MSA Retirement Navigator

Visit the Library section for MSA's Benefit Carrier contact sheet for all trusted vendors like our medical, dental and vision carriers. You will also find Benefit Guides and plan documents. If you have questions, you can call the MSA Benefit Call Center at 866-MSA-BENE between 8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET Monday - Friday. 

For information on Medicare, we have partnered with Fidelity Medicare Services to assist our participants. Call 833-886-0033 Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. ET, or visit www.Fidelity.com/MedicareAssistance for more info.

Visit to view any of your MSA 401k, HSA and/or equity account information. You can also call Fidelity at 800-354-8079. Representatives are available between 8:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday. 

Visit to generate pension estimates. You can also call the MSA Pension Center at 888-370-9336. Representatives are available between 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday. 

www.irs.gov

www.medicare.gov

Preparing mentally for retirement is just as important as the financial and logistical aspects.  Here are some tips to help you transition smoothly: 

1. Visualize Your Retirement

   • Envision Your Daily Life:  Think about how you want to spend your days.  Consider hobbies, travel, volunteering, or part-time work.

     • Set Goals:  Establish short-term and long-term goals to give your retirement purpose and direction.

2. Stay Socially Connected

   • Maintain Relationships:  Keep in touch with friends, family, and former colleagues.

   • Join Clubs or Groups:  Engage in community activities or clubs that interest you. 

3. Plan Your Finances

   • Budget Wisely:  Ensure your financial plan supports your desired lifestyle.

   • Consult a Financial Advisor:  Regular check-ins can help you stay on track. 

4. Focus on Health

   • Regular Check-ups:  Keep up with medical appointments and preventive care.

   • Healthy Lifestyle:  Maintain a balanced diet and exercise routine.

5. Embrace Change

   • Stay Flexible:  Be open to new experiences and changes in your routine.

   • Positive Mindset:  Focus on the opportunity’s retirement brings rather than the losses. 

6. Seek Support

   • Counseling or Support Groups: If you’re feeling anxious, talking to a professional or joining a support group can be helpful.

   • Stay Informed:  Read books or attend seminars on retirement to better understand the transition. 

7. Create a Routine

   • Daily Schedule:  Establish a routine to provide structure to your days.

   • Balance Activities: Mix leisure, social, and productive activities to keep life interesting.

While the majority of the information on this website pertains to U.S. benefits, non‑U.S. employees, former employees, and their families may still find portions of the content useful and may recognize parallels to retirement journeys in other countries.

Providing adequate advance notice of your retirement plans helps your department and the broader organization prepare for staffing transitions, knowledge transfer, and workload management. While employees are encouraged to inform their manager directly, those who are not comfortable doing so may notify Human Resources instead. Regardless of the method, advance notice is essential to ensure a smooth and well‑coordinated retirement process for both the employee and the overall team.

When should retirement paperwork be submitted?

Employees are encouraged to return all internal retirement paperwork at least two weeks prior to their final working day. This allows adequate time for processing, final payroll adjustments, and coordination with relevant departments.

If you are eligible and vested in a pension plan and have requested commencement paperwork from the plan administrator, those forms will include a specific return‑by date. Forms submitted after that date may be considered invalid, and new forms may need to be issued. Returning documents promptly helps avoid delays in benefit commencement.

Can I change my retirement date after notifying the organization?

Yes. Retirement dates can typically be adjusted if your original retirement date is still one or more months away. However, it is important to keep both your manager and Human Resources informed of any changes as soon as possible. Timely communication ensures that staffing plans, benefit processing, and transition activities can be updated accordingly.

Conversion and Portability of Certain MSA Benefit Plans

When your employment ends, most voluntary benefits do not automatically continue, but some offer portability or conversion options. For voluntary life insurance, you may be able to port coverage to an individual term policy or convert it to a whole life policy—typically within a set number of days after your coverage ends. Other benefits, such as Group Legal plans, may allow you to continue coverage directly post‑employment. Deadlines and premium costs vary by benefit and vendor, so it is important to review your benefit information and contact the carriers promptly following your separation.

You can visit mymsabenefits.com to see what coverages you have elected. The site’s library contains plan‑specific information on these policies, including conversion or portability processes and carrier contact details. Representatives at the MSA Benefit Call Center at 866‑MSA‑BENE can also assist with questions.

I am eligible for the MSA Retirement Savings Plan and the MSA Pension Plan. How can I learn more about these benefits?

Important: The information below applies only to those eligible for the U.S.-based MSA Pension Plan and MSA Retirement Savings Plan. Please review the applicable Summary Plan Description (SPD) or Plan Document for additional details. Only the Plan or Plan Document gives any person the legal right to benefits.

• MSA Retirement Savings Plan (401(k)) – Fidelity offers extensive resources on its NetBenefits.com website, including the latest SPD and plan details. You can also call Fidelity at 800‑354‑8079 for general information. Fidelity provides a dedicated Plan Highlights page with essential plan information.

• MSA Pension Plan – Eligible employees can log into mymsapension.com to run self‑service estimates of monthly retirement benefits and access plan documents such as the SPD. You can also call the MSA Pension Center at 888‑370‑9336 for assistance with plan details.