Some of the good news is I have reached out to CalSTRS and set up two dates for retirement/investment workshops.  Those dates are January and February.  You can sign up for the January and February workshops by clicking here.  Also, remember, Thursday, November 7 is Movie Night.  If you want a fun night out, you can also sign up for that at Sign Up Genius as well.  You pick the movie, and MEA pays for it. 

In addition to retirement information, CalSTRS staff will also be talking about their investment program called Pension2.  Like CVT, not only didCTA advocate for the creation of CVT as a non-profit health care option for teachers, it also advocated for the creation of CalSTRS, way back in 1913.  CalSTRS Pension2 has a 403b plan.  403b is like a 401k but it is strictly for employees of public schools and certain tax exempt organizations.  Here’s the GOOD news thing…CalSTRS’  fees are called institutional fees meaning their fees are so low, it’s the same rates charged to Bezos, Gates, and Buffet, currently the three richest Americans. Seriously. A quarter of 1%.   My analogy about investments is my dollars are my workers that go out into the cruel world and make more money for me.  The lower the fees, the more workers I have working for me.  403b also LOWERS your current tax liability.  You say, you can’t afford to set aside money for retirement.  I say, you can’t afford NOT to. You say.  I never have enough money at the end of the month.  I say, if you deduct it from your paycheck, you will not miss it.  You won’t…because it’s not in your account.  And if it’s there like typical Americans, we’ll spend it. Start with a low investment and work up.

​On a related subject, have you received offers via email, usually in your junk mail but not always, inviting you to a 403b investment seminar or consultation?  Yea, always delete those.  Do what you want, but they’re VERY deceiving.  Usually, their name is misleading like Teachers Investment Group or some garbage like that. They’re not affiliated with CalSTRS or public schools in ANY way.  And they charge very high fees like many investment companies.  These firms are ALWAYS calling me so they can have access to your staff lounge to sell you investment products.  I’m VERY firm in my NO.  If they argue, I interrupt and say, “The staff lounge is like a temple for teachers to unwind and relax not be pestered by sales pitches.  I see my job is to keep the moneylenders out of the temple. Thank you but no thanks.”  The ONLY groups that are allowed in the staff lounge are Standard and Cal Casualty, the companies endorsed and vetted by CTA.  I know some of you have investments with friends or relatives which is fine…but their companies are for profit.  Nothing wrong with that, but I’m saving for my retirement which means I want the LOWEST fees I can get.

Did you know that you’re not covered by California Disability Insurance?  California educators do not pay into Social Security, so we also don’t pay into CASDI like every other employee in California.  Sure, you have sick leave like most workers, but do you have enough for several years if you had a disability caused by an illness or an accident on the job or off the job?  Of course you don’t.  Nobody does.

You’re not going to remember much of this so Suzanne, the Standard rep, and I will visit EVERY school site during October and November.   

Download the Flyer here for more information.

Or, click here to visit the Standard Disability website created just for MEA to provide more information.

Our Standard Disability Insurance Campaign is during the months of October and November.  This campaign allows a member to purchase Standard Disability Insurance without any health care exam or questions being asked.  This only happens every four years, so I would encourage those of you that don’t have it to seriously consider it. Many of you have contacted me with horror stories about American Fidelity, so don’t believe me about it.  Believe your fellow staffers.  If someone loves American Fidelity, ask if they have ever had to use it.  If they haven’t, they haven’t read the fine print.
 
Fun facts…

1. The Standard Disability Plan was written by CTA staff.  CTA created a plan that you deserve, and notified insurance companies to submit a quote.  Standard was the only insurance carrier that offered to implement the strict conditions at the price set by CTA.
2. Standard’s rates are based on your income and have never increased in my 37 years of teaching.
3. Standard accepts all pre-existing conditions. You cannot be turned down.  American Fidelity doesn’t offer this. Recently, a young educator asked me if she was covered because she was pregnant.  Pregnancy is definitely a pre-exiting condition!  I said yup.  She was really surprised. 
4. On the job disabilities are covered with the Standard plan. American Fidelity does not cover on the job claims.
5. Standard covers claims during the summer.  American Fidelity does too…for a fee.
6. Standard covers ALL illnesses, accidents, and disabilities.  American Fidelity requires you to pay extra for cancer and other illnesses.
7. If you had a serious disability, Standard covers 75% of your income(tax free) for two years.  This is after your sick leave is used up along with any catastrophic leave and differential leave. If you were still disabled, you were retire under STRS Retirement Disability.
8. I would encourage you to donate one sick day to the District Catastrophic Leave Bank if you haven’t done so already.  This is usually done during October.  Look for the paper in your mailbox.