Appeals Court Ruling Will Likely Not Affect ACERA Members for Some Time
On January 8, 2018, a panel of California’s First District Court of Appeal issued a 70-page decision in litigation that started in 2012 over changes in the state pension law affecting “legacy members” of ACERA and two other county retirement systems—legacy members are those who have entry dates into ACERA membership prior to the January 1, 2013 commencement of the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA).
ACERA Receives Two Financial Reporting Awards From GFOA
ACERA received the Certificate Of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for our 2016 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. According to the GFOA, the certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
ACERA Ranks #1 Among County Funds for 16.3% Return
Each year, investment consulting firm RVK prepares an investment analysis report on public funds like ACERA. RVK’s recently published report for the year ending June 30, 2017 has ACERA ranked as #1 among all twenty ‘37 act counties in California for our 16.3% gross return on our investments. (Our 16.0% net return still has us ranked at #1.)
ACERA Chief Investment Officer Betty Tse Named as One of Top 30 Public Pension CIOs of 2017
From left to right: Betty Tse, Clint Kuboyama, Agnes Ducanes, Tom
Taylor, Ryan Breslin, John Ta,
Rob Walters, Phil Wogsberg, Grant Hughs, Bernardino Cabradilla
ACERA Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Betty Tse, has gained recognition for her outstanding work managing ACERA’s portfolio for a second time in TrustedInsight magazine, a trade publication for institutional investors.
From VSP: How to Obtain New Eyewear if Yours Was Lost in a Fire
This is a special message from VSP Vision Care:
VSP® Vision Care wants to do everything we can to help those affected by fires we are facing. We’re working directly with our network doctors, business partners, and relief agencies, including the American Red Cross, to assess the situation and fulfill the eye care needs of those directly affected.
Here is how member can access care and eyewear that have been lost:
Your ACERA Open Enrollment Packet is Available Online
Open Enrollment is your annual opportunity to consider your benefit needs and options and to make changes if needed. ACERA’s Open Enrollment period is November 1 – November 30, 2017, and you can change your Kaiser Permanente or UnitedHealthcare medical plan and Delta Dental plan and add or drop medical, dental, and vision coverage for your eligible dependents. ACERA’s Open Enrollment for an individual medical plan through OneExchange is October 15 – December 7, 2017.
The Equifax Breach and Steps You Can Take
On September 8, 2017, Equifax, a credit reporting agency, announced a data breach impacting over 140 million U.S. consumers. Information accessed by the hackers include first and last names, social security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers and credit card numbers.
Here is more information about the hack and steps you can take in response: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/09/equifax-data-breach-what-do
No ACERA Office Access During Warriors Celebration on Thursday, June 15, 2017
Go Warriors!
ACERA wishes to congratulate the Golden State Warriors on their second NBA Championship victory. The City of Oakland will be hosting a parade and celebration for most of the day on Thursday, June 15, 2017. Unfortunately, this will make it difficult, if not impossible for ACERA members and the public to access ACERA’s offices that day because our offices are right in the middle of the celebration area.
2016 ACERA Board Election Results and New Alternate Retiree Board Member
The Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association held an election for three seats on the Board of Retirement from November 7 to December 14, 2016. Votes for the Board of Retirement election were counted on December 15, 2016 at the Registrar of Voters (ROV) office for the following seats:
Retiree 1099-R Forms Will Be Available Online January 31
If you’re an ACERA retiree, survivor, or payee, ACERA reports income to you on a 1099-R form. Your 1099-R for 2016 will be mailed no later than January 31, 2017.
Additionally, you will be able to get your 1099-R form online on January 31, 2017 by logging into your ACERA Web Member Services (WMS) account. If you’ve already created a WMS account, simply use your username and password to log in. If you need an account, click the Need an Account link to create one.
ACERA Closing Early at 3:00 PM Thursday, November 10
UPDATE: Due to scheduled protest demonstrations in downtown Oakland near ACERA’s offices, ACERA will be closing early at 3:00 p.m. PST to allow for ACERA staff to transport home safely.
Additionally, ACERA will be closed for the federal Veteran’s Day holiday on Friday, November 11, 2016. ACERA will reopen during our normal business hours on Monday, November 14, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. PST.
An earlier version of this news release stated ACERA would close at 4:00 p.m. That time was revised due to changing conditions in the downtown Oakland area.
Notice of Election 2016 For ACERA Board of Retirement
An election will be held from November 7, 2016 through December 14, 2016 to elect the
- Third Member representing the General members;
- Seventh Member and Alternate Seventh Member representing the Safety members;
- Eighth Member and Alternate Eighth Member representing the Retired members;
on the ACERA Board of Retirement for the calendar years 2017 through 2019.
Participate in National Healthcare Decision Day on April 16 at Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland
The following message is from Alameda County Getting The Most Out Of Life program and the Alameda Hospice Providers Coalition.
National Healthcare Decision Day – Your Decisions Matter
Saturday, April 16, 2016 11am – 2pm
Frank Ogawa Plaza, in front of Oakland City Hall
It always seems too early, until it’s too late! Advance care planning is important at any age.
Alameda County Getting The Most Out Of Life program and the Alameda Hospice Providers Coalition invite you to participate and support National Healthcare Decisions Day.
Alameda County Board of Retirement Appoints Dave Nelsen as New Chief Executive Officer
The Alameda County Employees’ Retirement Association (ACERA) Board of Retirement has unanimously selected Dave Nelsen as ACERA’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). ACERA is the pension plan for county-level public employees of Alameda County, California, and provides retirement and related benefits to 21,000 members.
ACERA is Going Green
ACERA is transitioning to a paperless office. Starting April 29, we will no longer be sending out direct deposit advice statements each month, unless our retirees and other payees choose to receive paper. This will save up to $6,000 of retirement funds and 3 trees per month. All of retirees’ and payees’ current and past direct deposit advice statements are currently available on Web Member Services, and will always be available there.
Retiree 1099-R Forms Will Be Available Online January 31
If you’re an ACERA retiree, survivor, or payee, ACERA reports income to you on a 1099-R form. Your 1099-R for 2015 will be mailed no later than January 31, 2016.
Additionally, you will be able to get your 1099-R form online on January 31, 2016 by logging into your ACERA Web Member Services (WMS) account. If you’ve already created a WMS account, simply use your username and password to log in. If you need an account, click the Need an Account link to create one.
ACERA Open Enrollment Continues After November For a Few Plans
ACERA’s Open Enrollment has ended for non-Medicare medical plans in California as well as dental and vision plans. But Open Enrollment is still going for a short time for the ACERA plans listed below. For enrolling in plans outside of Open Enrollment, review the When Can I Enroll page.
2015 ACERA Board of Retirement Election Results
The nomination period for the 2015 Board of Retirement election closed on September 14, 2015 at 5:00 p.m. Ms. Elizabeth Rogers, the incumbent Second Member, was the only person to submit the required nomination papers and be certified as a candidate for the election of the Second Seat to represent the General Members on the Board of Retirement. Pursuant to Government Code Section 31523 and ACERA’s Board Election Policy, on October 6, 2015, the Board of Supervisors directed the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors to cast a unanimous ballot in favor of the nominated member. Ms.
Notice of Election For ACERA Board of Retirement
An election will be held from November 9, 2015 through December 16, 2015 to elect the Second Member representing the general members on the ACERA Board of Retirement for the calendar years 2016 through 2018.
Limited ACERA Office Access During Warriors Celebration
Go Warriors!
Access to ACERA’s offices will be limited on Friday, June 19, 2015 due to street closures and festivities as part of the parade and celebration for the Golden State Warrior’s NBA Championship victory. Members are advised to take extra time and caution if they are planning to visit ACERA’s offices on Friday. Since parking will be extremely limited and buses will be rerouted, members are further advised that it may be better to postpone your visit to ACERA until next week.