Verify Birth Dates and Marriages
If you elect an option, you must submit documentation verifying your option beneficiary's date of birth unless your option beneficiary is a CalSTRS member. Under some circumstances, CalSTRS will request verification of your birthday.
CalSTRS must review the certified birth documents that were issued by the recording agency with custody of the original document. Acceptable documentation for birthday verification is listed in order of preference:
- Photocopy of certified birth record (recorded at least seven years before application for CalSTRS benefits).
- Photocopy of passport photo ID page.
- Certain military IDs.
If you have changed your name from the name shown on the record of birth, a certified copy of the marriage certificate or court order documenting the change is required.
If you have the necessary birth and marriage certificates required for election of an option, include them with your application. However, do not postpone filing an application if you must obtain the required documents.
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CalSTRS will:
- Acknowledge Receipt of Your Application
If you submit your application using myCalSTRS, you'll receive immediate email confirmation.
If you submit a paper application, CalSTRS will mail you a letter acknowledging receipt of your application within three weeks of processing your application.
- Provide a Retirement Benefit Calculation Letter
Within one month of your retirement date, CalSTRS will send a letter that includes:
- How your monthly benefit was calculated.
- The amount of your monthly benefit.
- The total amount of your contributions and interest as of your effective date of retirement.
- Send Your First Benefit Payment
CalSTRS will issue your first monthly benefit payment within 45 days of your retirement effective date or the date your completed application is received (whichever is later).
- Send an Adjustment Letter
Your benefit payment generally is adjusted over several months as additional employment information is received from your employer. Reconciliation of underpayments or overpayments will be made during this period.
Save your most recent adjustment letter to determine tax liability. This letter is sent after your retirement date.
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Direct Deposit
If you want the quickest access to your monthly retirement payment, sign up for
direct deposit. Direct Deposit is fast, secure and environmentally responsible.
With direct deposit, your money will be credited electronically to your bank account on the day your check is issued. You can access your current and past benefit payment statements through your myCalSTRS account. Funds may be deposited into a checking or savings account in any U.S. financial institution you choose.
Health Insurance
CalSTRS does not provide health insurance coverage. However, you may authorize CalSTRS to deduct group insurance premiums from your monthly retirement benefit. Complete instructions on this subject are included in the
Your Retirement Guide publication.
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Are there any employment restrictions after I retire?
Your only restrictions on employment after service retirement
are within the California public school system. The Education Code prohibits employment in a classified position while a member is
retired for service. The only exception is employment as a teacher’s aide under certain circumstances.
You may accept employment outside the California public school system in any capacity and continue to receive your CalSTRS
service retirement benefit with no limitation on your earnings.
However, there is a restriction on the amount you can earn without affecting your CalSTRS service retirement benefit if
you are performing creditable service in kindergarten through community college as:
- An employee of a public school district
- An independent contractor
- An employee of a third party
If you received two years of additional service credit under the CalSTRS Retirement Incentive Program, you will lose the
additional service credit if you return to work within five years of retirement for the employer that offered the incentive.
New restrictions beginning July 1, 2010
Beginning July 1, 2010, there are new employment restrictions for retirees under age 60.
If you retire and are under 60, you cannot perform any CalSTRS-covered employment for six months after your retirement date
or until your 60th birthday, whichever is sooner, without affecting your retirement benefit.
If you return to work during this required waiting period, your retirement benefit will be reduced:
- Any earnings from CalSTRS-covered employment will be collected dollar-for-dollar from your retirement benefit until paid
in full.
- Your earnings will also count towards the annual postretirement earnings limit
Six months after your retirement date, or when you turn 60, whichever is sooner, you may return to CalSTRS-covered employment
under the annual postretirement earnings limit rules.
Annual Postretirement Earnings Limit
There is a restriction on the amount you can earn without affecting your CalSTRS service retirement benefit if you perform
creditable service in kindergarten through community college as:
- An employee of a public school district
- An independent contractor
- An employee of a third party
As of fiscal year 2010-2011, the limit on postretirement earnings from public school employment is $31,020 for the school year.
Each July 1, the earnings limit is adjusted to reflect specified increases. CalSTRS notifies employers and members retired for
service of each year’s earnings limit.
Under certain circumstances, and with CalSTRS approval, you may qualify for an exemption to the postretirement earnings limit.
If you think you qualify for an exemption, contact your employer.
For more information on the earnings limit, see the Member Handbook.
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If you are a CalSTRS member who has retired from service, you may be reinstated to member status upon receipt of a written
request to terminate your retirement benefit.
The election to terminate your service retirement benefit must take place no earlier than:
- Six months prior to the effective date of the termination.
- The first day of the month that the election is received by CalSTRS.
Should you change your mind, an application to terminate a service retirement benefit may be canceled as long as the request
is received by the last day of the month that the termination was to take effect.
CalSTRS strongly recommends you meet with a benefit counselor
if you are planning to reinstate to active member status.
When reinstating, you should be aware of the following:
- One Year Between Retirements
At least one year must elapse from the date of your reinstatement to active member status (from either service retirement
or disability retirement) before you may retire again from CalSTRS.
- Qualifying for Disability or Survivor Benefits
You must earn at least one year of service credit after the date of your reinstatement from service retirement before
you qualify for disability benefits or survivor benefits.
- Retirement Incentive
If you retired on or after January 1, 1985, and reinstate, you will lose any additional service credit that you may
have acquired by participating in the Retirement Incentive Program.
- Preretirement Election of an Option
You are not eligible to file a preretirement election of an option until one year has elapsed after the date of
reinstatement from service retirement. However, if you retired for service under an option, that option will automatically
become a preretirement election when you reinstate.
- Coverage B
When eligible, you will be covered by Coverage B for survivor and disability benefits.
- Benefit Calculation
If you reinstated on or after September 30, 1992, when you retire for service a second time, your new service retirement
benefit will be equal to the sum of both the following:
- An amount equal to the last Member-Only benefit received immediately before reinstatement, increased by the 2 percent
Annual Benefit Adjustment that would have been applied to the benefit if you had not reinstated, plus,
- An amount based on service earned since your last reinstatement, your age at the subsequent retirement and final
compensation. (You will not be eligible for the career bonus on service earned since your last reinstatement.)
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If CalSTRS is withholding health insurance premiums from your benefit and you decide to reinstate, you will need to make
premium payment arrangements with your health insurance carrier.
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Throughout your career, it is important to keep a valid and current Recipient Designation
form on file at CalSTRS.
A lump-sum death payment will be payable to your designated beneficiary if you should die. If no beneficiary designation is
in effect on the date of death, the lump-sum death payment will be paid to your estate.
A valid beneficiary designation, with the beneficiary’s current address, will eliminate the need for a lengthy search
for potential beneficiaries and reduce the amount of time necessary to process and distribute funds payable.
A beneficiary designation received by CalSTRS after January 1, 1987, remains valid until revoked by the member. Marriage,
dissolution or annulment after that date does not automatically invalidate a beneficiary designation, however it may
invalidate the former spouse or partner as a recipient unless you file a new designation form after the dissolution or
termination date naming your former spouse or partner.
If, however, your most recent beneficiary designation was received before January 1, 1987, and a marriage, dissolution or
annulment occurred after the designation was received by CalSTRS and before January 1, 1987, the designation is invalid.
Your CalSTRS Retirement Progress Report identifies your designated beneficiaries. You can designate one or more beneficiaries,
and there is no restriction on who you may name.
For additional information, contact CalSTRS at 800-228-5453.
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