Although everyone is classified as a "public employee," APERS' membership is pretty diverse. When you're in the middle of it, sometimes it can be hard to see the edges. So we thought we would pull back to a broader perspective and give everyone a more comprehensive view of the System they make up.

As a member of APERS, do you ever wonder how your final retirement benefit will be calculated? While the calculations can get quite complex due to various factors, one thing that is guaranteed in any calculation is that the more service credit you have earned, the larger your benefit will be.

As people grow older, they may need a little more help from their loved ones to get things accomplished. They might need advice on financial decisions, assistance with medical issues, or help with the chores of day to day living. Often times seniors benefit from having a family member act as a go-between with doctors, lawyers, and other professional service providers. However, to allow someone else to act for you, you may need to execute a power of attorney. A power of attorney is a legal document that authorizes someone to act on another person’s behalf in legal, medical and/or business matters.

A recent article posted on the AARP website offered some valuable tips on preparing for retirement. It includes some advice you don't always see in such lists, so we've summarized some of the more interesting and useful ideas below.