For California Educators

CalSTRS Pension Review

If you are a California educator, CalSTRS is likely the foundation of your retirement. The elections you make are largely permanent, and the details that shape your benefit are easy to overlook.

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Public Employees Guide

Peak Solutions Financial is not affiliated with CalSTRS, CalPERS, or any government agency.

How CalSTRS Works

Built on Service Credit, Not a Balance

CalSTRS is a defined benefit system. Your pension comes from a formula built on service credit, age, and final compensation, rather than from the balance of an account. That distinction changes what you should be paying attention to.

Service credit is the piece most often misunderstood. Part-time and substitute work, leaves of absence, moves between districts, and unused sick leave converted at retirement all affect the credit on your record, and therefore the benefit you receive.

We help educators read their benefit projection, review their service credit history for gaps, and understand each payout and spousal protection option clearly before anything is elected.

Your official benefit amount comes from CalSTRS. Our role is helping you understand your projection, compare your options, and see how your pension works together with your supplemental accounts. See our 403(b) planning page for the supplemental side.

What we review with you

Pension review and benefit projection support
Service credit history review and gap identification
Sick leave conversion to service credit at retirement
Part-time, substitute, and leave of absence impact
District changes and service credit continuity
Payout option comparisons, including spousal protection
Defined Benefit Supplement account review
403(b) and 457(b) supplemental account coordination
Where This Fits

Part of The Peak Path™

Educator planning follows the same Peak Path as every client, with the CalSTRS specifics built into each step.

1

Base Camp

We start with your service credit history and your goals.

2

Map the Route

CalSTRS specifics are mapped into your wider plan.

3

The Ascent

Your elections are made with full clarity, not guesswork.

Explore the full Peak Path™ →

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Related Services

Public Employees and Educators

Our full guide for public sector retirement
planning.

Learn more →

403(b) Planning

How your supplemental account coordinates with your pension.
Learn more →

Pension Analysis

The broader pension review, for public and private systems.
Learn more →

Common Questions

Good to Know Before You Start

Are you affiliated with CalSTRS?
No. Peak Solutions Financial is not affiliated with CalSTRS or any government agency. We are an independent firm that helps educators understand their benefits and plan around them.
How does unused sick leave affect my pension?
Unused sick leave can be converted to additional service credit at retirement, which increases the service credit used in your benefit formula. How much it adds depends on your accumulated balance and your district’s reporting, which is one of the things we review with you.
I substituted and worked part-time for years. Does that count?
It affects your service credit, though how it is counted depends on your specific record. Reviewing that history for gaps is one of the most useful things an educator can do well before retirement, while there is still time to address anything.
What is the Defined Benefit Supplement?
It is a separate account alongside your main CalSTRS defined benefit pension. Reviewing it is part of understanding your complete CalSTRS picture, rather than looking at the pension formula alone.

Understand Your CalPERS Benefit

Bring your latest benefit estimate and we will walk through it together,
in plain language, with no pressure.

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