Are you considering retiring in the next 10 years? It’s a good idea to get your ducks in a row well in advance.
 
Attend an Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) online Pre-Retirement Workshop to start planning early. These sessions are helpful if you know your retirement date, but even if you don’t, you need to understand the retirement process, when you need to start filling out applications and how much money you will have during your retirement.
 
Lifestyle planning is also important. Will you travel? Will you participate in other retirement pastimes (such as golf, lawn bowling or pickleball)? You should have some insight into what lifestyle you would like to have when you stop teaching and how much that will cost.
 
This workshop will answer all your questions. Together, teachers and their pension partner will explore planning for retirement, the changing character of retirement and the process of making important decisions. You will learn about financial and lifestyle planning before, during and after retirement from a teacher’s perspective. The workshop will investigate various aspects of retiring, including building a financial plan, the Alberta Teachers’ Retirement Fund (pension plan), wills and estates, benefits, and lifestyle planning for a successful and rewarding retirement.
 
Choose one of the sessions below and watch for a link to register at https://teachers.ab.ca/events. Registration will be available approximately one month before each session.
 
Note that these are all-day sessions (9:00 am–3:00 pm).
 
Teachers in All Regions
Saturday, November 25, 2023
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Saturday, March 9, 2024
 
Urban Local Teachers
Edmonton Public Teachers only—Saturday, October 28, 2023
Calgary Catholic Teachers only—Saturday, December 2, 2023
Edmonton Catholic Teachers only—Saturday, January 13, 2024
Calgary Public Teachers only—Saturday, January 27, 2024
 
 
WORTH SHARING
It’s your retirement. Ensure a smooth transition by becoming informed early. Attend a Pre-Retirement Workshop this school year. #WEAREATA

The Alberta School Employee Benefit Plan (ASEBP) provides covered members with health and limited dental coverage for emergency expenses when they are travelling outside Canada. More information can be found at Travel Emergencies on the ASEBP website. Covered members can purchase additional top-up emergency medical coverage with Alberta Blue Cross if they are extending their trip beyond ASEBP’s approved travel durations.
 
ASEBP will make the following changes to emergency travel benefits effective January 1, 2024:

• Expand coverage to include Canada-wide emergencies, including medical evacuation or transportation (such as air evacuation).
• Implement a 183-day trip duration limitation, with a 72-hour extension for medical reasons or delays caused by a common carrier (airplane, bus, taxi, train), traffic accident, or mechanical failure of a private vehicle. The 183 days aligns with how long Alberta residents can temporarily remain outside Canada or Alberta (on a per-trip basis) while maintaining their provincial health care.
• Implement a $5 million overall maximum per person per incident.
• Exclude coverage for all claims in which travel is for the purpose of seeking medical advice or treatment, including any claim arising during the trip, even if unrelated to the reason for travel.
• Exclude coverage for all claims related to pregnancy or childbirth complications, including treatment for the newborn, if the medical emergency occurs after 32 weeks of gestation (even if the departure date occurred before 32 weeks of gestation).

If you have an over-age dependant studying abroad, visit Updating Over-Age Dependant Information on the ASEBP website for information about how their emergency travel benefits may be affected.
ASEBP-covered members can also purchase the following coverage from Alberta Blue Cross at a 10 per cent discount beginning September 1, 2023. Trip cancellation or interruption coverage will reimburse you for eligible nonrefundable expenses incurred if you or your travelling companion must cancel or interrupt the trip. Baggage loss coverage will help cover the cost to replace your personal items if your baggage is delayed for more than 12 hours, lost, stolen or damaged. Note: This insurance is an independent product offered through Alberta Blue Cross and must be purchased prior to the trip.
 
WORTH SHARING
 If you are travelling within or outside Canada, it is important to consider your travel insurance options. For more information about ASEBP benefits, call 1-877-431-4786. For more information about Alberta Blue Cross travel insurance options, call 1-800-394-1965. #WEAREATA