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
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)
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
I've written previously about fees associated with tax-advantaged accounts like 401ks, 403bs, and 457bs. For those of you in Colorado PERA, you're lucky enough to have access to PERA's 401k (and, if your district has opted in, to PERA's 457b). Unfortunately, many of the 403b vendors that districts also allow you to sign up with … Continue reading Vanguard Increasing 403b Administrative Fee to $80 a Year
Colorado PERA offers a fantastic 401k and 457b plan to all PERA-affiliated employers, which includes all public school employees. These plans are almost always better than the 403bs or 457bs offered through their school districts by other vendors (see Littleton Public Schools, Cherry Creek, Denver, Douglas County, and Aurora as examples). At Friday's Board Meeting, … Continue reading Colorado PERA Lowers Fees for 401k and 457b Plans
I've written before about 401k, 403b, and 457b retirement plans and the similarities and differences between them. Unfortunately, many school districts offer some truly horrible 403b plans (listen to Learned by Being Burned for more info). But there has been a positive development lately in that some school districts, typically large ones, have now started … Continue reading Aurora Public Schools Single-Vendor 403b Plan: Is It The Best Choice?
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