SDCERA offers seminars targeted at career stages

SDCERA is now offering retirement seminars to active and deferred members based on where they are in their career.

Enrollment in all seminars is done by phone, through an SDCERA Call Center representative. You will be asked to provide your projected retirement date and other personal information necessary to enroll you in the appropriate seminar. Call the number on this page to begin the process.

Note: only seminars that have space available for enrollment are displayed on the calendar.

Mid-career seminar

The mid-career seminar is designed for members to attend when they are five to 19 years from retirement. Key components of this seminar include an overview of your SDCERA retirement benefit and how your service credit, age at retirement, and final compensation factor into the amount of your retirement benefit.

In addition, a representative from the County's Deferred Compensation program will explain how to use this tax-deferred investment as a source of retirement income, in addition to your SDCERA benefit. The latter half of the seminar is presented by a financial education firm and covers important financial planning strategies.

Late-career seminar

Members attend the late-career seminar when they are approximately six to 12 months from retirement. In this seminar, SDCERA presents valuable and detailed information about the various benefit choices and the documents required at retirement. By attending a few months in advance of your retirement date, you will have ample time to determine the best retirement date and benefit option for you.

The late-career seminar also features a presentation from the Social Security Administration, as well as the County's Employee Benefits Office and Deferred Compensation office. Employee Benefits will discuss the COBRA and CalCOBRA health benefits, and life insurance conversion. Deferred Compensation will provide information on what to do with your 401(a) and 457 defined contribution plans, and discuss the Terminal Pay Plan.

Members do not complete their retirement application at this seminar. When their retirement date comes, members may request a retirement application anywhere from 60-90 days prior to retirement, then submit the application within 60 days of their retirement date. No additional seminar or meeting is required, but SDCERA's resources and help will be available to members who require additional assistance.

Estate planning seminars remain available

Members attending the estate planning seminar will learn the various ways assets can be titled, the difference between a will and a trust and how to choose an executor and estate planning attorney. Members also receive an estate planning workbook that includes steps necessary to create an individual estate plan.