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In this issue:
Annual Election Coming Soon!
Annual election—the period when you select your medical/pharmacy, dental and vision plans, and health accounts for 2023—takes place November 2–17. Just like last year, you will access the annual election site via Benefits Access. If you have not registered for Benefits Access, click here to complete the registration process. We will share more information in the coming weeks.
Sign Up for Early Access to Your Quarterly Statement Online
Did you know that if you are signed up for electronic delivery of your Quarterly Statements from Wespath, you’ll have access to statement information roughly 5-7 days faster than if you receive paper statements in the mail?
What are you waiting for? Sign up for electronic delivery through www.benefitsaccess.org today!
Electronic delivery of your quarterly retirement statement through Benefits Access is fast, easy and secure. Plus, it aligns with Wespath’s commitment to environmental and financial stewardship: saving thousands of sheets of paper every quarter and eliminating mailing expenses. Wespath serves over 100,000 participants like you—so those savings add up!
Instead of receiving a bulky envelope from Wespath, watch for an email each quarter notifying you that your statement is ready. These emails will arrive four times a year: in early April (Q1 statement), early July (Q2 statement), early October (Q3 statement) and early January (Q4/yearend statement).
New to Benefits Access? How to Set Up Your Account
It’s easy to set up your user account in Benefits Access on your computer, tablet or smartphone.
- Go to BenefitsAccess.org and click the “New User Registration” box (bottom of screen).
- Answer a few questions, provide a valid email address, and set up your username and password.
- Enjoy on-demand access to your account information and a robust collection of resources—any time you want it: 24/7/365. No more digging through files to find that paper statement.
You can also reach Benefits Access right from the Wespath.org home page in the top right corner.
Setting up Retirement Benefit Payments for 2023?
If you are setting up retirement benefit payments to begin in 2023, please wait until November 1 when required changes to IRS federal tax withholding elections will be updated in Benefits Access. If you set payments up before November 1, you will need to re-elect your benefits/withholding amounts after the system updates. This does not affect distributions that began in 2022. Thank you for your patience as we respond to IRS requirements.
CCP Update: Stories and Events That Inspire
The Central Conference Pensions (CCP) Program provides a steady source of retirement income for clergy and surviving spouses in the Central Conferences outside the United States. In this first CCP newsletter of the year, you’ll find:
- Stories and videos highlighting pension recipients in the Uganda-South Sudan and Burundi Annual Conferences.
- A recap of the Central Conference Pension Officers Forum in Germany, the first in-person, post-pandemic event for Wespath’s CCP team, which administers the CCP funds.
To subscribe to the biannual e-newsletter, please send your name and e-mail address to ccp@wespath.org.
Wespath’s CIO Opinion Piece—“’ESG’ Strikes a Nerve, Why It Shouldn’t”
When Wespath uses the term “ESG,” it is referring to environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors it considers in its sustainable investments. “ESG” has recently received criticism in the media, but is it warranted? Wespath CIO Dave Zellner argues "no." His op-ed published by Top1000funds.com explores common critiques of ESG and why Dave believes investing sustainably is a proactive strategy that adds value for investors.
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