Making Cents
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Announcements      |      Looking Ahead      |      Spotlight      |      Learning More      |      Planning for Retirement

Experience your new CalPERS 457 Plan account

America Saves Week is April 8 – 12

Exploring the Roth contribution option

Cheers to the new year!

Plan to stay for a while

 

 

 

 

Log into your account

Payroll Change Authorization Form

CalPERS 457 Plan webinar schedule

Voya Learn® live and on-demand sessions

Roth Contribution Option Overview

Schedule an appointment with a dedicated Account Manager

Voya’s Budget Calculator

announcement icon Announcements ^ TOP OF PAGE

Experience your new CalPERS 457 Plan account

When was the last time you visited calpers.voya.com and logged into your account? If you’ve logged in recently, you may have noticed some changes. If you haven’t logged in recently, your account experience has been upgraded with new features . You can now bring your whole financial life together online. Here’s what you can expect:

It's comprehensive. You can securely connect your CalPERS 457 Plan account with external accounts like checking, credit cards, and personal savings in a private environment to get a full view of your net worth. You’ll receive personalized insights designed to help you improve your finances.

It’s insightful. You will have quick access to educational resources and interactive tools that can help you set goals, track your progress, and get real-time insights on your money habits. The experience will also adjust as your needs change to help you understand where you stand financially and how to manage your money with confidence.

It’s an account experience. Whether you want to check your balances, save more for your future, update your investments or even track the progress of your non-retirement goals, you’ll enjoy an effortless account experience that adjusts to you..

It’s a simpler way to manage your money.
Your online account now provides you a simpler way to manage your money. Ready to get started? Visit calpers.voya.com to log in. If you’ve never accessed your account online, there’s never been a better time to start. Click the Register Now button on the homepage, create a username and password, and follow the prompts to get registered and into your account. If you need help registering your account, call the Plan Information Line at 800-260-0659 and press 2.

Look for more tips and insights on using the new account experience in future editions of Making Cents.

 

Looking ahead icon Looking Ahead ^ TOP OF PAGE

America Saves Week is April 8 - 12

America Saves Week is an annual celebration and call to action for everyday Americans to commit to saving successfully. This year, challenge yourself to work toward achieving financial stability. Consider the following ways you can take action based on your unique life goals:

Saving for the unexpected. Having some short-term savings on hand allows you to take care of unplanned expenses without using the money meant for bills.

Saving for major purchases. Careful planning and consistent saving is needed to help achieve goals like an education, homeownership, vacation, car, or anything else that’s important to you.

Paying down debt is saving. Think about how much debt may cost you in interest and fees. Then think about how carrying debt can impact your credit score. The more you pay down debt, the more you’re saving.

Saving at any career or life stage. You’re never too young or too old to start saving, start a new savings goal, or change your savings habits. It just takes commitment, a plan, and a positive mindset toward managing your money.

No matter what you’re saving for, creating healthy financial habits is always a good idea. Start by understanding basic financial concepts and the benefits that are available to you, then continue learning throughout your earning years and make financial decisions with your personal goals in mind. The rest will fall into place. Ready to learn more? Visit voya.com/voyalearn or register to attend an upcoming CalPERS 457 Plan webinar.

 

Spotlight icon Spotlighting the CalPERS 457 Plan ^ TOP OF PAGE

Exploring the Roth contribution option

The Roth contribution option is now available for all participants in the CalPERS 457 Plan.

For participants who can contribute to the Plan, the Roth option doesn’t change how much you can contribute. For participants with a CalPERS 457 Plan balance of pre-tax money, converting some or all of that balance to Roth after-tax doesn’t change where you can invest it. What it does, though, is give you more control over when your contributions, account balance, and retirement income will be subject to federal income tax.

Unlike making contributions to the CalPERS 457 Plan on a pre-tax basis, the Roth option is a retirement savings source of after-tax money. This means that Roth money is taxed before it’s invested in your designated Roth account within the CalPERS 457 Plan.

In exchange for paying taxes now, you may be able to withdraw your Roth contributions and any earnings federal tax-free when you retire (qualifying factors apply). That could mean more income for you in retirement. Does the Roth option make sense for you, though? It primarily depends on what you think your federal income tax rate will be in retirement.

There are different reasons why pre-tax, Roth after-tax, or a combination of both may be best for you. It depends on several factors, like if you are in a higher tax bracket now or expect to be when you retire. You’ll also need to consider your current financial situation, future goals and other personal factors. Start by answering the following questions. If you have more “Yes” answers than “No” answers, the Roth option may make sense for your retirement saving and planning strategy.

  YES NO
Do you plan to work at least five more years before you retire?
Do you think that your tax rate will be higher than it is now by the time you retire?
Are you willing to swap a current tax break for a longer-term tax benefit?
Are you focused on passing as much as possible on to your heirs?

Ready to learn more about the Roth contribution option? View the CalPERS 457 Plan on-demand presentation Exploring the Roth Contribution Option for examples of why Roth after-tax may be right for you. Read the Roth Contribution Option Overview to learn more about how to make Roth contributions to the CalPERS 457 Plan and to convert pre-tax contributions and earnings in the CalPERS 457 Plan to the Roth option. Still not sure if the Roth option is right for you? Schedule an appointment with a dedicated Account Manager to review and discuss your retirement saving strategy by going to calpers457.timetap.com or calling 888-713-8244.

You are strongly urged to consult with an accountant and/or tax advisor before making your final decision to contribute to the CalPERS Roth 457 Plan. Once Roth contributions are made, they are irrevocable and cannot be reversed. While CalPERS and Voya Financial® representatives are able to explain the options to you, they cannot tell you whether Roth contributions are appropriate for you. CalPERS and Voya® will not provide tax or legal advice. Neither this document, Employee New Enrollment Form nor the Participant Change Authorization Form represents tax or legal advice.

 

Learning Icon Learning more about the CalPERS 457 Plan ^ TOP OF PAGE

Cheers to the new year!

No matter where you are in your retirement journey, a new year is a good time to reflect on your financial goals and think about your future. Make a resolution in 2024 to get and stay financially healthy by focusing on your spending and saving habits.

> Know where you stand — visit calpers.voya.com to log into your CalPERS 457 Plan account and click Financial Wellness at the top of the page to take or retake your financial wellness assessment.
> Create a budget — visit voya.com/tool/budget-calculator to help maximize your monthly income by balancing saving with your spending needs and wants.
> Use myOrangeMoney®— log in to your CalPERS 457 Plan account to estimate how much income you may need for retirement.*
> Review your investment allocations — align your investments with your risk tolerance and time horizon for investing.
> Know your annual IRS contribution limit — if you can, get closer to or contribute the maximum for the year.
> Review your estate plan— keep your will, health care proxy, and power of attorney updated.
> Designate your beneficiaries — name, review, and manage beneficiaries for all your financial accounts to help ensure your assets are distributed as you intended.
> Make a plan for Social Security and Medicare — know when applying for both is best for you.
> Don’t do it alone — consult with a dedicated Account Manager to review and discuss your saving and retirement planning strategies.
> Attend a CalPERS 457 Plan webinar — attend as many of the 1-hour webinars as you’d like, each focused on a different retirement planning topic. Visit calpers457.com to view the current list of webinars presented by the dedicated Account Managers for the Plan.

Consider taking advantage of every available retirement benefit and planning resource. Log into your account, schedule an appointment with a dedicated Account Manager, and visit voya.com/voyalearn for more ways to put time on your side so you can retire well.

*IMPORTANT: The illustrations or other information generated by the calculators are hypothetical in nature, do not reflect actual investment results, and are not guarantees of future results. This information does not serve, either directly or indirectly, as legal, financial or tax advice and you should always consult a qualified professional legal, financial and/or tax advisor when making decisions related to your individual tax situation.

 

Planning icon Planning for retirement with the CalPERS 457 Plan ^ TOP OF PAGE

Plan to stay for a while

Did you know you can stay in the CalPERS 457 Plan, even if you are planning to retire or already in retirement?

You’re a valued participant in the CalPERS 457 Plan. As you consider the changes that entering and then living in retirement may bring you, remember that your CalPERS 457 Plan participation doesn’t have to be one of those changes. In retirement, you can continue to take advantage of everything the Plan has to offer. That means:

Lower costs than other retirement plan options. The CalPERS 457 Plan’s “all-in” fee structure is simple, fair and includes all administrative, recordkeeping and investment fees. There are no hidden costs, such as revenue sharing, and CalPERS keeps close tabs on the industry to keep fees competitive.

Local support from a dedicated Account Manager. Your dedicated Account Manager is always available by appointment to review and discuss your income needs, investment strategy and investment allocations throughout your retirement years.

Access to the same investment options in the CalPERS 457 Plan that you’ve grown accustomed to. Even in retirement, you can continue to manage your investments or adjust your allocations based on changes to your risk tolerance or investment objectives.

Account support by phone, online, and through the Voya Retire mobile app. Access your account by visiting calpers.voya.com or calling the Plan Information Line at 800-260-0659. This will help ensure that your contact information, beneficiary designation, and communication preferences remain up-to-date.

When you’re ready to take income from the CalPERS 457 Plan, we will be ready to help. A variety of payout options are available when you are ready to receive distributions from the Plan, but nothing is required until you’re of age to begin taking Required Minimum Distributions. Thank you for letting the CalPERS 457 Plan be a part of your retirement journey.

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Information from registered Plan Service Representatives is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Local Plan Service Representatives are registered representatives of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc., member SIPC. Plan administration services provided by Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC.

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