If you are thinking about retiring at the end of the 2026–27 school year, fall 2026 is an ideal time to start getting organized.
At this stage, the goal isn't to complete retirement paperwork.
The goal is to answer a much bigger question:
Can I comfortably retire when I want to?
Review Your MBOS Account
Start by logging into the New Jersey Member Benefits Online System, better known as MBOS.
Review:
- Your pension membership information
- Years and months of service credit
- Pension tier
- Beneficiary information
- Retirement estimates
- Any service credit issues that may need to be addressed
Do not assume everything in your pension record is correct simply because you have been teaching for 25 or 30 years.
If something looks wrong, you would rather discover it now than several weeks before retirement.
Related Resource:
5 Things Every NJ Teacher Should Check in MBOS Before Retirement
Run Several TPAF Pension Estimates
MBOS allows active PERS and TPAF members to run retirement estimates using different potential retirement dates.
Don't just run one estimate.
Compare different dates and begin looking at the pension payment options available to you.
Your estimated monthly pension is important, but it is only one part of the decision.
You also need to understand what happens to the pension if you die and what, if anything, continues to your beneficiary.
Verify Your Service Credit
Your years of service can directly affect your pension calculation and retirement eligibility.
Pay particular attention if you:
- Worked in another New Jersey public school district
- Took a leave of absence
- Left public employment and later returned
- Previously belonged to another NJ pension system
- Believe prior service should have transferred
- May qualify to purchase eligible service credit
Teachers who left employment and later returned should also verify that they are in the correct pension tier.
Related Resource:
NJ Teachers Can Restore Their Original Pension Tier
Look at Retirement Income — Not Just the Pension
One of the biggest retirement-planning mistakes I see is focusing entirely on the pension.
Your pension tells you what one income source may provide.
It does not tell you whether your entire retirement works.
A retirement-income projection should also consider:
- Social Security
- Your 403(b)
- Your 457(b), if applicable
- IRAs
- Spouse or partner income
- Savings and CDs
- Investment accounts
- Expected retirement expenses
- Taxes
- Health insurance premiums
- Large future expenses
This is when you want to identify an income gap, not after you have already submitted your retirement paperwork.
Review Your 403(b) and 457(b)
After years of contributing to a retirement account, retirement creates a new question:
How are you going to use that money?
Review your current investments, fees, beneficiaries and withdrawal strategy.
If you have both a 403(b) and a 457(b), make sure you understand the differences between the accounts before making rollover or distribution decisions.
Related Resources:
403(b) vs. 457(b): Which One Works Better for You?
The Trap of the 403(b): What NJ Teachers Aren’t Being Told
Estimate Social Security
Teachers should also review their Social Security record and estimate their potential benefit.
Your Social Security claiming decision should be coordinated with your pension, investments and retirement-income needs rather than treated as an entirely separate decision.
