Financial Education for Colorado Educators (and those they love). Absolutely Free.
Back in 2023 I wrote a post about some suggested legislation I would like to see regarding Colorado PERA. I'm excited to share that this legislation has now been proposed as part of the 2026 Colorado General Assembly. It is House Bill 26-1026 sponsored by Representative Bob Marshall, Representative Eliza Hamrick, and Senator Chris Kolker. … Continue reading Please Consider Supporting Colorado HB26-1026
I've written previously that people with defined benefit pensions who have the option to purchase service credit should seriously consider doing so now. I first wrote about it back in December of 2021, added some more context in April of 2022, and then reiterated in January of this year. Well, stop me if you've heard … Continue reading Diversifying by Purchasing Service Credit
Note: This post is going to assume a lot of privilege. It's not going to address the very real issues of income inequality and systemic disadvantage, as those are a bit beyond my wheelhouse (although I do have pretty strong opinions about policy changes we should make that could at least help address those issues). … Continue reading The Extraordinary Opportunity of Starting Early (and Privilege)
Colorado PERA offers optional health insurance called PERACare as a benefit to its retirees. While the details of next year's plans aren't out yet (open enrollment begins October 20th), a presentation at today's Board meeting shared the details on the premium increases (and a change in one of the plans offered). Given all that's going … Continue reading PERACare Premium Increases and the Impact of a Plan Design Change
Most of you who are receiving this are members of Colorado PERA, either in the active school division or in the retiree school division. Both divisions have Board of Trustee seats up for election this month and I want to encourage everyone to vote. You can vote now by logging into your PERA account online … Continue reading Colorado PERA Board Elections: Please Vote
Most people are pretty familiar with the 401k, a supplemental defined contribution retirement plan offered by many private employers. In the public sector, including public schools, most employers offer the 403b instead, which actually predates the 401k and functions in much the same way. Public employers also have the ability to offer a 457b plan, … Continue reading The Not-So-Nifty Fifty