Retirement Benefits

Students of Retirement, Listen Up!

Confident businessman working laptop and taking notes while sitting in modern office

There are no grades, no homework — so during National Retirement Security Month why not learn how to plan for retirement using our free member education resources?

As a CalPERS member, it’s important for you to stay informed about how your pension system works, how your benefits accrue, and how to plan for your retirement future. We’ve made it easy with our free member education classes. Our instructor-led and self-paced online classes are based on your career stage, so you can select the class that best suits your needs.

Your CalPERS and You

This class is for members who are new or midway through their career. Get a basic understanding of your CalPERS benefits, learn how your retirement benefit is calculated, learn about your myCalPERS account, and much more.

Planning Your Retirement

This class is for members within 10 years of retirement and provides a deeper understanding of your benefits. Learn about payment options available upon retirement to provide for a beneficiary and how to run estimates through myCalPERS, and get information about health benefits and the special power of attorney.

Your Retirement Application and Beyond

This class is for members ready to apply for retirement, and you’ll be guided through completing your service retirement application. You’ll get important post-retirement information, such as when you’ll receive your first check, direct deposit, tax withholdings, and health benefits into retirement.

It’s Easy to Enroll in a Class

  • Log in to your myCalPERS account. (New to myCalPERS? Select Register Now on the log-in page.)
  • Select the Education tab, then select Classes.
  • Use the dropdown menu to sort by instructor-led or online classes.
  • Select View Class Details to register.

We’re Here to Help

Do you still have questions after taking a class? Select Appointments under the Education tab in myCalPERS to schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of our specialists. Learn about available appointment types by visiting our Make an Appointment page.