Teachers often ask the same questions: What does it really cost to leave a 403(b) annuity? How much do I need to retire on a pension? Should I buy service credit? The articles below walk through these and other decisions educators face in the years before retirement—with real numbers and clear explanations.
· 8-minute read
The Green State Credit Union Guide to 403(b) Annuity Surrender Charges for Teachers
Is leaving your annuity worth the charge? Often yes after 2.5 years.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
403(b) vs 457(b) for Teachers: The Green State Credit Union Checklist
The two plans don't share one limit, as many teachers think: for 2026, each has its own $24,500 limit, and each has its own $8,000 age-50 catch-up.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
A mid-career teacher with a state pension: how much do you need to retire?
If you're a teacher who will retire with a state pension, how much you need to retire is the yearly after-tax gap that pension leaves, grossed up for income tax and multiplied by 25.
Read the article →· 6-minute read
How to Decide Whether to Retire at 55 vs 60 When Your Pension Is Reduced
Your district's retirement window opens, a colleague leaves, and you file at 55 because it feels like the moment.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
How do you check 403(b) fees when your district hands you a dozen vendors?
How to check 403(b) fees on your district's vendor list? Add three cost layers.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
Should I Join a DROP? A Teacher's Checklist With a 19.4-Year Break-Even
Should I join a DROP? If your pension still grows each year, usually not.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
Switching to Index Funds Won't Trigger Tax, and Other Index Funds vs Target Date Funds Myths
Index funds vs target date funds in a teacher's 403(b): a few index funds often win with a Roth.
Read the article →· 9-minute read
How Green State Credit Union Approaches the Teacher Retirement Mistakes to Avoid
Waiting only costs the family less when heirs pay a lower rate than you would, and for an adult child in peak earning years, a ten-year payout usually lands at a higher rate.
Read the article →· 8-minute read
Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor as a Teacher Nearing Retirement
Paid advice costs money you can see, while a free-looking pitch at school costs money you can't.
Read the article →· 8-minute read
403(b) Catch-Up Contributions: The Last Push Before Retiring
Should you stretch 403(b) catch-up contributions after 50? Often yes, up to $32,500 in 2026.
Read the article →· 6-minute read
Teacher at 60 with a pension: how much in bonds, and why age rules miss it
Start by setting aside the next two years of the portfolio withdrawals your pension does not cover.
Read the article →· 8-minute read
How to Understand What Is Sequence of Returns Risk in Your First Retired Year
Sequence of returns risk is the damage early losses do to a retiree's portfolio when withdrawals force shares to be sold before prices recover.
Read the article →· 7-minute read
Should I buy service credit with my 403(b), or keep the money invested?
Should I buy service credit? Often only if the break-even fits your life.
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