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The Lehigh Retirement Program

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Plan Closed To New Investments As Of December 31, 2013

The Lehigh University Retirement Program for Faculty and Staff is an employer-paid defined contribution plan. This means that the university contributes to the plan on behalf of its employees.  Faculty and staff members are not required to contribute to the plan.

How It Works
University contributions are forwarded to the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF) for deposit into fully vested, individual accounts. Employees can then control how their funds are invested. You can select a “life cycle portfolio” that is designed by TIAA-CREF based on your age, or you can choose from a variety of investment funds based on your own situation and tolerance for risk.

Participation in the plan begins:

  • Age 35 and over: on the first work day for faculty and staff members
  • Under age 35: the first of the month following the employee's 35th birthday or after reaching age 21 and completing two years of service, whichever is earlier.

Contribution Rates:

  • Under age 30: five percent of pension eligible earnings
  • Age 30 and older: ten percent of pension eligible earnings.

Employee Eligibility
All faculty and staff members employed in benefits eligible positions who are scheduled to work, or who actually work, a minimum of 1,000 hours in a 12 consecutive month period are eligible for the plan.

New Plan Coming In 2014

Lehigh is transitioning to a new retirement program in January 2014. Among its features, the new plan will include a matching incentive and will do away with age-based contribution levels. Learn more information about the New Lehigh University Retirement Plan.

For More Information