TIAAReviews of tiaa.org

We retired with close to a million in TIAA Traditional and decided to take the money out. You're forced to use a 10 year distribution scheme, which is OK- we knew that was the agreement. But in the first two years we had serious tax penalties because of IRS complications - related to distribution and tax payment timing issues. The whole process to fix the problem took about 5 months. With the help of our financial advisor we found a solution and went to my TIAA consultant to implement it. Skipping the details, after about 20 email back and forth it became obvious that my emails were never read by the consultant and or their technical assistant. My email would state the actions we discussed and ask my questions. Their response essentially regurgitated my summary in different words but did not get to answering my questions, or addressing the solutions I was suggesting and asking about. It became very obvious that the emails I had meticulously written were never read with any care by the TIAA consultant or any intelligent person at TIAA. My advice is never use email or the phone with TIAA. Make all communications in person face to face. An expensive way to do business for either side, but that's the reality of the world with "AI" . Also their website is full of extraneous garbage, hiding the account facts one is looking for. It is abominable. I pity any conscientious and intelligent employee who has to work within this system.

Avoid TIAA - their customer service is the worst I've seen from any company. My mom passed and as executor, I needed the 1099-R tax form. I called several times from Mar 17 till Apr 8. Each time calling, I was faced with their automated voice system that is really terrible - super hard to get through. And after getting though the automated system a coupe times I was rerouted by the human back to their automated system without guidance on how to get through it to speak to the right area. Eventually, I spoke with the right area and they asked me to upload documents. I uploaded all necessary docs and they were ignored, event after a follow up call 10 days later where they said they had all that was needed. Took more calls to get through to get 1099-R form.

I’ve been with TIAA for more than 40 years, having been employed on a full-time basis at two universities that used the organization to provide retirement services. (I retired in Jan 2026). I completed and uploaded four documents as directed. I was told that monthly payments are made on the first of the month. Sun Mar 01 arrived and I did not receive a payment. Nor did I receive a payment on Mon Mar 02. That morning, I called TIAA. I was told that monthly payments are made on the first business day and that I “should” get the deposit later that day. In speaking with TIAA on more than a handful of occasions, I had been told that payments are made on the first day of the month, not the first business day of the month. Tue Mar 03 arrived and I did not receive a payment. I called TIAA and was told that the first monthly payment is usually delayed and I “should” get the deposit later that day. In speaking with TIAA on more than a handful of occasions, I had never been told that the first payment would be delayed. Wed Mar 04 arrived and I did not receive a payment. I called TIAA and was told that I was sent an email with a payment confirmation. I checked my inbox and did find that email. While on the phone, I asked the woman if I could speak with a supervisor. She took a message and said that I’d get a call back within one to two business days. On Fri Mar 13, I sent a brief message to TIAA on Facebook and Thasunda Brown Duckett (CEO) on Linkedin about my experience. That evening, I received a call from a supervisor. He defended the staff, noting something about the training that the people who answer the phones go through. I disagreed, stating that these were very basic questions that I was asking such as when to expect my monthly payment in which I was given three different answers (i.e., first day of the month; first business day of the month; and the first payment is a little delayed). From outward appearances, TIAA looks to be highly reputable, supposedly managing nearly 1.5 TRILLION DOLLARS of assets. But check under the hood and you’ll get a different picture. In terms of customer service, my experience with TIAA has been totally unacceptable and unprofessional. Note: I have a much longer version of my experience with TIAA but it's length isn't allowable here.

I have been trying to start withdrawing money from my traditional TIAA retirement account for months. I have spoken on phone with 6-8 different customer service reps. Each of them has been polite but has not been able to complete the task despite promise of getting it done. I have gotten spousal consent notarized 3 times ($75) and each time they either cannot find it or the form was wrong which was actually filled by the customer service rep. It has become super frustrating. Each time I get a new person who tells me that it was not done right previously. I insisted on speaking with a supervisor who called me back after two days but just passed it on to another rep

Would rate a zero if possible. I could write dozens of pages on why they are so terrible but they have already wasted so many hours of my life with their incompetence that I will only say to anyone looking: DO NOT USE unless you hate yourself and do not value your time, energy, or money.

They failed to issue the Required Minimum Distribution for 2025 and it will cost me nearly $2,000 due to IRS penalties. I had set it up in 2024 for a recurring annual withdrawal but the idiots erroneously put it in as a one-time withdrawal in 2024 and as a result, nothing was withdrawn in 2025. I just discovered it today. I suspect the state will also penalize us. But they apologized "for any inconvenience." The rep said "their computer was confused."

I received the TIAA BS response to my complaint—painting the problem I reported as ours. As always TIAA tells only part of the story. What part of we will wait and decide and the part you left out where I told TIAA consultant Charles that I would not sign a new form lead TIAA to conclude we wanted NO funds from the UPS account? You should have sent the same UPS funds monthly as TIAA received NO confirmation of cancelation. But as always TIAA takes it upon themselves to make decisions and cancelled our UPS monthly withdrawal and then demand a new form because TIAA had taken upon themselves to cancel the existing withdrawal. Let’s not kid anyone, TIAA then forced us to get new spousal form because TIAA decided to cancel the monthly withdrawal without OUR authorization. TIAA is a non-customer oriented company that will do or say anything to protect themselves. They are so stupid they can not even remeber my husband has a Dr in front of his name. I am so sorry that many Universities have been sucked into their worthless service.

We've changed our on line account to have tax forms mailed as we don't have a printer. They said they mail -2-2026. And again 2-7 2026. It's 2-27 and still nothing in the mail. I wish I could move our retirement account somewhere else.