CalSTRS Beefs Up Pension2

October 5, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) is expanding the investment choices available through its Pension2 personal wealth plan investment choices.

The fund lineup has increased from 14 to 22, giving members more options and greater investment flexibility, according to the announcement. The changes became effective October 1, 2009.

Supplemental Plan

The CalSTRS Pension2 personal wealth plan consists of a 403(b), Roth 403(b) and 457 plan, and serves as a supplemental savings plan for all California school and community college employees.   The California State Teachers’ Retirement System, with a $126.9 billion portfolio, is the second largest public pension fund in the United States.  

The changes to CalSTRS Pension2 reflect the addition of ten new investment choices, two of which replaced older funds.  The new Pension2 investment choices are:

  • Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities – Institutional (ticker: VIPIX)
  • Vanguard Mid Cap Index (VIMSX)
  • American Funds Growth Fund of America (RGAGX)
  • American Funds Capital World Growth & Income (RWIGX)
  • American Funds EuroPacific Growth (RERGX)
  • American Funds SMALLCAP Company (RLLGX)
  • American Funds American Balanced (RLBGX)
  • DFA International Small Company (DFISX)
  • PIMCO All Asset (PAAIX)
  • TIAA-CREF Social Choice (TRSCX)   

The new investment choices allow members to further diversify their portfolios while lowering costs, according to the announcement.  

Two Main Options

Pension2 offers participants two main options:

  • Choose one of 15 Easy Choice Portfolios for those who prefer a “hands free” approach to investing.
  • Choose a Build Your Own Portfolio option based on individual investment preferences (now with a wider range of choices).

For detailed information about the changes and the investment funds available, visit www.Pension2.com  or contact the CalSTRS Pension2 toll free number at 888-394-2060, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time, Monday through Friday (Note: CalSTRS is closed the first, second and third Friday of the month until June 30, 2010 under an executive order issued by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger).  

CalSTRS administers retirement, disability and survivor benefits for California’s 833,000 public school educators and their families from the state’s 1,400 school districts, county offices of education and community college districts.

«