I've Just Started - Early Career Retirement Planning

Initiating and processing your retirement online: Steps for members

If you plan to retire on July 1, it's recommended that you start this process as early in April as possible.

It's never too early to start planning for retirement. Retirement planning is one of the most important things you will do for yourself within your lifetime. Taking the time, now, will ensure that you are well-prepared in the future.

Below are some helpful tools available for those just getting started with their retirement planning...

Reading MaterialsUnderstanding the four pieces of UC Retirement
A Complete Guide to Your UC Retirement Benefits

New Employee Saving Tips

Financial Planning Resources
UCB Financial Wellness Workshops 
Fidelity Workshops and One-on-One Retirement Counseling 

Online Tools
UC Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS)
My Social Security
Fidelity/UCRP financial planning tools

Health and Wellness
Be Well at Work - Wellness Program
Berkeley Walks

Reading Materials

The Four Pieces of UC Retirement

A simple guide to help you learn about all the four parts that make up your UC retirement benefits, as well as learn how your UC Retirement Plan (UCRP) benefits are calculated.

Find out about:

  • Pension
  • Retirement Savings Accounts
  • Health and Welfare Plans
  • Additional Benefits from UCBRC

Read more

Retirement Handbook Cover

A Complete Guide to Your UC Retirement Benefits

The retirement and savings benefits offered to University of California faculty and staff are widely recognized as among the most tangible rewards of University employment. But even with your University benefits, much of your future security will depend on decisions you make while you’re still working. This is the official and comprehensive guide to your retirement benefits.

Link to  "A Complete Guide to Your UC Retirement Benefits"

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Financial Planning Resources

UC Berkeley Financial Planning Resources

Finanical Wellness Workshops: The Tang Center offers financial workshops, including "Investing in the UC Retirement Savings Programs" and "Personal Investments and Your Financial Future." Learn more 

Financial Fair:  The annual "Financial Fair for Personal Finance" is an opportunity for UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and retirees to attend workshops, learn about campus resources, and visit with campus financial vendors. Learn more

Get to Know Your UC Retirement Benefits

Get to know your UC retirement benefits

Fidelity Investments Financial Planning Resources

UC Financial Education Classes: UC offers a range of retirement planning and financial education classes to help you make the most of the UC Retirement Savings Program. View a list of classes. 

One-on-One Financial Planning and Guidance Consultations: At UC, you can sit down one-on-one with a Fidelity Workplace Planning & Guidance Consultant to review your plan for retirement savings and your other finances. It’s a service of the UC Retirement Savings Program, and it’s available to you at no additional cost. Web: http://getguidance.fidelity.com/universityofcalifornia or call: 1-866-682-7787. 

Fidelity workshops on Social Security - This workshop will cover the basics and give you the tools to calculate your benefits, assessing your personal situation and claiming options, and considerations before you claim.


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Online Tools

UC Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS) 

UCRAYS, which is replaced At Your Service Online (AYSO) for retirement related services, is a secure website that offers greater access to UC retirement information and more ways to view and manage retirement information in a user-friendly format. Most importantly, it includes enhanced security features, ensuring UC is following best practices for keeping your retirement information secure.

What can active faculty and staff members do in UCRAYS right now?
In addition to increased security, UCRAYS offers faculty and staff the ability to:
• Send and receive secure messages, with attachments if needed, to the RASC
• View service credit and UCRP/CAP contribution balances
• View and update beneficiary designations
• Estimate retirement income
Features to be added later in 2020 will include:
• Personal Retirement Profile and retirement election process
• Service credit purchase estimates (although still available in AYSO until then)
For more information and instructions on how to register and log in to UCRAYS visit here.


Click for social security websiteSocial Security

Keep track of your earnings and verify them every year; Get an estimate of your future benefits if you are still working; Get a letter with proof of your benefits if you currently receive them and more. Learn more

The Retirement Decision, recent Social Security Bulletin on the "Behavioral and Psychological Aspects of the Retirement Decision."

Fidelity Calculators and Planning Tools

Fidelity offers a variety of online tools for active staff and faculty and retirees to help manage your assets, plan for retirement, and more! Some tools include: Take Home Pay Calculator, Retirement Quick Check, Plan Limit Calculators, Budgeting & Debt Management, and Retirement Income Planner. Access Fidelity Calculators and online tools 

Online Personal Retirement Review (myucretirement.com)
Get a personal statement designed to show you the monthly retirement income; includes a modeler that lets you explore different assumptions, such as the amount you save in the UC 403(b) or 457(b) Plan, or the age at which you retire. https://myucretirement.com/

Your UC Retirement Income Might Just Surprise You - review several examples of retirement income from UCRP


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Health and Wellness

Investing in your health early on can significantly improve your well-being in retirement. Take advantage of the generous wellness programs offered by UC and UC Berkeley.

Be Well at Work - Wellness Program (formerly known as
Health*Matters): UC Berkeley's Wellness Program for Faculty & Staff: providing faculty and staff with tools and skills for leading healthy lifestyles and buidling a healthy workplace culture that makes the healthy choice the easy choice. Access the Be Well at Work Website; Phone: (510) 643-4646 

Berkeley Walks: 
Walking is fun, free and an easy way to buildphysical activity into your day. Faculty and Staff Wellness supports you with many Berkeley Walks programs and resources. To read more.

Campus walking events provide employees with the opportunity to walk as a campus community, build movement into their workday and walk for a cause. For details.

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