 31st, 2022, you could see a significant reduction in your lump sum. Interest rates are trending upward, and when interest rates rise, lump sums fall. If you believe that interest rates in November 2021 will be higher than November 2020 (Which is likely) you may want to consider retiring before January 1st, 2022. This will allow you to lock in the medical coverage and take advantage of a lower interest rate, which will increase your lump-sum amount.

This article is important to you considering your experience at AT&T as an employee. 

Many people ask about ways to stay afloat while they’re in-between jobs. What people fail to realize is oftentimes the steps you take before leaving your current job can be even more crucial. Here are a few tips to consider before leaving AT&T.

The Markets (third quarter through September 30, 2020)

Before reviewing your company 401(k) plan, check how the market in quarter 3 can affect your retirement. July kicked off the third quarter with a bang as stocks surged throughout much of the month. Investors were encouraged by solid employment growth, a rise in personal income and consumer spending, a surge in the housing sector in your area, and an increase in industrial production. All news was not positive, however. The second-quarter gross domestic product fell more than 31% and many states saw an increase in the number of reported COVID-19 cases. Nevertheless, investors stayed with equities, pushing values higher for the fourth consecutive month. Tech stocks drove the Nasdaq to a 6.8% gain, followed by the S&P 500 (5.5%), the Global Dow (3.5%), the small caps of the Russell 2000 (2.7%), and the Dow (2.4%). Treasury bond prices climbed, sending yields lower in July. Crude oil prices settled at $40.40 per barrel, nearly $1.00 ahead of their June closing values. Gold prices closed July at $1,990.00, about 11% higher than June's closing price.

Social Security was originally intended to provide older Americans with continuing income after retirement. Today, though the scope of Social Security has been widened to include survivor, disability, and other benefits, retirement benefits are still the cornerstone of the program.

How do you qualify for retirement benefits?

When you work and pay Social Security taxes (FICA on some pay stubs), you earn Social Security credits. You can earn up to 4 credits each year. If you were born after 1928, you need 40 credits (10 years of work) to be eligible for retirement benefits.

 

The Markets (as of market close May 28, 2021)
Stocks were volatile in May, likely a reflection of strength in the U.S. economy as well as concerns about inflation and the timing of when the Federal Reserve might begin to taper its accommodative policies. Regarding inflation, members of the Federal Open Market Committee acknowledged that prices may run higher than the 2.0% target set by the Committee due to transitory supply-chain bottlenecks, which are expected to fade.

 

By one estimate, U.S. landlords were owed about $57 billion in unpaid back rent at the beginning of 2021. The average household that fell behind owed about four months of rent, or $5,600. Altogether, more than 10 million U.S. families were facing the possibility of eviction.[1]

 

Despite the economic shock of the coronavirus pandemic, American workers and retirees remain largely optimistic about their financial prospects for retirement.