CALPERS retirement question

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augustwest73
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:36 pm

CALPERS retirement question

Post by augustwest73 »

Hi,

I worked for a CALPERS agency for 12 years but have since left. It's my understanding that my retirement will be based on my last year of employment salary when I left, meaning that the amount is essentially frozen at $100K. Therefore, the salary amount is frozen at $100K and I don't get any COLA on that amount.

I have the option to retire at 52 at 2% meaning the final calculation would be .24 * $100K or retire at 55 years at 2.7% meaning .324 * $100K per year. However, if I retire at 52%, I'll start receiving the COLA 3 years earlier than if I retire at 55. The COLA is around 2%.

I'm not good at math so my question is which is better: Retire at 52 with reduced benefit but get 2% COLA sooner or wait till 55 and get 2.7% but lose any COLA for 3 years to the salary amount.

Hope that makes sense.
GodzillaBorland
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 5:46 pm

Re: CALPERS retirement question

Post by GodzillaBorland »

Did you receive an answer to this question. More than the COLA , the bigger question is you are missing out on 3 years of pensions = 3*100K*.024=$72K. How will you get that back?
Monsterflockster
Posts: 980
Joined: Wed Nov 20, 2019 11:03 pm

Re: CALPERS retirement question

Post by Monsterflockster »

GodzillaBorland wrote: Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:09 pm Did you receive an answer to this question. More than the COLA , the bigger question is you are missing out on 3 years of pensions = 3*100K*.024=$72K. How will you get that back?
He makes it back by living past 64.
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