You say our “core benefits” are constitutionally guaranteed. Which benefits are those?

Your guaranteed core benefits are the retirement, disability and survivor benefits.

Your retirement benefit is the lifetime monthly payment made to you after applying the retirement benefit formula. That’s the formula that factors your highest compensation, years of service and age at retirement.

Your disability benefit is the protection you may have acquired under one of the CalSTRS disability benefit programs, Coverage A or Coverage B.

Survivor benefits are also a part of the Defined Benefit Program. These benefits will provide your eligible survivors with a source of income when you die, either before or after retirement. The terms of these benefits depend on the options you choose and whether you have Coverage A - Family Allowance, or Coverage B - Survivor Benefit.

The 2 percent benefit improvement factor, or annual adjustment, is not a core benefit and, therefore, is not guaranteed. The Legislature has explicitly reserved the right to reduce or eliminate the benefit improvement factor.