Five or More Years Out
- Confirm which CalSTRS formula applies to you — 2% at 60 or 2% at 62 →
- Pull your service credit total and confirm there are no gaps or missing years that could be corrected through a service credit purchase.
- Get a fee disclosure on your 403(b) and, if you have one, your 457(b). Confirm whether you are in an annuity or a mutual fund custodial account. See what to look for →
One to Two Years Out
- Run a formal pension estimate through myCalSTRS using your actual service credit and expected final compensation.
- Decide on your pension election — member-only versus an option that continues income to a beneficiary. Understand the trade-offs →
- If you are 60 to 63, confirm whether your 403(b) and 457(b) both offer the super catch-up, and whether the new 2026 Roth catch-up rule for high earners applies to you.
- Check whether unused sick leave will convert to additional service credit, and how much.
Your Final Working Year
- Choose your retirement date with school-year timing, COLA effective dates, and sick leave conversion in mind. See the timing considerations →
- Confirm what happens to your health coverage between your last day of work and when retiree benefits, if any, begin.
- If you or your spouse were ever affected by WEP or GPO, confirm your current Social Security eligibility now that both provisions are repealed. Read what changed →
- Finalize your pension election paperwork with CalSTRS well ahead of your retirement date — this decision is generally irrevocable once your benefit begins.
After Retirement
- Set up a withdrawal sequence across your pension, 403(b), 457(b), and any Social Security benefit that accounts for tax brackets, not just cash flow.
- Revisit Roth conversion opportunities in early retirement years, before RMDs and Social Security are both active.
- Review beneficiary designations on every account — CalSTRS, 403(b), 457(b), and any IRAs — since these do not update automatically.
This checklist is a starting framework, not a substitute for running your actual numbers. The right sequence and timing depend on your specific tier, service credit, accounts, and household situation.