For Professors, Educators & Academic Staff
Wealth Planning for College Professors & Educators
TIAA, ORP, 403(b), 457(b), pension, sabbatical income, and a career built around ideas. Your financial life deserves the same intellectual rigor.
01
TIAA & ORP allocation review
TIAA Traditional vs. CREF Stock vs. Equity Index — and the eventual decision of how to convert balances to retirement income — are among the most consequential financial decisions an academic makes.
02
Multi-plan coordination
Most educators have access to at least two — often three — retirement plans (NYSTRS or ORP, plus 403(b), plus 457(b)). We help you sequence contributions to maximize tax efficiency.
03
Sabbatical & summer income smoothing
Academic income often arrives unevenly across the calendar. We build cash-flow systems and tax planning that respect the rhythm of academic life.
What's included
- TIAA Traditional vs. variable allocation review
- ORP vs. NYSTRS irrevocable election analysis (for SUNY hires)
- NYSTRS Tier 4/5/6 benefit estimate review
- 403(b) and 457(b) sequencing and Roth allocation
- Lifetime annuity vs. systematic withdrawal modeling at retirement
- Backdoor Roth IRA implementation
- Sabbatical-year tax planning and Roth conversion timing
- 529 plan funding (and tuition-remission coordination)
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) analysis where applicable
- Estate planning coordination
The retirement-plan decisions that matter most
For SUNY hires, the choice between the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) — typically through TIAA — and the NYS Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS) is irrevocable and made within 30 days of starting employment. For most academics with long careers ahead and an interest in portability, ORP is often the right answer, but the analysis depends on your career trajectory, longevity assumptions, and risk tolerance.
For private-college faculty (RPI, Union, Skidmore, Siena, Saint Rose), the planning is generally TIAA-centric, but the asset allocation within TIAA — and the eventual decision of whether to annuitize — deserves the same careful analysis. We've walked many academics through both decisions.
Frequently Asked
Questions we often hear
TIAA Traditional offers a guaranteed rate of return and a meaningful interest-rate floor, making it functionally the safest piece of most academics' portfolios. The trade-off is liquidity — most TIAA Traditional balances are subject to a 10-year transfer payout if you want to move them out. The right allocation depends on your age, your other holdings, your bond allocation philosophy, and your tolerance for the liquidity constraint. We're happy to model the appropriate split for your specific situation.
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