AT&T 2024 SMMs, SPDs

I quit AT&T some years ago, fortunately when GATT rates were low, lump sums bigger. Severance was still a thing. I waited until the day I turned 65 to draw my pension annuity. But I digress.

I hired in with Ameritech in 1999 and was told all about retiree health insurance and medicare assistance benefits by HR. Some years in, it became clear that I missed the 1997 cut-off date to be eligible. Therefore, I bailed out 21 months before making the Modified Rule-of-75 (Age 65+10years) or whatever. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I did it, but it still rankles how Ameritech HR lied to us. Also note that AT&T sold my pension annuity to an outfit that’s HQ’d in Bermuda and is likely to go belly up before I die. But again I digress.

Recently I received several SPD and SMM for 2024 via US Mail.
SPD AT&T Ancillary Benefits Program
SPD AT&T Group Life Insurance Program for Active Empkoyees
SMM Benefit Changes for AT&T Health and Welfare Programs for Management …
SMM Employee Assistance Program

As far as I know, I wasn’t eligible for any of this. It’s the first time that I ever received these document since I quit.

So did AT&T decide to give me some extra bling or is it just telling me that it’s cutting benefits that I never had to begin with?

WTF AT&T? LoL

Your comments and thoughts on this bizarre topic are much appreciated.

Good luck!

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14 replies (most recent on top)

You should've also taken the lump sum and invested that. No such thing as a guaranteed annuity.

Thanks for the cutoff date. I thought I was out of luck, but turns out I'm covered.

What month in 1997 is the cutoff? I think my hire date was delayed two weeks so I would miss these benefits. But HR talked about them in the interview process.

Oct 7, 1997

What month in 1997 is the cutoff? I think my hire date was delayed two weeks so I would miss these benefits. But HR talked about them in the interview process.

The 2021 is pre-65 medical subsidy. It is still in place. The $2700 allocation is going away this year (2023). Two different benefits.

In 2021 Stankey announced that you had to retire by EOY to keep the Att medical subsidy. From what I hear from my former coworkers is even that was taken away.

When Stankey made that announcement, the subsidy was $2700 for a retiree and $1500 for the spouse.

Now, it is $600 for the retiree and nothing for the spouse. (Using subsidized versus unsubsidized retiree numbers.) Instead of using the exchange for making health care choices that was a good fit, It's now a one-size-fits-all plan that is a poor fit for many.

I opted out. I can do better in the private market because there are plans that are better fits. So, as far as I'm concerned, there is no retiree subsidy any more.

My Mother even got some of them. She had been dead over 10 years. I think anyone that had been associated with you received one. ???

Management- If you met the modified rule of 75 you qualify to purchase retire benefits. The kicker is - if you hire date was before the 1997 cut off then Att is supposed to help with the cost. In 2021 Stankey announced that you had to retire by EOY to keep the Att medical subsidy. From what I hear from my former coworkers is even that was taken away. I started in 2001, and when I retire I can pay for Att retiree health care.

My guess is they were mailed to all retirees.

Receipt of an SMM doesn't constitute eligibility.

There was no retirement benefit in staying the extra 21 months. And there was no guarantee to get the severance payment later.

My pension did stay the 21 months until I had to take it. The payment amounts grew over that time.

“bailed out 21 months before making the Modified Rule-of-75” Are you a wimp, you should of stayed for at least 22 months.

Don’t call HR. They won’t know it won’t share relevant info. Spend some money and get a professional pension lawyer to look at your pension. It should just be a few hundred for his or her time. Pension law is its own animal and is worth the money to speak to a professional. You may be eligible for more than you think…

What were you thinking?

I suggest you call Benefits.

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AT&T 2024 SMMs, SPDs

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