Home > Info & Tools for Campus Faculty & Staff > Optional Retirement Program > Enrollment

Enrollment

Enrollment Guide

The ORP's enrollment guide provides an overview of the plan:

Click here for full access the complete ORP Enrollment Guide.

 

You must complete four steps to enroll in the ORP.  If you miss a step, your enrollment may not be processed and you may forfeit the opportunity to join the ORP.

Effective Date of your Enrollment

Your actual enrollment in the ORP is effective on the first day of the pay period following receipt of all of your completed enrollment forms by your campus Benefits Administrator. This is also your “insurance start date” for the Program’s group life and long term disability insurances.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or enrollment, please speak to the Benefits Administrator at your campus or the Plan Administrator.

STEP 1: Choose a Provider

To participate in the ORP, you must choose one of the three ORP Providers to invest plan contributions on your behalf and provide services to you personally.

Fidelity Investments
Learn more
TIAA
Learn more


Click here for Provider contact information.

NOTE: Each active participant in the ORP may select only one Provider to which current contributions are sent. Participants may not split contributions between Providers. Participants may, however, hold assets with more than one Provider.

STEP 2: Establish your new Provider account
You must complete this step even if you already have an account with the provider.

Establish your ORP account with the Provider that you selected in Step One and indicate on your ORP enrollment forms in Step Three. You must establish an account for the ORP with your chosen Provider, even if you already have an account with that company for other purposes.

NOTE: You must print the final web page, confirming establishment of your new Provider account, and give the print-out to your Benefits Administrator.

TIP: When establishing a TIAA account, Chrome is the preferred browser

Fidelity InvestmentsOpen your ORP account with Fidelity (Plan Number: 84828)

TIAAOpen your ORP account with TIAA for UMASS Employees

TIAAOpen your ORP account with TIAA for DHE Employees

 

STEP 3: Complete the Department of Higher Education enrollment forms

Once you have chosen your provider, you must complete the following enrollment forms:

  1. PDF ORP Enrollment/Change Form
  2. PDF Insurance Enrollment and Beneficiary Change Form
  3. PDF Notice on Social Security: Form SSA-1945

Additionally, if you have existing assets in the State Employees' Retirement System (SERS) that you wish to transfer immediately to your new ORP account, you must complete this fourth form:

  1. PDF SERS Application to Withdraw Accumulated Pension Deductions (Refund/Rollover Request Form)
    (If you are unsure whether you want to transfer your SERS assets to your ORP account, you may delay your decision; SERS funds can be transferred at any time.)

You must physically sign all enrollment forms, and you should keep copies of the completed forms for your own files.

STEP 4: Return the Department of Higher Education enrollment forms

Return the Department of Higher Education enrollment forms and the web page confirming your Provider account to your Benefits Administrator in your campus Human Resources office. Your Benefits Administrator will return them to the Department of Higher Education on your behalf.