Albuquerque Public Schools
Other Benefits
Changing your Beneficiaries
To change the beneficiary on your Basic or Additional Life Insurance (or both), please contact the Albuquerque Public Schools Benefit Specialist assigned to your last name. The Benefit Specialist will assign the appropriate Change Form(s) to you through the APS Winocular system. Complete the electronic form(s) and submit to the APS Employee Benefits Department using the Winocular process.
If you also want to change the beneficiary on your New Mexico Educational Retirement Board (NMERB) account, you will need to notify the NMERB. Visit the NMERB website, select “Active Members” from the top menu bar, and then Life-Changing Events from the drop-down menu. Follow the instructions on the Designating/Changing your Beneficiary page to notify the NMERB of your beneficiary.
Basic Life and AD&D Insurance, Additional/Dependent Life Insurance
The Standard Insurance Company
- Website: The Standard Insurance
- Phone Number: 1 (888) 609-9763 ext. 0957
Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD)
*This change does not affect coverage. If you are currently enrolled, this service was automatically transferred. With this new contract, the LTD rate changed. Please refer to the 2025 Long-Term Disability Information page.
Website: The Hartford Insurance/APS
Phone Number: 1-888-277-3756: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Eastern Time
Flexible Spending Accounts
Provider Information
- Provider: ASI Flex (ASI)
- Phone: 1 (800) 659-3035
About Flexible Spending Accounts
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) allow you to set aside money from your paycheck before taxes are deducted.
- Enrolling in a health care FSA means you can then use those pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible medical, dental, vision, and hearing expenses throughout the year.
- A dependent care FSA allows you to do the same thing to pay for eligible child or elder care expenses.
New benefit-eligible employees can enroll in health care and/or dependent care FSA within 60 days of their hire date. Existing benefit-eligible employees can enroll during the annual APS Switch/Open Enrollment held each October. The election will go into effect on January 1 of the following year.
Reminder: Do you have funds left in your 2024 Health Care Flexible Spending Account?
If you participated in the HCFSA in 2024 and have not used all the funds you set aside, remember that the HCFSA includes the Grace Period Provision. This provision allows you to incur eligible medical, dental, vision, hearing, and prescription drug expenses through March 15, 2025. All claims for eligible expenses incurred in 2024, or during the Grace Period, must be received by ASIFlex to process the reimbursement no later than March 31, 2025.
If you have questions, contact ASIFlex at (800) 659-3035 or log in to the employee portal at www.asiflex.com.
Retirement and Voluntary Retirement Savings Accounts
Retirement
New Mexico ranks among one of the highest states for Educational Retirement Benefits (ERB). Your retirement contributions are matched by APS to provide the funds for the ERB pension plan. Go to the New Mexico Educational Retirement Benefits website for more information.
Update on Retirement Contribution Limits for 2025
There are updated retirement contribution limits for 2025. These are important updates regarding 401(k), 403(b), and 457(b) retirement plan contribution limits for 2025, including a significant increase in catch-up contributions specifically for employees aged 60 to 63. These changes are to help you maximize your retirement savings and plan more effectively for the future. Read about the 2025 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits Overview.
Voluntary Retirement Savings Plans
If you are an active APS employee, you are eligible to participate in the voluntary retirement savings plans. APS offers both the traditional retirement plan option (before-tax contributions) and the Roth retirement plan option (after-tax contributions.)
You may enroll in the 403(b) or 457 plans at any time during the year, and your contributions will start with the first paycheck of the month following the date APS receives notification of your enrollment. (The plan administrators will notify the Employee Benefits Department once you set up your payroll contributions.) Winter break and summer payroll schedules and deadlines can impact your contribution start date.
Contributions for either the 403(b) or 457 plans are taken out of two paychecks per month.
Nusenda Credit Union
To learn more about the credit union, visit the Nusenda website or call (505) 889-7755 (1 (800) 347-2828 outside the Albuquerque area).
Nusenda Credit Union began as Albuquerque Public Schools Federal Credit Union in 1936. Since that time, Nusenda Credit Union has offered financial services to APS employees and their family members.
An active supporter of the APS Foundation, Nusenda Credit Union has made financial literacy curriculum and financial education workshops accessible to thousands of students, their families, and APS employees.
About Nusenda Membership
As an Albuquerque Public School employee benefit, you and your family are eligible to join Nusenda Credit Union. Membership is based on a $5 minimum balance in a savings account.
- Fill out a quick and easy online application to become a member-owner.
- Access competitively priced and free financial services like Direct Deposit.
- Member benefits include: Community Rewards and Earn Your Return.
Take Control of Your Money
APS Benefits has teamed up with Nusenda Credit Union and Banzai to offer employees clear and detailed lessons on managing finances.
2025 Long-Term Disability Insurance
Effective January 1, 2024, APS Long-Term Disability Insurance (LTD) was moved from The Standard to The Hartford. If you are a full-time employee and currently have LTD coverage, it automatically transferred to the new carrier. You do not need to do anything.
It was recently discovered that State Legislation does not allow APS to pay any portion of employee LTD premiums. As a result, effective January 1, 2024, APS employees started paying the full premium for LTD coverage.
With this new contract, APS received a new, reduced LTD rate from The Hartford. This means the highest per paycheck LTD premium is $6.67 (this calculation is based on a Bi-Monthly Employee at $100,000 or more annual salary). All other premiums will be less per paycheck. An example calculation is below.
Long-Term Disability Insurance helps cover your day-to-day living expenses when you are not able to work for an extended time due to a covered illness or injury. If you face a serious illness or injury, Long-Term Disability Insurance can help you avoid serious financial trouble during a stressful time.
The Hartford Long-Term Disability Rates
|
Bi-Monthly Employees/Twice-a-month (24 paychecks per year) |
Food Services C-schedule Employees/Twice-a-month (18 paychecks per year, September-May) |
| $0.080 per $100 of monthly salary | $0.1067 per $100 of monthly salary |
How to Calculate Rates
To calculate your Long-Term Disability twice-a-month premium deduction, follow these steps:
- Enter Contracted Yearly Salary but not more than $100,000
- Divide Salary by 12 to get Monthly Salary
- Divide Monthly Salary by 100 to get the number of Units
- Multiply Units by plan rate
EXAMPLE: Bi-Monthly Employee, $45,000 Yearly Salary (24 paychecks)
- Calculate Monthly Salary: $45,000 (Yearly) divided by 12 = $3,750 (Monthly)
- Calculate Units: $3,750 (Monthly) divided by 100 = 37.50 Units
- Calculate Premium Rate: 37.50 Units x $0.080 = $3.00 twice-a-month.
EXAMPLE: Food Services C-Schedule, $45,000 Yearly Salary (18 paychecks)
- Calculate Monthly Salary: $45,000 (Yearly) divided by 12 = $3,750 (Monthly)
- Calculate Units: $3,750 (Monthly) divided by 100 = 37.50 Units
- Calculate Premium Rate: 37.50 Units x $0.1067 = $4.00 twice-a-month.
How to Enroll in Long-Term Disability Insurance Coverage
If you are outside of the new hire enrollment window (beyond 60 days), you may enroll in LTD insurance (if approved) by following these steps:
- Email Employee Benefits with a request for LTD coverage and a Benefits Specialist will email you back to get the necessary information: employee.benefits@aps.edu
- You will receive an email from The Hartford in 7-10 business days to fill out a Personal Health Application needed for Evidence of Insurability (EOI).
- Complete the form within 60 days. Once your Personal Health Application for EOI is submitted, you will receive an acceptance or decline notification from The Hartford.
- Please contact the APS Employee Benefits office immediately with your approval notification. An enrollment form will be assigned from APS in your Winocular WorkSpace which must be completed as part of this process.
- LTD coverage begins the first of the following month after approval of EOI.
- Employees are required to complete the APS LTD enrollment form via their Winocular WorkSpace to finalize the LTD enrollment process.
For more information on LTD coverage, benefits, exclusions, and how to file a claim visit:
Website: The Hartford Insurance/APS
Customer Service: 1-888-277-3756: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., Eastern Time