California State Teachers' Retirement System · Certificated Staff & Teachers

CalSTRS Retirement Planning Calculator

Estimate your pension benefit and determine optimal retirement timing

★ Independent educational tool — not affiliated with CalSTRS or any school district

Unofficial calculator for planning purposes only. Verify all figures with CalSTRS or a retirement planner before making any retirement decision.

STEP 1

Your Profile

Enter your information below to see your personalized retirement results →

Personal

Used to determine your district health tier, continuous service, and CalSTRS formula

Auto-set from hire date — hired on/before Dec 31, 2012 → 2% at 60

Compensation

$
%

Select one

Automatically uses your projected highest salary at the end of your career.

Powers the Beneficiary Options comparison below and pre-fills the Beneficiary Analysis.

Target

You can also adjust this anytime using the slider on the results panel — no need to come back here.

The Retirement Benefits calculator only provides an estimate of your future retirement benefits.

Target Retirement Age 62yrs old
50 75

Slide to explore different retirement ages — all results update instantly

Member-Only Benefit

Based on your target retirement age

Age —

Monthly Benefit

Age Factor

Total Service Credit

* CalSTRS provides a 2% simple annual COLA on your original benefit amount (applied each September 1st as a fixed dollar increase, not compounded). Benefit values shown do not include COLA — your actual purchasing power may be higher over time.

† Calculations assume a June 30 retirement date for each target age, consistent with the end of the school year. Age factors and benefit amounts may differ if you retire on a different date.

Retirement Timing Insights

Personalized to your inputs

Full Retirement Analysis

Benefits by Retirement Age

Chart and full schedule below — review all ages before deciding

Calculated Benefit by Retirement Age Member-Only (no beneficiary option elected)

Your target age
Optimal window
Age factor max (2.4%)
Health met
Pension eligible
Projected CalSTRS pension benefit by retirement age.

Full Retirement Schedule

2% at 60 District Rules
AgeYearSvc Yrs+Sick Age FactorFinal CompMonthlyAnnual Ann % ↑Flags% Salary

Table symbols: ★ = your target retirement age  ·  ⭐ = within the optimal retirement window  ·  ⚠ = salary capped at CalSTRS pensionable limit (benefit calculated on capped amount, not your full salary)

Flags: Pension eligible  ·  Lifetime health benefit met  ·  AGE Age factor at max 2.4%  ·  Rx Medicare eligible (age 65)

Sick leave: accumulated unused days ÷ base days = additional service credit. Cannot satisfy minimum eligibility requirements.

* Benefit values shown do not include CalSTRS COLA. CalSTRS provides a 2% simple annual COLA on your original benefit — your actual purchasing power may be higher over time. How it works: each September 1st, CalSTRS increases your monthly benefit by 2% of your original benefit amount (not the prior year's adjusted amount), so the dollar increase is constant each year. A separate ad hoc Purchasing Power Protection Allowance (PPPA) may also apply if cumulative inflation erodes your benefit below 85% of its original purchasing power.

† Age factors are calculated assuming a June 30 retirement date — the most common CalSTRS retirement date. Your exact factor is based on your precise age on your actual retirement date and may differ slightly if you retire on a different date.

📚 Key CalSTRS Resources — always verify your figures directly with CalSTRS before making any retirement decisions:

📖 Member Handbook (COM-1519) ↗ 📐 Understanding the Formula (COM-1667) ↗ 📋 All CalSTRS Forms & Publications ↗ 🔢 Official CalSTRS Calculators ↗

Disclaimer: This calculator is an independent, unofficial educational tool. It is completely unaffiliated with, authorized by, or endorsed by CalSTRS or any school district. All calculations are rough estimates for planning purposes only and are non-binding. This calculator may not capture uncommon situations such as service breaks, part-time service, mid-year retirements, concurrent employment, disability retirement, or other non-standard circumstances that could materially affect your benefit. Pension benefits are strictly governed by California law. Always verify all figures directly with CalSTRS before making any retirement decisions.

Questions, Feedback & Comments

Have a question about your results, found an issue, or want to share feedback? We'd love to hear from you.

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Your message will be sent to the calculator's author. We aim to respond within 1–2 business days. This tool is an independent project — responses are provided on a best-effort basis.

Last updated June 2026 · Salary caps current through 2026–27 · CalSTRS option factor tables effective September 1, 2024
This is an independent educational tool, not affiliated with CalSTRS or any school district. Always verify figures directly with CalSTRS before making retirement decisions.