FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Berkeley Retirement Center's general questions and answers:

Each year we update the answers to reflect the latest questions. These questions and answers came from folks like you. We hope you find them helpful and informative. Please let us know if you encounter any problems or have suggestions. To send a comment, go to our contact us page. If you don't find the answer to your question below, please call:

Tel: (510) 642-5461 Fax: (510) 643-1460
Hours : Monday-Friday: 9:00am-4:00pm
Closed: Noon-1pm

Where is the Retirement Center located?
The center is located in Room 2 Boalt Hall School of Law. The best entrance is located off the Kroeber Plaza (corner of College and Bancroft), east of the fountain. Our mailing address is 1925 Walnut Street #1550 Berkeley, CA 94720-1550. You can reach us at (510) 642-5461 or ucbrc@berkeley.edu. We are open Mon-Fri from 9:00-4:00pm and closed from noon-1pm. Walk-in hours are from 1pm-4pm.

How do I become a member?
There are no memberships in the UC Berkeley Retirement Center. The Center serves retired faculty, staff, and surviving spouse beneficiaries from the University of California, Berkeley; UC Office of the President; and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

However, the Center does provide administrative support (accounting, desktop publishing and other services) to The UC Retirees’ Association at Berkeley (UCRAB) and the UC Berkeley Emeriti Association (UCBEA). We encourage all UC retirees to join their respective Retiree Associations as they advocate for the continuation of retiree benefits. Additionally, the Associations offer social and educational functions such as day and over-night trips, regular luncheons with interesting speakers and other special events for UC Berkeley Retiree's Association.

I am trying to contact a former colleague; can you give me their contact information?
We are sorry, but confidentiality rules and privacy law prohibit us from providing information about our constituents.

How do I get a retiree ID card?
Please contact the Center if you've retired from UC Berkeley, UC Office of the President, or Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. You can receive an ID card in the mail or pick one up during our walk-in hours.

How do I get a library card?
First, obtain a retiree ID card. Next, present your retiree ID, along with photo identification to main circulation desk at Doe Library. They will be happy to issue your free library card.

What does the Retirement Center do?
The Center provides programs, services and discounts to retirees from UC Berkeley, UC Office of the President and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. We create and offer programs like Learning in Retirement, Cal Retirement Center Network (CRCN) email/Internet service, Pre-Retirement Planning, Return to Work Opportunities (RWO). We offer computer classes each semester and through partnership arrangements, provide programs or seminars on topics such as Long Term Care Insurance, Medicare and Your UC Health Benefits, and others.

Can I register for Center programs online?
Currently, registration and forms can be requested by phone or email. However, watch for announcements as we plan to add registration forms to our website in the future.