Making Friends, One Lunch at a Time
A Q&A with Robin Kelly of the Forsyth County Lunch Cruisers.
Facing the Challenge of Pension Performance
A letter from North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner
2025 RGEA Spring Conference
June 17, 2025 | Join us for this FREE event to meet other state and local government retirees and hear from experts on your health and retirement plans, pension and Social Security information, and more.
Let Your Voice Be Heard By The Senate Now!
RGEA expresses deep concern that the Governor’s recently released budget does not protect the pension’s long-term stability or provide true inflation relief to government retirees who have struggled for years without cost-of-living adjustments.
Specifically, the Governor’s Budget does not meet the threshold of the actuarially determined employer rate as required by law in G.S. 135-8(d)(3a) and would underfund the pension by $206M over the next two years. Since the pension’s inception, this has only happened under one other North Carolina Governor, and it took several years for the pension and considerably more money to recover from this action.
Additionally, the 2% one-time supplement in the Governor’s Budget is far from addressing the 20% inflation our retired public servants have faced in just the past five years. It is well past time for a true cost-of-living adjustment, not a one-time pension supplement.
The foundation and strength of our public service workforce and the North Carolina Retirement Systems has been from our elected officials’ discipline in fully funding the pension and ensuring government retirees could live with dignity in their retirement years. We ask the legislature to rectify these omissions to ensure that the pension for public service retirees remains strong well into the future.
In addition, as you read this, the Senate budget is being negotiated and drafted. Last year, the Senate included no cost-of-living adjustments for government retirees. This must change in 2025, and we need your voice. Please take a moment to complete this call to action, as the Senate needs to know that government retirees need relief from inflation to meet their daily expenses and maintain their quality of life.
Seeking Nominations for the Vann Langston Public Service Award
RGEA is accepting nominations for the 2025 Vann Langston Public Service Award.
Security Alert from the Social Security Administration
There’s a new scam tactic being used luring potential retiree applicants to the scammer’s website.
RGEA: New Name, Same Mission.
Many of us have been using “RGEA” in conversation for years, so we’re now making it official. We are pleased to introduce a shorter name and a new look for the association.
Press Release: RGEA Announces Rebranding
The association, which works to advance and protect the interests of North Carolina’s retired state and local government employees and their families, will now operate as the Retired Government Employees Association (RGEA).
Black History Month: Reflections on Desegregation from RGEA Members
RGEA members share their family’s history and struggles during the time of segregation.
The Road to COLA
Potentially achieving more regularly optimistic forecasts for COLAs will require changes, including adopting asset allocations that align with our higher-performing, well-funded, fiscally conservative to moderate peers.