CalSTRS & CalPERS Retirement Specialists

Your pension is a promise.
Do you know what it's worth?

CalSTRS and CalPERS have no field representatives educating teachers about their benefits. We do — with no agenda except your informed retirement.

Get My Free Pension Review Learn how your pension works ↓
Example: Teacher retiring at age 55, 60, and 63
Retire at age 55 (25 yrs)
~$4,600/mo on $7,500 salary
50%
Retire at age 60 (30 yrs)
~$5,625/mo on $7,500 salary
75%
Retire at age 63 (33 yrs)
~$6,375/mo on $7,500 salary
85%
Income gap if retiring early
The gap most teachers don't plan for
35%
Estimates only. Your numbers depend on years of service, final salary, and retirement age.
District-approved retirement specialists
CalSTRS & CalPERS pension specialists
Free income gap analysis
Serving K–12 & college educators, California
Understanding Your Pension

CalSTRS doesn't explain this to you. We do.

Your defined benefit pension is likely your largest retirement asset — and most teachers retire with far less guaranteed income than they expected. Understanding the formula before you need it changes everything.

CalSTRS 2% at 60 Benefit Formula
Age factor × Years of service credit × Final compensation = Annual benefit

If you retire at age 60 with 30 years of service and a final salary of $90,000, your pension pays you roughly $54,000 per year — or about 60% of your working income. That leaves a gap most teachers don't plan for until it's too late.

The 85% factor — the point at which your pension covers most of your income — takes longer to reach than most teachers realize. We help you see exactly where you stand and what options exist to close any gap.

Why This Matters Now

The gap nobody warned you about

CalSTRS and CalPERS have no field representatives visiting campuses. Teachers in their late 50s are often the first to discover the numbers don't work the way they assumed.

Early retirement penalty
Every year you retire before age 60 (CalSTRS) reduces your benefit. Retiring at 55 instead of 60 can cost 25–35% of your lifetime pension income.
Social Security limitations
Many California educators are subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which can significantly reduce any Social Security benefit you expected.
Your 403(b) and what it can do
Most teachers have a 403(b) account through their district. Understanding how it coordinates with your pension — and whether it's working efficiently — is a critical piece of the puzzle.
The survivor benefit decision
Choosing the right survivor benefit option at retirement is one of the most consequential and irreversible decisions in your financial life. Most teachers make it in under an hour with no guidance.
Retirement Timeline

What does your pension actually pay at each age?

Most teachers don't see these numbers side by side until it's too late to change them. Here's what a teacher earning $90,000/year with 30 service years can expect.

55
Years of service: 25
50%
≈ $3,750/mo · $45,000/yr
Most common goal
60
Years of service: 30
60%
≈ $4,500/mo · $54,000/yr
63
Years of service: 33
66%
≈ $4,950/mo · $59,400/yr
"I'm not here to tell you to work longer. I'm going to show you your timeline and what to expect — you work however long you choose. What changes is that you'll understand exactly what percentage of your income you'll receive and what, if anything, you might want to supplement."
Our Process

Education first. Solutions only if they fit.

We don't show up with products. We show up with your numbers — and let the math speak for itself.

1

Income analysis appointment

We start with a simple conversation about your career, retirement timeline, and what income you're expecting. No sales pressure, no product talk — just questions to understand your full picture.

30–45 minutes · on campus or virtual
2

Your personal pension review

We pull your CalSTRS or CalPERS projections and show you exactly what your pension pays at age 55, 60, and 65 — along with Social Security estimates, any 403(b) balances, and your total projected retirement income.

We do the math · you ask questions
3

Gap strategy — only if needed

If your numbers show a gap between what your pension pays and what you need, we present options to address it. If your pension covers your income, we tell you that too. Honesty builds long-term trust.

No pressure · no obligation
What We Cover

A complete retirement income review

We help educators understand every piece of their retirement puzzle — not just one product or account.

CalSTRS pension projections

Age factor, years of service, final compensation — your actual numbers at each retirement age.

CalPERS income analysis

For classified staff and public employees covered under CalPERS, including contribution history.

Social Security & WEP impact

Many California educators have their Social Security benefits reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision — we show you exactly how much.

403(b) account review

Whether your 403(b) is actively working for you, sitting idle, or invested in something inconsistent with your goals.

Retirement income gap

The difference between what your guaranteed income sources pay and what you'll need to maintain your lifestyle.

Tax exposure in retirement

Understanding which accounts are tax-deferred vs. tax-free and how that affects your monthly take-home income.

Survivor benefit options

The most consequential, least-explained decision CalSTRS members face — we make sure you understand all options before you choose.

Supplemental retirement strategies

If your analysis reveals a gap, we present options — including protected growth accounts and guaranteed income strategies — that coordinate with your pension.

From California Educators

What teachers say after their pension review

No one had explained this to them before. That's the most common thing we hear.

"

I've been teaching for 22 years and I had no idea how my pension formula actually worked. After our meeting I finally understood why I need to think about supplemental income — and the math made it obvious. Nobody from CalSTRS ever came to explain this.

MR
Maria R.
High school teacher · San Bernardino USD · 22 years
"

I was told at a school presentation to 'just go to the CalSTRS website.' When I sat down with Sammy, he pulled up my actual numbers in front of me and walked through every piece of it. That's what I needed — my numbers, not a brochure.

DK
David K.
Middle school science · Riverside USD · 17 years
"

What surprised me was that he didn't try to sell me anything in the first meeting. He just showed me my pension projection and asked what my plan was. I didn't have one. By the second meeting I did.

JL
Jennifer L.
Elementary teacher · LAUSD · 28 years
Common Questions

What educators ask us most

Is my pension really enough to retire on?
It depends on your years of service, your retirement age, and your lifestyle needs. For most CalSTRS members retiring at 60 with 30 years of service, the pension covers 60% of final salary. Whether that's enough depends on your specific income requirements — which we calculate together.
I already have a 403(b). Do I need anything else?
Maybe not. The first step is understanding what your 403(b) is invested in, whether it's growing efficiently, and how it aligns with your timeline and pension income. Many teachers have 403(b) accounts that are poorly allocated or in products with high fees — we help you understand what you actually have.
I'm only 10 years into teaching. Is it too early?
The opposite. Teachers who understand their pension projections early have the most options. Seeing what the numbers look like at age 55, 60, and 65 while you still have 20 years to work with is the most powerful position to be in.
Is this free? What's the catch?
The income analysis and pension review is completely free. We're district-approved and work with the supplemental retirement accounts already available in your district. If there's a strategy that fits your needs, we'll present it. If there isn't, we'll tell you that too.
How does the Social Security Windfall Elimination work for teachers?
Because CalSTRS members don't pay into Social Security during their teaching career, any Social Security benefit earned from prior jobs is often reduced by a formula called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). In some cases this reduces your expected benefit by $400–$600/month. We calculate the exact impact on your situation.
What is the 85% factor I keep hearing about?
CalSTRS calculates your pension using an age factor. The highest combined value — where your age plus years of service equals 85 — maximizes your benefit. Reaching this milestone typically requires working until 60 with 25 years, or 55 with 30 years. Many teachers plan around this but don't know their own number.
Am I covered by CalSTRS or CalPERS?
Certificated staff (teachers, counselors, administrators) in public K–12 schools are generally covered by CalSTRS. Classified staff (custodians, aides, clerical, nutrition workers) are generally covered by CalPERS. Community college faculty are typically CalSTRS. We work with both systems.
Can my spouse or partner be part of the review?
Yes, and we strongly encourage it — especially for the survivor benefit conversation. Decisions about CalSTRS survivor options are some of the most financially significant and least reversible choices educators make. Having both decision-makers in the room ensures you both understand the options.
Free Pension Review

Know your numbers before you need them.

Request your free CalSTRS or CalPERS income analysis. We come to your campus or meet virtually — your choice.

Your pension review request has been received. We'll reach out within 1 business day to schedule your free income analysis — no products, no pressure at the first meeting.

No products discussed at the first meeting. No obligation. Your information is never sold or shared.