In the journey of life, FPPA Members know their destination: build financial stability, enjoy a secure retirement, and take care of their family. But the route isn't always straightforward. Along the way, there can be unexpected turns, major life changes, and important decisions that affect the road ahead. That's where FPPA’s Benefit Administration (often just called Benefits) team comes in. The Benefits team acts as the GPS for Members’ journeys as they approach and enter retirement, mapping out options, explaining detours, and guiding them through important milestones. Whether a Member is planning for retirement after decades of service, navigating a career-altering injury, purchasing service credit, going through a divorce, or securing survivor benefits for their family, the Benefits team provides guidance, education, and support every step of the way. As Members' careers and lives evolve, this team helps ensure they understand their options and receive the benefits they have earned.

Team Mission: Supporting Members Through Every Stage

No matter where a Member is on the map, the Benefits team helps chart the course. The Benefits team supports Members throughout their entire FPPA lifecycle, from active employment and retirement planning to disability benefits, retirement commencement, and survivor benefits. Their work touches nearly every stage of a Member's relationship with FPPA, often in close partnership with Employer Solutions, Relationship Management, Payroll, IT, Legal, and other departments.

Benefits team responsibilities include:

• Processing retirement applications and benefit calculations
• Providing retirement counseling and estimates
• Administering disability and death benefit applications
• Assisting with service credit purchases and refund applications
• Managing Domestic Relations Orders (DROs) alongside Legal
• Supporting survivor benefit administration
• Managing retirement-related changes such as DROP terminations and lifetime benefit purchases
• Conducting Member outreach

More Than Calculations: The Human Side of Benefits

While much of the team's work involves calculations, applications, and processes, the heart of the job is helping Members navigate important life moments.

Benefits staff regularly meet with Members by phone, online, and in person to discuss benefit options and explain application processes. These conversations often occur during pivotal life events, such as retirement after a long career, a serious injury, the loss of a loved one, or major family transitions.

No day is the same. In a single day, a Benefits team Member might help someone estimate retirement income, process a disability case, review a service credit purchase, answer questions about survivor benefits, and assist a Member planning for life after public service.

Like any good GPS, the team provides more than directions—they offer reassurance. Their goal is to help Members understand their choices, anticipate what comes next, and feel confident about the road ahead.

By the Numbers

The Benefits team's impact can be measured by the volume and variety of work completed in a single year. During a typical year, the team:

• Conducts almost 6,700 inbound Member calls, totaling 334 hours of phone support
• Completes over 6,400 outbound calls, representing another 317 hours of Member service
• Produces around 1,500 retirement estimates to help Members evaluate retirement scenarios and plan for the future
• Processes over 300 Member retirements
• Processes, approves, and implements more than 60 Domestic Relations Orders (DROs)
• Handles over 50 refunds and rollovers
• Approves about 60 service credit purchase applications
• Supports around 80 initial disability cases, along with Independent Medical Examination reviews, medical advisor dictations, reexaminations, disability estimates, and active Member death cases

Beyond the numbers, these statistics represent thousands of conversations, decisions, and moments where Members relied on the Benefits team for guidance.

In Their Own Words