The Pigs are Famous… OK act cool everybody, there a flood of new members on the horizon?

[bearishgurl]

[quote=jeeman]I forget who it was earlier in the thread, but they said they didn’t see their teacher friends living lavishly. Lavish doesn’t mean that they buy a Mercedes Benz and move into a mansion. But getting $50k/year at age 50 for sitting around on your butt is lavish to me. I know that my retirement accounts won’t be anywhere near that at age 50. I’ll have to work for a while…[/quote]

jeeman, those were my relatives I was discussing here, who taught in other states. I have one relative who is a principal (still working) and six who were/are teachers (2 still working). They all drive 8+ old American vehicles and live in large brick ranch homes. Two live in frame homes, one small and one large. Except for the one in the small frame house, they all built their own homes because they already owned the lot/land. In order to qualify for a 100% pension, teachers have to work 30 years. There’s no way they can “retire” at 50 unless they quit early. I’m not sure if they can even collect any of their pensions until age 55, so would have to take deferred retirement if they left teaching any earlier than that. Of the two that are still working, one is in her 32nd year and continues for the love of teaching 4th grade. She could quit at any time, sit home and collect her pension. In her state, retired teachers have only ONE healthcare choice, the Pacificare HMO, which she told me is costly and bureaucratic. Hence, many teachers teach until they are eligible for Medicare (currently age 65) and only have to pay for its supplements (parts B & D) out of their pensions.

My own kids have had MANY teachers in their sixties who exceeded 30 years in the classroom but continued for the love of teaching. All have retired now and the longest length of service was 37 years (CVESD).

The mandatory retirement age for teachers in CA is 70 (CAR, correct me if I’m wrong on this).

Edit: Oh, and I wanted to add that my teacher-relatives who built their own large homes/outbuildings are all married. They did so with their teaching earnings ALONG WITH the earnings of their spouses. Teaching doesn’t pay as much there as it does here in CA.

[UCGal]

Pensions for teachers… at least teachers in San Diego Unified, aren’t quite as sweet as you suggest. My sister would retire in a heartbeat if she could collect 50K/year. (She’s over 50 with 20 years of service as a teacher – this was her second career).

Facts from clicking through the sandi.net site:
http://www.sandi.net/204510720114455247/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56101

* there’s no pension for teachers under 55 with less than 30 years with San Diego unified under the CalSTRS pension program. And even at 55 you’d be hard pressed to get $50k unless you made a lot more than teachers max salaries. The max pension under the CalPers pension at age 50 is 36% of the annual wages… and you’d have had to start teaching at age 17. Again – hard to get to $50k.
* the pension is based on years of service and age. If both are lower, so is the pension. Your scenario of retiring with 50k after being a teacher (vs administrator or other higher paid position) is pretty unlikely, if not impossible.
* most teachers DO contribute to a 403b or 457b plan… This is pretty much the equivalent of the 401k.

I wish some of the old guard of teachers *would* retire… a few specific teachers come to mind who are “past their prime” but still teaching because they can’t afford to quit.

[UCGal]

Pensions for teachers… at least teachers in San Diego Unified, aren’t quite as sweet as you suggest. My sister would retire in a heartbeat if she could collect 50K/year. (She’s over 50 with 20 years of service as a teacher – this was her second career).

Facts from clicking through the sandi.net site:
http://www.sandi.net/204510720114455247/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56101

* there’s no pension for teachers under 55 with less than 30 years with San Diego unified under the CalSTRS pension program. And even at 55 you’d be hard pressed to get $50k unless you made a lot more than teachers max salaries. The max pension under the CalPers pension at age 50 is 36% of the annual wages… and you’d have had to start teaching at age 17. Again – hard to get to $50k.
* the pension is based on years of service and age. If both are lower, so is the pension. Your scenario of retiring with 50k after being a teacher (vs administrator or other higher paid position) is pretty unlikely, if not impossible.
* most teachers DO contribute to a 403b or 457b plan… This is pretty much the equivalent of the 401k.

I wish some of the old guard of teachers *would* retire… a few specific teachers come to mind who are “past their prime” but still teaching because they can’t afford to quit.

[UCGal]

Pensions for teachers… at least teachers in San Diego Unified, aren’t quite as sweet as you suggest. My sister would retire in a heartbeat if she could collect 50K/year. (She’s over 50 with 20 years of service as a teacher – this was her second career).

Facts from clicking through the sandi.net site:
http://www.sandi.net/204510720114455247/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56101

* there’s no pension for teachers under 55 with less than 30 years with San Diego unified under the CalSTRS pension program. And even at 55 you’d be hard pressed to get $50k unless you made a lot more than teachers max salaries. The max pension under the CalPers pension at age 50 is 36% of the annual wages… and you’d have had to start teaching at age 17. Again – hard to get to $50k.
* the pension is based on years of service and age. If both are lower, so is the pension. Your scenario of retiring with 50k after being a teacher (vs administrator or other higher paid position) is pretty unlikely, if not impossible.
* most teachers DO contribute to a 403b or 457b plan… This is pretty much the equivalent of the 401k.

I wish some of the old guard of teachers *would* retire… a few specific teachers come to mind who are “past their prime” but still teaching because they can’t afford to quit.

[UCGal]

Pensions for teachers… at least teachers in San Diego Unified, aren’t quite as sweet as you suggest. My sister would retire in a heartbeat if she could collect 50K/year. (She’s over 50 with 20 years of service as a teacher – this was her second career).

Facts from clicking through the sandi.net site:
http://www.sandi.net/204510720114455247/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56101

* there’s no pension for teachers under 55 with less than 30 years with San Diego unified under the CalSTRS pension program. And even at 55 you’d be hard pressed to get $50k unless you made a lot more than teachers max salaries. The max pension under the CalPers pension at age 50 is 36% of the annual wages… and you’d have had to start teaching at age 17. Again – hard to get to $50k.
* the pension is based on years of service and age. If both are lower, so is the pension. Your scenario of retiring with 50k after being a teacher (vs administrator or other higher paid position) is pretty unlikely, if not impossible.
* most teachers DO contribute to a 403b or 457b plan… This is pretty much the equivalent of the 401k.

I wish some of the old guard of teachers *would* retire… a few specific teachers come to mind who are “past their prime” but still teaching because they can’t afford to quit.

[UCGal]

Pensions for teachers… at least teachers in San Diego Unified, aren’t quite as sweet as you suggest. My sister would retire in a heartbeat if she could collect 50K/year. (She’s over 50 with 20 years of service as a teacher – this was her second career).

Facts from clicking through the sandi.net site:
http://www.sandi.net/204510720114455247/blank/browse.asp?A=383&BMDRN=2000&BCOB=0&C=56101

* there’s no pension for teachers under 55 with less than 30 years with San Diego unified under the CalSTRS pension program. And even at 55 you’d be hard pressed to get $50k unless you made a lot more than teachers max salaries. The max pension under the CalPers pension at age 50 is 36% of the annual wages… and you’d have had to start teaching at age 17. Again – hard to get to $50k.
* the pension is based on years of service and age. If both are lower, so is the pension. Your scenario of retiring with 50k after being a teacher (vs administrator or other higher paid position) is pretty unlikely, if not impossible.
* most teachers DO contribute to a 403b or 457b plan… This is pretty much the equivalent of the 401k.

I wish some of the old guard of teachers *would* retire… a few specific teachers come to mind who are “past their prime” but still teaching because they can’t afford to quit.

[Doooh]

But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.

[Doooh]

But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.

[Doooh]

But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.

[Doooh]

But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.

[Doooh]

But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.

[UCGal]

[quote=Doooh]But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.[/quote]
I’m an engineer, not a teacher.
That said – done right, teaching is a lot harder.

It’s not just mastery of subject matter. That’s the easy part. The teachers that I respect regularly put in 80+ hour weeks. And also are continuing to take courses, even though they’ve maxed their educational pay steps – to enhance their skill set.

Unfortunately, not all teachers fit that model. Some have not kept up with teaching techniques, computer literacy, etc. It’s not an age thing – it’s a complacency or striving for excellence thing. This is true in the private workforce also. Some folks excel – others coast…

[UCGal]

[quote=Doooh]But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.[/quote]
I’m an engineer, not a teacher.
That said – done right, teaching is a lot harder.

It’s not just mastery of subject matter. That’s the easy part. The teachers that I respect regularly put in 80+ hour weeks. And also are continuing to take courses, even though they’ve maxed their educational pay steps – to enhance their skill set.

Unfortunately, not all teachers fit that model. Some have not kept up with teaching techniques, computer literacy, etc. It’s not an age thing – it’s a complacency or striving for excellence thing. This is true in the private workforce also. Some folks excel – others coast…

[UCGal]

[quote=Doooh]But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.[/quote]
I’m an engineer, not a teacher.
That said – done right, teaching is a lot harder.

It’s not just mastery of subject matter. That’s the easy part. The teachers that I respect regularly put in 80+ hour weeks. And also are continuing to take courses, even though they’ve maxed their educational pay steps – to enhance their skill set.

Unfortunately, not all teachers fit that model. Some have not kept up with teaching techniques, computer literacy, etc. It’s not an age thing – it’s a complacency or striving for excellence thing. This is true in the private workforce also. Some folks excel – others coast…

[UCGal]

[quote=Doooh]But remember, teaching is such hard work that a 50yr old can hardly manage.

Comparing teaching to “hard work” and rought with liability is a joke when you look at the jobs in the private sector.[/quote]
I’m an engineer, not a teacher.
That said – done right, teaching is a lot harder.

It’s not just mastery of subject matter. That’s the easy part. The teachers that I respect regularly put in 80+ hour weeks. And also are continuing to take courses, even though they’ve maxed their educational pay steps – to enhance their skill set.

Unfortunately, not all teachers fit that model. Some have not kept up with teaching techniques, computer literacy, etc. It’s not an age thing – it’s a complacency or striving for excellence thing. This is true in the private workforce also. Some folks excel – others coast…

[Author]

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