Articles about Retirement Benefits that may be useful to Massachusetts retirees.
Rejects Governor’s Counter Proposal
AUGUST 1, 2018: Late last night, the Legislature reapproved Mass Retirees proposal increasing the limit on public sector post retirement employment to 1,200 hours annually.
The legislation, which is now known as H4821, increases the hourly limit part time work from the current limit of 960 hours to 1,200 per year. H4821 is now before Governor Charlie Baker, who has 10 days in which to either approve or veto the bill.
Mass Retirees Shocked By Governor’s Counter Proposal
JULY 26, 2018: Governor Charlie Baker has rejected a Mass Retirees proposal that would increase the hourly limit for retirees returning to part-time public sector work. Our proposal, which was also backed by the Mass Police and Professional Fire Fighters, was passed within the FY19 State budget as outside section 29.
Now Awaiting Governor’s Approval
JULY 19, 2018: The recently passed State Budget includes a section increasing the hourly restriction on part-time work to 1,200 hours a year. This measure applies to public retirees who return to part-time work with either the state or local government within Massachusetts.
Mass Retirees partnered with the Mass Police Association to spearhead the statutory change, which effectively amounts to 23 hours a week. Current law limits public retirees to just 960 hours annually, or 18.5 hours a week.
Fight Continues For Permanent Protection
Increases Annual Hour Limit to 1,200
During its debate on the FY19 State Budget, the Senate has voted to increase the hourly limit placed on retirees who return to part-time public service for a state or local entity in Massachusetts. Senators Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport) and Paul Feeney (D-Foxboro) cosponsored the measure as a floor amendment to the budget.
Budget Amendments Rejected
For more than a decade, Mass Retirees has fought for an increase in the state’s basic life insurance benefit for retirees and active employees. Our goal is to increase the benefit to $10,000.
As members know, the current $5,000 benefit was established in 1985. After 33 years, the benefit no longer satisfies its original intent – to cover retirees’ funeral and burial expenses. According to the National Association of Funeral Directors, costs in Massachusetts well exceed $5,000 and can easily surpass $10,000, even for modest arrangements.
By DAVID WEBBER, New York Times MARCH 5, 2018
No issue in America today better illustrates the divergent interests of working Americans and the 1 percent than pension reform. Substantial empirical evidence shows that America’s favored retirement vehicle — the 401(k), recently renounced by its own inventors — is grossly inadequate and will leave tens of millions of Americans with insufficient retirement assets.
Firefighters Focus on Prevention
Twice a year the Mass. Association of Contributory Retirement Systems (MACRS) holds educational conferences designed to enhance the knowledge of board members and staff from the state’s 104 retirement systems. Beyond simply learning about investment practices and retirement law, attendees have the opportunity to grow their knowledge of some of the most important issues of our times.
One of the Association’s primary legislative goals is to enhance the pension benefits of our veterans in recognition of their service and sacrifice for our country. During the current (2017-2018) legislative session, we continue to push for enactment of H1435 and S1393 that increase the veterans’ minimum pension from $300 to $1,000. Ed Note: While S1393 was introduced by Senator Vinny de Macedo (R-Plymouth) H1435 was introduced for us by Representative Jerald Parisella
August 15, 2017: Public pension plans are resilient, pose little burden on taxpayers, and stimulate the U.S.