University of Rochester Employee Retirement Planning
A plan built for
University of Rochester employees.
University of Rochester employees have access to a strong retirement benefit through TIAA. We help you understand it, coordinate it with Social Security and your other savings, and build a retirement plan around it right here in the Finger Lakes.
Schedule a Free Consultation"Your retirement benefit through the University of Rochester is a real asset we help make sure it works as hard for you as you've worked for it."
How We Help
Guidance built around your career at UR
University of Rochester employees participate in the 403(b) Retirement Program, recordkept through TIAA, which combines a University contribution with your own voluntary savings. Faculty and staff in senior leadership roles may also have access to a 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. Our Canandaigua based team helps you understand how these pieces fit together with Social Security and your other savings, and builds a retirement income plan around all of it. If you're weighing an old employer's plan alongside your UR benefits, our services page covers how we approach that too.
403(b) & TIAA Strategy
We help you understand your University Direct Contribution and Voluntary Contributions, review your TIAA investment lineup, and make sure your account is working toward your goals.
457(b) Deferred Compensation Planning
For eligible faculty and senior staff, we help evaluate whether additional deferred compensation savings make sense alongside your 403(b).
Retirement Income Coordination
Your TIAA account, Social Security, and any other savings each have different timing and tax considerations. We help you pull them together into one cohesive income strategy.
Our Focus
Every piece of your retirement picture
Planning around a University of Rochester career goes beyond your 403(b) balance. From TIAA investment strategy and vesting to Social Security timing and tax-efficient withdrawal planning, we help UR employees across the Finger Lakes region see the full picture and act on it.
403(b) Retirement Program
Understand how your University Direct Contribution and Voluntary Contributions work together, and how vesting applies to you.
TIAA Investment Strategy
From fund selection within your TIAA account to withdrawal planning at retirement, we help you make the most of it.
Social Security Timing
When you claim matters. We help you choose a strategy that fits your income needs and longevity.
457(b) & Additional Savings
For eligible senior faculty and staff, we help evaluate deferred compensation and other savings alongside your 403(b).
Tax Planning
TIAA withdrawals, Social Security, and any other income sources can add up quickly. We help you plan ahead.
Legacy & Estate Planning
Beneficiary designations, survivor considerations, and estate strategy all coordinated in one place.
The Sheppard Mosher Difference
A local team who knows the plan
We're familiar with the UR benefit structure
We've worked with University employees before and understand how the 403(b), TIAA, and 457(b) pieces typically fit together, so you're not starting from zero.
Independent, not tied to TIAA
We don't work for TIAA or any other provider. Our recommendations come from what's actually right for your situation.
A relationship, not a one-time review
We stay involved as your career and your account evolve, not just for a single meeting when you're thinking about retirement.
Between the 403(b), a 457(b), and Social Security, UR employees often have more moving pieces than they realize. Untangling that is exactly where we help.
— Sheppard Mosher
Common Questions
Questions from UR employees
Generally, no. University of Rochester Retirement Program rules typically don't allow a withdrawal or rollover while you're still employed by the University or a related controlled-group employer. We can help you understand what options you do have while employed, and what changes once you leave or retire.
At separation, you generally have a few options: leave your accumulation with TIAA, roll it into an IRA, or roll it into a new employer's plan if that plan accepts rollovers. Which makes sense depends on your investment options, fees, and overall financial picture, we'll walk through the tradeoffs with you.
Vesting in the University Direct Contribution depends on your years of eligible service. We can help you check where you stand and factor that into your planning, especially if you're weighing a job change.
For eligible senior faculty and staff, the Deferred Compensation 457(b) Plan can be a useful way to save beyond 403(b) limits, but it has its own rules around distributions and risk that are worth understanding first. We'll help you weigh it against your full financial picture.
We're independent from TIAA and not affiliated with the University, so we look at your TIAA account as one piece of your broader financial life alongside Social Security, other savings, and your goals. Some clients use us instead of a TIAA consultation, others alongside it, whichever makes sense for you.
Get Started
Ready to plan your retirement from UR?
Serving University of Rochester employees in Canandaigua, Rochester, and throughout the Finger Lakes region. Schedule your complimentary 30-minute introductory call today.
Sheppard Mosher is an independent financial advisory firm and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of the University of Rochester or TIAA. TIAA and any other third-party names referenced are the property of their respective owners and are used here for identification purposes only.