Tiaa access
You deserve a secure retirement.
TIAA Access is a variable annuity that allows you to invest in mutual funds during your working years and offers the option to receive income for life during retirement.1
What are variable annuities?
A variable annuity is an investment product where you can save while you’re working (this phase is called “accumulation”) and receive payments for life during retirement (this phase is called “annuitization”). Your contributions are invested in the annuity’s portfolio, so your savings balance and retirement payments will vary with the investments’ performance.
Overview
A low-cost investment that can provide
income that never runs out.
Designed for growth
With TIAA Access you can choose from several types of investments, all designed to grow with the market.
Lower fees
TIAA Access has lower fees than similar products, so more money can go to work for you.2
Income for life
When you’re ready, you can activate retirement checks and receive monthly payments for as long as you live.1
Flexible choices
You choose your annuity’s investments.
TIAA Access is a unique retirement savings account that invests in underlying mutual funds. Invest during your working years, and when you’re ready to retire you can choose lifetime income payments while the rest of your TIAA Access savings stay invested.
- U.S. and global equity funds
- U.S. and global fixed income funds
- Money market funds
- Target date funds
- Real estate funds
How it works
Look inside TIAA ACCESS.
No matter where you are on your retirement journey, TIAA Access is built to help your retirement savings grow.
First, find out if you have it.
See if TIAA Access is available in your retirement plan.
Then, choose your investments.
You can choose from a variety of investment options available in your plan.
Change your investments anytime.
You can modify your investments as needed while you're working.
Receive income for life.
Upon retiring you can choose lifetime income and receive payments that never stop.1
next steps
Ready to take action on your retirement today?
Exchange
Swap one or more of your current investments for one or more of our variable annuities.3
Choose future investments
Keep what you have now and add one or more of our variable annuities for incoming money only.
Rebalance
If you have money invested, realign your entire portfolio by investment type or category.4
Activate retirement checks
If you’re at or nearing retirement, connect with one of our retirement income specialists to learn how to turn on lifetime income payments.
If you’re retiring in the next 12 months call 888-380-6424. If you’re retiring in more than 12 months call 800-842-2252. We’re here weekdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET.
Exclusive TIAA benefit:
Try out variable annuity payments.
With most annuities, once you start receiving payments you can’t go back. With our Income Test Drive program, you can try out receiving payments from your variable annuity. If you decide it’s right for you, you can continue payments. If not, you can stop with no fee or penalty.
A new way to learn about retirement annuities.
TIAA has created a brand-new digital experience to help you understand retirement annuities, including how they work, the difference between fixed and variable and how they can offer assurance that you’ll have money coming in for as long as you live.
We’re here to help.
Give us a call at 800-732-8353, weekdays, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (ET), or schedule an appointment.
1If offered by the plan. TIAA Access Annuities are not available in IRA accounts. Converting some or all of your savings to income benefits (referred to as "annuitization") is a permanent decision. Once income benefit payments have begun, you are unable to change to another option.
2Morningstar, Inc. Total net expenses for TIAA Access ranges from 12 bps to 180 bps compared to the US variable annuity universe average total net expenses of 236 bps. July 15, 2024.
3Before consolidating assets, be sure to carefully consider the benefits of both the existing and new product. There will likely be differences in features, costs, surrender charges, services, company strength and other important aspects. There may also be tax consequences or other penalties associated with the transfer of assets. Indirect transfers may be subject to taxation and penalties. Speak with a TIAA consultant and your tax advisor regarding your situation.
4Rebalancing does not protect against loss or guarantee that an investor’s goals will be met.
Any guarantees under annuities issued by TIAA are subject to TIAA’s claims-paying ability.
Variable annuities contain both an investment and insurance component. The investment returns and principal value of the available sub-account portfolios will fluctuate so that the value of an investor’s unit, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original value. Payments from the variable annuity accounts are not guaranteed and will rise or fall based on investment performance. This material is for informational or educational purposes only and is not fiduciary investment advice, or a securities, investment strategy, or insurance product recommendation.
This material does not consider an individual’s own objectives or circumstances which should be the basis of any investment decision.