The Voice

The importance of having a will—to protect loved ones and ensure one’s wishes are carried out—cannot be stressed enough.

This is especially true when there are children under the age of 18 or dependents with special needs. A will allows for guardians to be legally named for one’s children. It also ensures estate distribution according to one’s wishes. Without an executed will, these very important, personal decisions are made by the state.

The NYSUT Member Benefits Trust-endorsed Legal Service Plan provides one Legal Security Package each year of plan enrollment. The package includes forms to create a simple will, durable power of attorney, living will and health care proxy.

The plan provides access to unlimited, toll-free legal advice from plan attorneys, who will make phone calls and write correspondence on the participant’s behalf, at no charge, to resolve legal situations before they become major problems.

In addition, the purchase of this plan includes coupons for free consultations with a plan attorney.

With more than 30 endorsed insurance, financial, legal and discount plans, it’s hard to keep track of what is available through NYSUT Member Benefits.

Bargaining unit members with access to e-mail may wish to consider joining MAP, Member Benefits’ Member Assistance Program. Once every three weeks, a brief e-mail message is sent. It may be an advance notice of a change in an existing plan, an announcement of a new endorsement or a reminder about an endorsed program.

Since MAP Alerts are sent from Member Benefits, e-mail addresses are not shared with any outside parties.

To join, simply complete a brief sign-up form on the Member Benefits Web site, www.memberbenefits.nysut.org, and within three weeks, a MAP Alert will be sent.

Bargaining unit members participating in the NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed voluntary insurance programs, legal service plan and the new financial counseling program can look up information about their participation online.

The NYSUT Member Benefits Corporation Board of Directors is pleased to announce their recent endorsement of a new Financial Counseling Program.

Provided by Stacey Braun Associates Inc., an independent investment advisory company, members will receive unbiased and objective advice customized for every financial situation. Stacey Braun’s planners and advisors are fee-based and prohibited from selling investment or insurance products.

The program’s annual fee is $260, reduced to $250 if paying through payroll or pension deduction.

Members who enroll are entitled to six hours of toll-free phone consultations with a Stacey Braun certified financial planner or registered investment advisor. Members can request customized written summaries and reports on a variety of financial issues. Specific 403(b) advice is also included in the program.

Other benefits include access to the Stacey Braun password-protected Web site and a 24-hour e-mail helpdesk for basic financial questions.

In-person consultations, limited to 90 minutes, can be arranged for an additional fee of $250.

Payroll deduction of NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed programs eliminates check-writing and late payments. This payment option is available to eligible bargaining unit members.

Pension deduction is available to retirees collecting a monthly pension benefit from the NYS Teachers’ Retirement System or NYS Employees’ Retirement System. It’s also an option for retirees who receive income from a monthly lifetime annuity from TIAA-CREF.

Annual premiums are easier to budget, since they are divided into smaller payments deducted from 26 paychecks or from 12 monthly pension benefits.

Payroll and pension deduction also yield reduced premiums and additional coverage at no cost for these NYSUT Member Benefits-endorsed programs: Term Life Insurance; Catastrophe Major Medical Insurance; Long-Term Care Insurance; Disability Insurance; Automobile, Homeowners/Renters, Boat, Personal Excess Liability (Umbrella) and other personal property insurance; Legal Service Plan; and Retiree Dental Plan.

The NYSUT Member Benefits Corporation recently endorsed EPIC (Ear Professionals International Corporation) Hearing Service Plan—a national network of more than 3,500 credentialed audiologists and ear, nose and throat physicians.

Through these providers (more than 250 in New York state), bargaining unit members receive customized care and, if needed, may purchase brand-name hearing aids at substantial savings.

EPIC identifies and screens qualified experts in hearing evaluation and treatment. It researches and evaluates all hearing aid technology to assure the latest and most effective options are available.

Also, EPIC negotiates the best prices for all treatment protocols, including hearing devices. EPIC prices may be as much as 50 percent below manufacturer’s suggested retail price and up to 35 percent lower than most discount offers.