New York State Government

Governor, Andrew Cuomo	http://www.ny.gov
New York Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman	http://www.ag.ny.gov/
New York State Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli	http://www.osc.state.ny.us
New York State Senate	http://www.nysenate.gov
New York State Assembly	http://www.assembly.state.ny.us
New York State Bill Searches	http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menuf.cgi
New York State and Local Retirement Systems	http://www.osc.state.ny.us/retire/index.htm
New York State Department of Civil Service, Employees Benefits Division	http://www.cs.ny.gov/
Empire Plan Directory of Participating Providers (NYSHIP) NYSHIP Health Benefits	http://www.cs.ny.gov/ebd/welcome/retireegroupplan.cfm
New York State Office for the Aging	http://www.aging.ny.gov/
Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance	http://www.aging.ny.gov/HealthBenefits/HIICAPIndex.cfm

Pre-Retirement Information

Questions to Consider While Planning to Retire

Retirement Checklist for New York Government Employees

New York State Pension Taxation by State

Retirement

Official Information and services from the U.S. Government	http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Seniors/Retirement.shtml
Center for Retirement Research at Boston College- promotes research on retirement issues, transmits new findings to the policy community and the public, helps train new scholars, and broadens access to valuable data sources.	http://crr.bc.edu//
Retirement Living Information Center- A guide of retirement and senior housing communities across the country, tax information by state, and other retirement resources.	http://www.retirementliving.com

Organization Affiliates

New York State Retired Teachers Association	http://www.nysrta.org
Business and Labor Coalition of New York	http://www.balconynewyork.com
Retired Police Association of the State of New York	http://www.retiredpoliceassociationstateofnewyork.com
New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association	http://www.nyscopba.org/

Federal Government

Links to all Government Agencies	http://www.usa.gov/
Social Security	http://www.ssa.gov
Internal Revenue Service	http://www.irs.gov
Health & Human Services (with links to Medicare & Medicaid)	http://www.hhs.gov

Working In Retirement

What if I Work After Retirement- Explains how returning to employment after retirement could affect your retirement benefit.

ReServe, Inc- ReServe is an innovative nonprofit that matches continuing professionals age 55+ (ReServists) with organizations that need their expertise. Nonprofits and public agencies (Partners) can tap into a lifetime of experience to fill crucial staffing gaps at affordable rates. ReServists can do great things for their communities while they put their professional expertise to work on part-time service projects, in exchange for a modest hourly stipend.

Experience Works- Is a national, nonprofit organization that offers training, employment, and community service opportunities for mature workers. This includes a variety of programs designed to help mature individuals enter the workforce, secure more challenging positions, move into career areas, or supplement their incomes.

National Older Worker Career Center- Provides professional, technical, and administrative work opportunities to older workers through the EPA's Senior Environmental Employment (SEE) Program.

Retirementjobs.com- Is a jobsite whose goal is to identify companies most suited to older workers and match them with active, productive, conscientious, mature adults seeking a job or project that matches their lifestyle.

Work for Older Persons- Center on Aging Studies Without Walls

Volunteerism After Retirement

Community Caregivers- Neighbors helping neighbors in portions of Albany County. We provide assistance including transportation, shopping, respite visits to individuals who need help without charge. Maximum flexibility and “no guilt” in scheduling for volunteers.

Peace Corps-Older Volunteers Program- Older Americans contribute tremendously to Peace Corps programs all over the globe. No single group has more to offer in terms of experience, maturity, and demonstrated ability.

Senior Corps- Americans over 55 have a lifetime of experience to share, and the desire to make a real difference in their world. They've managed households, been business owners and nurses, farmers and sales people, artist and executives. Now they are ready to put their unique talents and expertise to work in their communities and enrich their own lives in the process.

Senior Service America- SCSEP participants are paid minimum wage while they gain marketable job skills working part-time in non-profit and public organizations, including senior centers, schools, and libraries.

Service Corps of Retired Executive-Counselors to America's Small Business- SCORE's 10,500 volunteers give free, confidental advice to help hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs each year. SCORE business coaches, men and women, working and retired, counsel hundreds of thousands of small business owners from nearly 400 offices nationwide.

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program- Offers maximum flexibility and choice to its volunteers. RSVP matches the personal interests and skills of older Americans with opportunities to help solve community problems.

Foster Grandparent Program- Foster Grandparents devote their volunteer service to one population: children with special or exceptional needs. Across the state, Foster Grandparents are offering emotional support to child victims of abuse and neglect, tutoring children who lag behind in reading, mentoring troubled teenagers and young mothers, and caring for premature infants and children with physical disabilities and severe illness. There are currently 17 Foster Grandparent Programs located throughout New York State.

Senior Companion Program- Senior Companions reach out to adults, who need extra assistance to live independently in their own homes or communities. Senior Companions assist their adult clients in basic but essential ways: they provide companionship and friendship to isolated frail seniors, assist with simple chores, provide transportation, and add richness to their clients' lives. Senior Companions serve frail older adults and their caregivers, adults with disabilities, and those with terminal illness. There are 21 Senior Companion Programs located in New York State operated by the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities or non-profit organizations.

Financial

New York State Deferred Compensation Plan- Explains the program. You can sign up, establish on online account, transfer money or check funds' status.

Financial Planning Association of Northeastern New York- Receive a listing of certified financial planners.

Annuities Institute- The annuities Institute is a cooperative group of retirement planning strategists covering 48 states who objective is to provide advice on retirement planning and annuities. The web site includes links to annuity companies, calculators, definitions, case studies and other information that is helpful in understanding an annuities investment.

Travel and Recreation for Seniors

Amtrak Senior Citizens Discount- Amtrak travelers 62 years of age and over receive a 15% discount on the applicable adult rail fare on most Amtrak trains.

National Park Service Senior Pass- America the Beautiful. National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass-Senior Pass, $10.

Elderhostel Educational Programs- Elderhostal is the world's largest educational travel organization for adults 55 and over, providing exceptional learning adventures with over 8,000 programs a year in all 50 states and more than 90 countries. Participants come from every walk of life to learn together, to exchange ideas and explore the world. Elderhostel programs are all-inclusive with no hidden expenses, including all meals, lectures, field trips, cultural excursions, gratuities, and medical or insurance coverage.

Road Scholar- As a more recent offshoot of Elderhostel catering to a slightly younger, more active, independent-minded educational volunteer, Road Scholar is developing its own following with 29 programs. With a common age of 50 to 60, these are more upscale and less structured than Elderhostel programs, whcih generally attract the 65 to 75 age bracket.