Benefits

Retiree and former employee: UWRP and VIP vendor change

Changes take effect January 1, 2026

The University of Washington is making important updates to the UW Retirement Plan (UWRP) and the Voluntary Investment Program (VIP) to simplify retirement savings, reduce fees, and improve your participant experience.

The UW Provost is responsible for approving the vendor selected as sole recordkeeper for the plans.

What’s changing

One vendor: TIAA

All UWRP and VIP accounts will be moved to TIAA, replacing the current dual-vendor setup (TIAA and Fidelity). This change means:

  • One login for all your UW retirement accounts
  • Centralized customer support
  • Consistent participant experience
Why it’s changing

This update is designed to:

  • Reduce participant costs
  • Strengthen security and oversight
  • Improve service and access to retirement resources
What to expect

As part of the transition, TIAA and UW will send the following communications regarding the plan transition to your home address on file with Fidelity or TIAA:

  • Week of October 20: TIAA account and plan information.
  • Week of November 17: A transition package that contains all the details about the transition experience and a detailed timeline.

Please review all of these materials carefully – they will be important as you prepare for 2026. For now, you can learn more about TIAA’s digital enhancements.

FAQs

Beginning in 2026, you will request your RMDs from TIAA. Once the blackout period ends (expected the week of January 26, 2026), you can contact TIAA to set up your recurring payments or set it up yourself online.

General information about RMDs FAQs surrounding RMDs at TIAA

No. With TIAA, you will have the ability to establish a Recurring Required Minimum Distribution, which will calculate your RMDs on an annual basis going forward. These distributions can be disbursed on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis – it’s your choice.

You only need to set up your RMD one time – your payments will carry over to following years. There will be no need to call every January.

Once the blackout period ends (expected the week of January 26, 2026), you can call TIAA to request a one-time or recurring payment or transfer. It is important to note that January payments that you may have scheduled with Fidelity to occur will NOT be processed during the blackout period, which will begin December 31, 2025, at 1pm PT and is expected to end during the week of January 26, 2026.

The transition to TIAA will officially occur on January 1, 2026. Therefore, you will be considered a participant with Fidelity throughout the 2025 calendar year and Fidelity will send your 2025 tax forms. After balances move to TIAA in 2026, TIAA will send your tax forms for that calendar year and any subsequent years you hold a balance in the plans at TIAA.

New accounts are being set up during the week of October 20, 2025. You will be issued one account per plan you are invested in, and you will receive a Welcome Package per plan from TIAA with all the details of your new account(s).

Once these new accounts are set up, you may access your new account at TIAA.org/Washington. If you are new to TIAA, click on Log in then Need online access to register and set up your password.

Take your planning to the next level with TIAA’s one-on-one investment advice services. Meet online, by phone or in person with a TIAA financial consultant to discuss your specific financial goals and how to plan for them. This service is available as part of your retirement plans at no additional cost to you. Set up a meeting before the transition to TIAA to discuss how your new TIAA account(s) will work and receive personalized investment advice that you can put in place now for contributions beginning in January 2026. Schedule at TIAA.org/schedulenow or by calling 800-732-8353, weekdays, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.

Learn more about TIAA’s personalized advice.

In partnership with The Whole U, TIAA’s financial consultant team will be on

the UW’s campuses and in its medical centers this fall. We will offer a variety of opportunities to learn more about the UWRP and VIP retirement plan changes. Visit thewholeu.uw.edu/tiaa-uw-events for dates and locations for in-person and virtual events such as webinars, seminars and information desks.

Upcoming events about UWRP and VIP changes.

About TIAA

TIAA, which stands for Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association, is a financial services organization that provides retirement products and services for people working in the academic, research, medical, and cultural fields. With no public shareholders—and a charter that requires it to operate without profit—TIAA is uniquely able to return profits to participants* and reinvest in its business for future sharing. The UW and TIAA have partnered for 86 years—this move will serve to deepen that relationship.

With over 100 years of experience in the industry, TIAA has established itself as a trusted provider of retirement solutions, dedicated to helping you to and through retirement. TIAA’s fully licensed financial consultants are here to offer you individualized advice to help you reach your personal retirement goals. So whether you’re looking for guaranteed income through annuities, investment options with mutual funds, or prefer to manage your own investments through a brokerage account, TIAA has options to help you plan for a secure financial future.

* TIAA may share profits with Traditional Retirement annuity owners through declared additional amounts of interest and through increases in annuity income throughout retirement. Additional amounts are on TIAA Traditional annuity contracts available within an employer-sponsored plan. Additional amounts may be increased the longer accumulation occurs before annuitization. These additional amounts are discretionary, and are not guaranteed.

What’s Fidelity’s role in the transition

Fidelity is partnering with UW and TIAA to ensure a smooth transition. Participants may continue to contact Fidelity through December 31, 2025 for retirement savings guidance and to access their UWRP and VIP accounts through the Fidelity platform. Please notify benefits@uw.edu if you have questions or receive conflicting guidance on what to expect from this transition.

Where to go with questions

If you have questions now, both UW and TIAA are ready to help: