🌱 Spring Retirement Check-In: 3 Ways to Refresh Your Financial Life This Season

As the days grow longer and the weather begins to warm, many of us take time to refresh our homes, schedules, and routines. But spring isn’t just for cleaning closets—it’s also a great opportunity to check in on your financial well-being and make sure your retirement plans are organized and up to date.
Just like decluttering your home helps create peace of mind, reviewing your retirement records and organizing key information can reduce stress and set you up for a smoother, more confident future. Whether retirement is years away or just around the corner, here are three simple but impactful steps you can take this spring to make sure everything is in order.

1. Update Your Contact Information and Beneficiaries
Life moves quickly—and sometimes, our records don’t keep up. If you’ve changed your address, phone number, or email in the last year, take a few minutes to make sure your retirement system has your most current contact information on file. This ensures you’ll receive important updates, statements, and correspondence about your account.
It’s also a good time to review your beneficiary designations. These are the individuals who will receive your retirement benefits in the event of your passing. Because beneficiary designations take legal precedence over what’s written in your will, it’s essential that they’re kept up to date. If you’ve recently married, divorced, or experienced any other life change, you may want to confirm that your listed beneficiaries reflect your current wishes.

2. Log In to Your Retirement Portal and Explore the Tools
When was the last time you logged in to your online retirement portal? Spring is a great time to check in. Once logged in, you can:

• Review your contribution history
• Access or print statements
• Check your current service credit
• View your estimated retirement date and benefit projection
• Update your contact or beneficiary information

If you haven’t set up your online account yet, consider doing it now. It’s a quick and easy way to stay connected to your retirement benefits and gives you access to important tools and resources 24/7.

3. Get Your Documents Organized
Just like paper clutter builds up at home, retirement-related documents can pile up over time. Take a few moments to sort through your files and shred any outdated paperwork you no longer need. Keep your current statements, plan documents, and any correspondence in a designated folder—whether physical or digital.
Having a simple system in place now will make it easier to locate documents when you need them. It also helps your loved ones in the event they need to step in and assist you. If you’re not sure what to keep or toss, a general rule is to hang on to your most recent statements, your summary plan description, and any important correspondence or legal documents related to your account.

A Small Refresh, A Big Step Toward Peace of Mind
Spring is the season of renewal—and while organizing retirement information may not be as satisfying as scrubbing baseboards, it’s an investment in your future self. These small steps can prevent major issues down the line and keep your financial life running smoothly.

If you need help updating your information or accessing your retirement account, we’re here for you. Visit www.bcers.org to log in to the Member Self-Service portal or call us at 443.984.3200. You can also email us at contacters@bcers.org.

A little effort now can bring peace of mind for years to come.