Pension Sense blog | June 3, 2026 | Melissa Jones-Ferguson

Retirement planning can seem overwhelming, and you might be tempted to put it off. But you don’t have to tackle everything at once, and you don’t have to do it alone.

CalSTRS offers a variety of resources that can help you secure your financial future no matter where you are in your career, whether you’re just starting or nearing retirement.

So, take a breath. You’ve got this—and we’re here to help.

Early career

The beginning of your career is an ideal time to learn about your CalSTRS benefits and start hashing out a retirement plan:

• Choose from more than a dozen member education videos with essential information on your benefits.

• Sign up for a live webinar for new members to learn about your CalSTRS benefits and the services available to you.

• Start a tax-advantaged 403(b) or 457(b) account such as CalSTRS Pension2® to supplement your retirement income. Pension2 is a voluntary defined contribution plan that offers the opportunity to invest through tax-advantaged payroll deductions in low-cost, flexible 403(b) and 457(b) plans, both Roth and traditional.

• If you’re eligible, consider purchasing additional service credit to increase your CalSTRS benefit. The earlier you purchase service credit, the lower the cost. Use the calculators to estimate the cost or submit the Redeposit or Purchase of Permissive Service Credit form. Check out the Purchase Service Credit Now fact sheet for more information.

For more tips on planning considerations at the beginning of your career, visit CalSTRS’ early career checklist. You can also review the Learn and Discover: Early Career booklet.

Midcareer  

Once you have at least 10 years of service credit, it’s time to start thinking more concretely about your plans to transition from work to retirement:

• Increase contributions to your 403(b) or 457(b) account—or open an account today. It’s never too late to start saving.

• Ask your employer about the health insurance options available to you in retirement. Consider saving now to prepare for future health care expenses.

For more tips on retirement planning in the middle of your career, review CalSTRS’ midcareer checklist. This is also a good time to check out your Learn and Discover: Midcareer booklet.

Near retirement 

As you approach this new stage in your life, let us help make the transition as smooth as possible.

When you’re eligible for retirement:

• Sign up for a CalSTRS and Your Retirement group benefits planning session to receive personalized estimates prepared by a CalSTRS benefits specialist.

• Complete and submit your Service Retirement Application online, then print, sign and mail or fax it to us.

• Transfer eligible unused sick leave from a previous employer, if you have any, to your current employer.

For more tips on important steps to take as you approach retirement, review CalSTRS’ near retirement checklist or check out your Learn and Discover: Near Retirement booklet.

Planning for your long-term financial security is a journey. Wherever you are on your journey toward retirement, we’ll be here to help you take that next step.