TIAAReviews of tiaa.org

Started investing with TIAA-CREF in 1995. No choice as that was my university's contractor (I'm a professor). In the past few years they have done poorly, not even meeting average market returns. I moved most of my funds to Edward Jones, but TIAA stubbornly holds on to more than $100k of my funds. That amount, I learned, is invested in an annuity that I never authorized. Still TIAA refuses even to provide the percentage of the annuity I'm entitled to. It's criminal. When you call customer service, you talk to "bots" and ignorant associates. They make promises just to get off the phone, but no progress ever occurs. Stay away from TIAA.

The financial consultant for our college is a criminal who intentionally misleads professors into investing in poorly performing funds because it gets him a larger commission. Then again, I got them to sheepishly admit that he is really a salesperson and not a fiduciary, so he technically isn't breaking the law. But given that TIAA is embroiled in multiple large ERISA lawsuits over this exact behavior, I think my critique stands. For reference, when I chose my own assets and compare to what my returns would have been over the last several years, I would have been paying 3% higher in fees to get a 9% lower return and I am only in a moderate risk class. If you can avoid TIAA do it like the plague.

Terrible customer service, long hold times, confusing and conflicting answers given to what should seem to be simple questions. Have been trying to transfer an inherited account out of TIAA for over a year now and even though I follow their instructions exactly (as has my chosen financial firm) they still "reject" the transfer/close request for various unspecified reasons and the supposedly are researching why it won't complete. Am now on my 16th phone call to them on hold still for 30 minutes when their estimated hold time was "less than 10 minutes". Ridiculous lack of customer focus.

Tool to plan retirement income does not work. Long phone menu encourages me again and again to use online tool. Support agent agreed website tool does not work on a Friday. Promised a call back on Monday. TIAA never called back by Wednesday. Get a different support agent when I them again. My customer file was not updated properly with details from last week's inquiry, so had to start from scratch with new rep. Frustrated asked to speak with original rep who never called back... sent to his voicemail. I will console myself gazing at the male homos with earrings sitting cozy close on sofa on TIAA's webpage splash screen.

This company is horrendous. I've had my own account with them for over 30 years and never had to contact them. Recently I inherited an IRA from my father that is held by TIAA CREF. I was sent bales of meaningless drivel paperwork but nothing useful including the account number so I could transfer my funds to Fidelity. I tried booking an in-person appt at the location on the TIAA website that came up for my zip code. That office blew me off for over a week and then finally after emailing yet again I get a snippy phone message that no appt option was available for me at that location because it was a 'wealth management' location and only open to people who had over a million in TIAA assets. W T F. So I am not even worth spending 20 minutes telling me what I inherited and how to move it. This company made it clear I wasn't a valued customer. I have over $300,000 of other funds with them and inherited another $110,000 and I am not worth a phone call that gives me basic info. I have a deadline in which to do something with this inheritance and there are tax consequences. The fact I am so 'worthless' in the eyes of this company speaks volumes about the (not) service I will receive when I actually retire. I regret the day I ever signed up with this company through my previous employer. They are bad and can't answer a single question for an account holder. Not only that, they will 'wealth shame' you, coming from people who I sincerely doubt have a million dollars themselves. Haughty and ridiculous and beyond maddening. UPDATE: There are two class action lawsuits, one of which AARP just joined accusing TIAA of 'rebalancing' and suggesting sub-par investments to increase their commissions and fees. It is an active case, you can Google it for more information.

Such a terrible platform and so frustrating in the way they handled things.It's such a waste of time and money. I will rather just deal with Zin𝖾nsis Investment and enjoy the returns they provide, instead of wasting more time here.

If I could give zero stars, I would. This is a horribly organized company that is run like a call center, and with so many faceless employees involved in any transaction, it is a setup for the errors that occur. And when this happens, and large amounts of money are lost, they take no responsibility. Again, a faceless committee of “management” (you will never be allowed to speak to anyone with authority) will dig around and find some way to blame you for what occurred. And don’t even think about trying to access YOUR money quickly. It’s impossible. Chose Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard - anywhere else. Run from TIAA.

I sent a package to TIAA with my husband's original death certificate in it. I sent it by express mail and paid $10. Also, each page of the package was carefully copied and included in the envelope. Then I get a letter saying "no death certificate was enclosed." Now someone has my husband's death certificate along with whatever else you disclosed without my authorization. I called and they said they would look for it and they would not call me back but I would have to respond in 5 days. I do not want to pay another $10 to verify delivery or call you when I am being accused of something that is a lie. Your service is not good. Frequently, if someone does not want to process a claim they will send a letter claiming that something is missing as in this case. Please quit delaying this case and process my claim.