CalSTRS

David Hipwell

Very helpful in filling out forms.

Cheryl Bruno-Mofu

Really appreciate the help navigating retirement issues. Answered my issues and made helpful suggestions.

Jim Waters

Very organized, friendly, got the job done fast!

Andrew C

CalSTRS really screwed me financially as a young person trying to pay bills and pay off debts. If the membership form that I had signed warned me that I would receive 33% cuts from my February paychecks from the Solana Beach School district and the Encinitas Union school district, I never would have signed it. If it had told me at all that money would be taken out of my paycheck, I probably would have said no. But it never said money would be taken out of my paycheck. The closest it comes to saying anything like that is "This form...must be on file...before your employer submits contributions." Unfortunately, it was my fault for signing this form. I signed it, along with about a dozen other papers, that were part of my employment packet. It just seemed like a form I needed to sign to get employed. I was careless. I still think it's dishonest that this particular form is not clear about what it actually does, and worse that it's irrevocable unless I decide to quit ALL of my jobs. Not only that, aside from taking money from the paychecks I will receive from my new employers, they're also going to retroactively take money out of my paychecks from my old employer as well, who I never filled out a CalSTRS form with. Before anyone tries to counsel me on the wisdom of saving money for retirement, saving money does not help me if it is preventing me from paying my school debts. It does not help me if it is increasing the amount of interest I will pay, by making it take longer for me to pay my school debts. I am depending on every dollar I make from my employment, including the ones that CalSTRS are taking without my permission.