I joined the SBCERS team in November 2002 and I love my job as a Member Services Specialist. I have great co-workers and I get to speak with Members and retirees and learn about things that they accomplished during their careers and retirement. Prior to joining SBCERS, I worked for 16 years at a private manufacturing company in Carpinteria. When I am not at work, I volunteer for the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross. I have been volunteering for the Red Cross for 21 years and was recently assigned to shelters in Ventura County helping evacuees of the Hill and Woolsey Fires.
When I am not helping my members or volunteering for the Red Cross, you will probably find me in San Francisco, or at a 49ers game. They are my favorite team and I enjoy going to games with my family.
What question are you asked the most by retirees?
The most common question is “when can I retire?” If you ask me that question, I will probably ask you a few in return. The answer depends on how old you are, how long you have been a member, and your income needs. One thing that members often do not think about when retirement planning is the cost of healthcare. When you retire, particularly if you are under age 65, the cost of health insurance is a significant expense. I really love providing information about retirement benefits to members and helping people make their decisions. Feel free to give me a call if you would like to discuss anything related to your retirement account or benefits!
Do you have a subject area that you specialize in as part of your job?
I specialize in working with members who have had marriage dissolutions (divorce) and legal separations. Many of our members do not know this, but your SBCERS account and pension benefits are considered community property, and your spouse (or ex-spouse) may have a claim to your retirement account or benefit. Proper planning and processing is very important to ensuring that a marriage dissolution doesn’t impact when you can retire and the amount of your retirement benefit. If you are thinking about getting divorced or have been divorced at any point during your membership with SBCERS, (even if you are already retired), please don’t hesitate to call me and ask what you can do to ensure that your account and benefit is protected and that SBCERS has everything we need in order to process your retirement. As with all of our member communications we very much value your privacy and do not share your information with anyone.
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