Tulare County Office of Education

Retirement

Choose PERS or STRS.

Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)

Assistance with retirement forms, general retirement option estimates, and various brochures and forms are available for classified employees of Tulare County schools. These services are provided by:

Sharie D. Ortega, Credentials/Retirement Technician Analyst
Tulare County Office of Education
2637 West Burrel Avenue
Visalia, CA 93278-5091
(559) 733-6308
sharieo@tcoe.org

Appointments for estimates must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance for PERS members. Please be prepared to provide your name, social security number, beneficiary's birthdate, and home and work site telephone numbers.

You are also encouraged to attend a retirement planning workshop provided by CalPERS. These informative sessions are generally held in the Tulare County Office of Education building, but can be scheduled to provide exclusive workshops to any district employer by contacting the Fresno Field Office at (888) 225-7377. CalPERS representatives will not provide on-site estimates to school employees, but mail-in request forms are available.

Retirement Counseling

State Teachers' Retirement System (STRS)

Benefit Counseling Services
Getting Started...
Appointments may be made for benefits counseling. The benefits counselors will provide the member with personalized information, forms, and benefits estimate for retirement and disability. Appointments must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance, and may be made by calling (559) 733-6760, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Be prepared to provide your name, address, STRS Client I.D. or Social Security number, and home and work site telephone numbers. Interviews are held in the counselor's office at the Tulare County Office of Education, 2637 West Burrel Avenue, Visalia.

Other valuable STRS information...
STRS recommends that members meet with a benefits counselor on at least three occasions before retiring. School site counseling and workshops are also available. Site administrators may schedule a workshop by calling Enid Brinkman at (559) 733-6327, or Ken Hochnadel at (559) 733-6304.

STRS Public Service: (800) 228-5453
Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
www.calstrs.com

Frequently asked questions that indicate you should make an appointment with a STRS counselor:

What will my benefit be if I retire at 55 or 60?
Is my death beneficiary form updated?
What are the benefits of selecting an option before retiring?
How can I determine which option is the best for me?
What is a redeposit or purchase of service credit?
How much can I earn if I substitute teach as a retired teacher?
Can I utilize my unused sick leave for service credit?
Which disability coverage do I have?

Please direct web site problems or comments to tcoeweb@tcoe.org.