Toll-free · 24 hours, 7 days · Press 0 · If you know your party's extension, you may dial it now. To speak to a consultant about your new or existing account, press 1. To speak to an operator, press 0.
Toll-free · Mon-Fri 8am-10pm EST · Wait for menu, then dial 0 · Existing TIAA account, press 1. Calling on behalf of a TIAA participant or to notify us of the passing of a client, press 2. If you are new to TIAA and would like to enroll or establish an account or learn more about products or services, press 3.
How do I get through the phone menu to a live person?
GetHuman researchers routinely call this TIAA-CREF phone number to document the phone system.
Here is our latest tip for weaving through the phone menu to get to a real person the fastest:Press 1 to speak to a Representative, press 2 to speak to an operator.
Here is how our research team describes the way the TIAA-CREF phone system greets you: If you know your party's extension, you may dial it now. To speak to a consultant about your new or existing account, press 1. To speak to an operator, press 0.
Below are some clips we've found from TIAA-CREF's phone menus and tips that help give an idea of what you will encounter when you call. We've highlighted why they are important as well:
Heard when the phone system first answers
"Thank you for calling TIAA.
Please note menu options have changed.
If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at any time.
To speak to a consultant about your existing or new accounts, please press one.
To speak to an operator, please press zero."
Excerpt from a call with TIAA-CREF
Friday, January 12, 2024 7:08 PM
The first phone menu
"Thank you for calling TIAA.
Please note menu options have changed.
If you know your party's extension, you may dial it at any time.
To speak to a consultant about your existing or new accounts, please press one.
To speak to an operator, please press zero."
Excerpt from a call with TIAA-CREF
Tuesday, April 2, 2024 11:28 PM
What are the hours and when should I call?
TIAA-CREF operates the call center for this 800-842-2733 phone number 24 hours, 7 days.The short answer is that you should call on a Wednesday.This observation and the following section are based on analysis of a sample set of 122 calls made in the last 90 days using our free, web-based phone (see above).
An important note: busy times vs hold times vs best time to call
When we refer to busy or less busy times, we are talking about the volume of calls. The busiest times are when the most people are calling this TIAA-CREF phone number (least busy times have fewer people calling). This high call volume does not necessarily mean that you will have a long hold time when you call. Companies like TIAA-CREF staff their call centers differently based on the time of day and day of the week, so you may experience a shorter wait on hold at the busiest of times. When we refer to the best time to call, we are referring to the optimal combination of lower call volume and shorter wait times.
The least busy time to call
The least busy day to call TIAA-CREF is Sunday.The most busy day to call is Tuesday, which averages 675% more phone calls by comparison.Again, this is based on a sample of 122 calls made with our AI-powered, web-based phone in the last 90 days.
Sun
Quietest
Mon
Tue
Busiest
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
The shortest wait on hold
We measured the shortest hold times to be on Thursday.The longest wait in the queue on average occurs on Monday.
The best time to call TIAA-CREF
In summation, the best day to call TIAA-CREF is Wednesday.
Why Customers Call TIAA-CREF
If you have time to do a bit of reading before you call TIAA-CREF, we recommend you read over some of our problem-specific articles.
TIAA-CREF, or Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association-College Retirement Equities Fund, is a financial services organization that focuses on serving individuals in the academic, research, medical, cultural, and governmental fields. Established in 1918, TIAA-CREF provides retirement plans, investment products, and financial advice to help individuals build and protect their wealth for a secure future. With a reputation for stability and reliable performance, TIAA-CREF offers a variety of retirement options, including annuities and IRAs, and investment solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of its clients. By prioritizing long-term financial wellness, TIAA-CREF strives to empower its customers to make informed decisions and achieve their retirement goals.
TIAA-CREF offers a range of services, each with its specific fee structure. The fees associated with these services can vary depending on the nature of the investment or retirement product. For retirement planning, TIAA-CREF offers competitive fees that are typically lower than those charged by many other financial service providers. Mutual funds also have fees associated with them, including expense ratios that cover operational costs. These fees aim to ensure fund performance and management. However, TIAA-CREF strives to keep the fees associated with their products as low as possible. They are transparent about their fee structure and provide detailed information on their website, making it easy for customers to understand and compare costs.
Yes, investing with TIAA-CREF offers several tax advantages. Firstly, contributions to TIAA-CREF retirement accounts, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, are tax-deductible, helping to reduce taxable income for the year. Secondly, earnings in these accounts grow tax-deferred, meaning there will be no tax on the investment gains until withdrawal. Additionally, certain TIAA-CREF investment options, like annuities, provide the option for tax-free growth. Lastly, when it comes time to retire and withdraw funds, TIAA-CREF offers a variety of distribution options that can help minimize taxes. For example, taking periodic payments rather than a lump sum may help spread out the tax burden. It is important to note that taxes can be complex and everyone's situation is unique, so it is advisable to consult with a tax professional for personalized advice.
Click the link above to get answers to just about any TIAA-CREF customer service question, including step by step guides for the most complex issues. You can also detail a new issue and get answers instantly.
Below is a sample of recent calls to TIAA-CREF, and their purpose. Are any of these similar to the reason you are trying to call?
Transfer request to PNC: "I need to transfer some money from my TIAA-CREF to my bank, my PNC Bank."
- From a call lasting 9m 15s , Feb 9, 2024 9:30 PM
Requesting withdrawal: "I'd like to make the withdrawal, please."
- From a call lasting 12m 35s , Jan 12, 2024 7:08 PM
More TIAA-CREF Customer Service Contacts
There are of course other ways to contact TIAA-CREF customer service besides the phone. Below we list the best ones, by medium.
As a last, sometimes only, resort- TIAA-CREF customer service can be accessed through their website. This can entail digging through help articles before finding a form and "being allowed" to submit a problem to their team, and rarely leads to a real-time conversation, which is why GetHuman does not recommend this unless it's the only way.
Conclusion and closing notes
This is TIAA-CREF's best phone number, the real-time current wait on hold and tools for skipping right through those phone lines to get right to a TIAA-CREF agent. This phone number is TIAA-CREF's best phone number because 8,172 customers like you used this contact information over the last 18 months and gave us feedback. Common problems addressed by the customer care unit that answers calls to 800-842-2733 include Get insurance, Make/Chase a claim, Coverage question, Overcharge/Strange charge, Renew coverage and other customer service issues. Rather than trying to call TIAA-CREF first, consider describing your issue first; from that we may be able to recommend an optimal way to contact them via phone or web. In total, TIAA-CREF has 3 phone numbers. It's not always clear what is the best way to talk to TIAA-CREF representatives, so we started compiling this information built from suggestions from the customer community. Please keep sharing your experiences so we can continue to improve this free resource.
GetHuman does not provide call center services or customer support operations for TIAA-CREF. The two organizations are not related. GetHuman builds free tools and shares information to help customers of companies like TIAA-CREF. For large companies that includes tools such as our GetHuman Phone, which allows you to call a company but skip the part where you wait on the line to get a live human rep. We continue to work on these tools to help customers like you (and ourselves!) navigate the messy phone menus, hold times, and confusion with customer service. As long as you keep sharing it with your friends and loved ones, we'll keep doing it.