Pennsylvania PSERS Retirement Checklist

Retiring from a Pennsylvania public school involves more than choosing a final workday. Your PSERS benefit, survivor election, health coverage, Social Security, 403(b) and other savings all need to work together.

This checklist helps you organize the conversation. It does not replace official guidance from the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System. Confirm forms, deadlines, estimates and benefit rules directly with PSERS.

About two years before retirement

Review your PSERS record

Sign in to the PSERS Member Self-Service portal and review your membership class, credited service, contributions, beneficiaries and contact information. If something appears incomplete or incorrect, begin resolving it before the final retirement year.

Investigate service credit while still employed

The official PSERS Countdown to Retirement Checklist says requests to purchase eligible service should be submitted while you are still an active, contributing member. Waiting until after employment ends may be too late, and additional time limits can apply.

Create a preliminary income picture

Estimate what retirement may include beyond the pension:

• Social Security benefits, if applicable
• 403(b), 457(b), IRA and other retirement accounts
• Spouse or partner income and benefits
• Savings and investments
• Expected health-insurance costs
• Any debt or major planned expenses

The goal is not perfect precision. It is to identify possible income gaps and decisions that require more time.

Within roughly 12 months of retirement

Request a staff-prepared PSERS estimate

PSERS advises members retiring within the next year to request a staff-prepared estimate. The agency currently asks members to allow approximately four to six weeks for processing. Use the resulting estimate—not an unofficial projection—as the starting point for evaluating pension options.

Attend PSERS Retirement Exit Counseling

PSERS strongly recommends Exit Counseling for members nearing retirement. Sessions explain the application process and can help reduce errors that delay benefits. According to the official Exit Counseling information, members should have a staff-prepared estimate before attending.

Compare pension benefit options carefully

PSERS offers multiple defined-benefit payment choices, including a Maximum Single Life Annuity and survivor options. A higher payment during your lifetime may provide less continuing income to another person, while a survivor election can reduce the initial monthly amount in exchange for continued benefits after death.

Review the official PSERS Retirement Benefit Options and consider household longevity, other insurance, survivor income, health, age differences and the resources available to each spouse.

Ask your employer about benefits outside PSERS

Contact the school district or employer about:

• Required resignation procedures and notice dates
• Payment for unused leave, if applicable
• Health insurance and retiree coverage
• Severance or other employer benefits
• The final payroll schedule

PSERS notes that failure to notify the employer properly can delay retirement processing.

Several months before the final workday

Coordinate Social Security

Review your Social Security record and current estimate directly through the Social Security Administration. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset for benefits payable after December 2023, but that does not mean every educator receives an increase. The SSA’s current guidance explains who may be affected.

Decide how retirement accounts will support income

List every 403(b), 457(b), IRA, former-employer plan and other investment account. For each one, identify:

• Current value and provider
• Fees, surrender periods or other restrictions
• Beneficiary designation
• Investment or contract type
• When you expect to need the money
• Whether it is intended for income, liquidity, growth or legacy

Do not move an account merely because retirement is approaching. Compare the existing plan with every proposed alternative before completing rollover paperwork.

Plan for the transition between paychecks and benefits

Your last paycheck, first pension payment and Social Security start date may not occur together. Maintain enough accessible funds for the transition and confirm timing with each source rather than assuming all income begins immediately.

As retirement approaches

Complete the PSERS application accurately and on time

Follow the instructions provided by PSERS and retain confirmation that the agency received your completed application. The official checklist states that, to preserve a retirement date following the last paid day of employment, a completed application must be filed within 90 days of termination. Do not treat that window as a reason to wait; verify the required timing with PSERS and submit promptly.

Confirm beneficiaries and survivor information

Make sure beneficiary information is current across PSERS, 403(b), 457(b), IRA, life insurance and other accounts. Beneficiary designations can control where assets go regardless of instructions elsewhere, so coordinate them with your broader estate plan and obtain legal advice when needed.

Keep sensitive information in the right place

PSERS may require sensitive personal information through its official process. Provide it only through authorized PSERS channels. FortiGuard’s complimentary Blueprint questionnaire and meetings do not require Social Security numbers, driver’s-license information, account login credentials or payment.

Bring the complete retirement picture together

An official pension estimate answers an important question: what PSERS may pay under the selected assumptions and benefit option. It does not automatically show how the pension coordinates with Social Security, household expenses, retirement accounts, taxes, inflation and survivor needs.

That is the purpose of FortiGuard’s complimentary Genesis Retirement Blueprint process.

Documents that may help your planning conversation

• Your PSERS staff-prepared estimate
• Most recent PSERS statement
• Social Security estimate
• Recent 403(b), 457(b), IRA and investment statements
• Expected retirement date
• Current household income and estimated retirement expenses
• Employer information about health coverage and accumulated leave
• Questions about survivor income, legacy and access to money

Do not email or submit Social Security numbers, account numbers, driver’s-license information or login credentials to FortiGuard.

Frequently asked questions

Is FortiGuard affiliated with PSERS?

No. FortiGuard Financial is not affiliated with or endorsed by PSERS or any government agency. Official estimates, application requirements and pension rules must be confirmed directly with PSERS.

Does a PSERS counselor replace retirement-income planning?

PSERS counseling is the authoritative source for understanding PSERS benefits and completing the retirement application. A separate retirement-income review can help place those official pension choices alongside Social Security, household goals and personal retirement accounts.

Is the FortiGuard Blueprint really free?

Yes. The intake call, Blueprint presentation and personalized report are complimentary. There is no obligation to move an account or purchase a product.

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This material is educational and is not an official PSERS calculation or individualized investment, tax or legal advice. Rules, forms and deadlines can change. Confirm current information with PSERS, the Social Security Administration, your employer and other applicable plan administrators.