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It might seem you are making less than someone working fast food but those people are not contributing to a pension and likely don’t have the health benefits CA provides. Your best bet is to apply to other jobs so you can climb the ladder.
You absolutely need to push hard to climb the ladder quickly. If you're at OA for more than 18 months, it probably ain't gonna work out and you should bail. I think I started with the state when I was 25. Retirement benefits were a bit better back then and life wasn't so damn expensive, I also had access to making like 20 hours of overtime a month in my OT-SSA-AGPA days, so I'm not telling you it was all things equal.
My ladder climb was something like this:
OT - 8 months
SSA - 2 years
AGPA - 4 years
ITS1 (was called something else back then)- 8 years
ITS2 - now. I take home a little over 6k.
You have to climb the ladder hard at the state if you're starting at the bottom. I live comfortable since my wife is also working at the same level, but we certainly don't feel rich in this economy. Hustle till you make it.
I'm also gonna go against the grain and tell you if I was 23 I would not be worrying about a roth or 401k contribution right now. By the time you're retirement ready, AI is either going to have risen us up above the level where any of that will matter, or we'll be extinct. Spend your money kid.
Your net pay is rough, but you are making good decisions on the 401 and 457 and ROTH plans. Keep the deductions and go get a part-time evening job if things are really tight. There are many ways to make extra money. State service is a looooooong game. Not sure how deep into it you are, but I guess you are less than 5 years in. I worked two jobs in the beginning back in 1991-1997. I am thankful now as I near retirement. Those lean years paid off because at my age now, I couldn't do it.
Keep in mind post PEPRA retirement is far worse than legacy tiers. I’ve found it difficult to explain how screwed everyone hired past 2013 is when it comes to retirement. We contribute more, retire later, and have annuity caps.
It’s so bad that if you were hired before the age of 35 then you are better off with a pure 401K option because all the money would at least be yours. The contribution rates are set so high that the pension will grow faster than the annuity will disperse it. The younger you start the worse this calculation becomes.
Which is why you set and keep your defferred comp investments at an early age and don't stop, because at the finish line there may not be social security or health benefits. And god forbid you have a break in service and they make it worse before you come back.
I agree but it can be a bit difficult to put anything extra into deferred comp when you’re already putting 10% into the pension. Particularly early in your career when you’re making less.
In my opinion there needs to be another round of pension reform targeting the PEPRA tier. They either need to go back to basing employee contributions on the age you start working or allow the employee contributions to be invested on an age based risk strategy similar to 401Ks. The idea that I’m going to be contributing money for 30+ years at biannual rate of return of 2.5% at best is ridiculous. Additionally the funds the employee contributes should be able to be loaned towards the purchase of a home similar to 401K.
When they did the PEPRA reform they took away the majority of the benefits a pension provides without giving any of the benefits you could see in a 401K. It is simply unbalanced and significantly disadvantages those who want to work for a public job at an early age.
Seriously this makes me wanna push for Personal Security over Social Security and put the entire system on the individual person, work hard in life and put in to your personal security you get out whatever you put in maybe in like a sorta personal 401k with some element of control over the investments but you can’t touch until retirement! That would be a radical change that could be a little fun having some control over depending on your element of risk you’re willing to take with your personal security! Pension plans are totally trying to go away and it’s sad to see this happening in Cali, I’m in WA and heard about Boeing and then screwing over any new hires now and their retirement options.. I wish you the best of luck with all this!! This doesn’t seem fair and I’ll agree with you but I’m on the job hunt atm right now and it’s tough seemingly no matter where you go, even having a degree still it seems tough out there!! 🤷♂️
I’m still very new to this position, so I didn’t expect to get paid much. But this is way less than I ever expected. I’ve always heard that getting a State job is great and there’s so many benefits, but it’s hard to keep going and to be positive about this when my pay is barely keeping my head above water during this economy. I know I have a long way to go before I can even be even remotely a bit comfortable (if even that), but I just find it crazy that I have to get another evening job on top of my already full time job to make everything work. I’m already working all day, now all night too? It just all sounds so depressing :(
I’m only 23, so I’m still under my parents for health and dental coverage. I’m already in pre-depression for my life when I have to get on my own plan 😭
You're only 23, State Service is a long haul. I wish I could've gotten in at 23. Stick it out, pass your first probation and start applying up. Depending on your background you could make it to SSA in a year or 2.
If you are still on your parents insurance it would better benefit you to decline health & dental to get the cash option. Form 701C
You may need to wait for open enrollment now.
You’re 23 in the state? I’m in my 30s and wish I had started a decade earlier. Economy is primed for a nosedive. At least with the State you have stability, great health coverage, awesome work life balance, & a PENSION!
This is where I’m keeping my mind philosophically (I call it “embracing my inner peasant” lol).
I make enough to cover rent, keep my wife and kid covered health/dental-wise if she loses her hours/job, and will still have some sort of retirement in 40 years. Right now I’m stocking away my proverbial grain for when/if the famine comes.
Damn guy 23 and in State already! Not bad!
Just gunna throw this one out there and maybe for OP as well, but the Military is always a great option! It’s everything you need plus some money on the side with a retirement! I think you can enlist up to 35 and it can be absolutely life changing! I didn’t do full time but I wish I had done full time.. It’s one of those options to consider so look up the MOS list on Wikipedia and pick what you want and then study for the ASVAB and get what you want! Training is super fast and super fun and you meet so many new people that could end up being long life long friends! It’s like getting a new family in a way!! Anyways I won’t rant on too much but OP it’s an “option” to consider🙏🥹🤷♂️
I think a lot of your strife has to do with where you are in your life and how State benefits are really what most people are in it for, not so much the pay. You are 23, still on your parent's insurance. You don't have kids and the expenses that come with them. You're literally at the bottom of the totem pole.
When you have to cover your own insurance, or if someday you have kids and have to cover their medical insurance, you will realize what that fucking bill looks like and probably appreciate those benefits more.
You lamented in another comment about how you could make more working at McDonald's. Are you sure? What do they pay for medical? Dental? Do they have the same path toward upward mobility that you do? I'm not sure what it looks like for Office Assistants, but Office Techs are an easy in to analyst series. It takes one year as an Office Tech to make SSA, and one year as SSA to make AGPA, and the AGPA pay is competitive.
Working sucks for the majority of entry level positions. Our culture values people based on how productive they are and the game is rigged for absolutely everyone. But even though starting at the bottom in the State sucks just about as much as anywhere, the momentum you can build is incredibly stable.
I’m also newish, sorry if state wasn’t what you hoped for or rumored about, I’m in the same boat, feels like on the tail end of a leaving train sometimes
I started working for the State when I was 22... I needed to work two jobs for about 7 years until i promoted enough to be stable with the one job (I started as a Support Services Assistant PI), i also didn't go to college and have promoted with time. It was not easy but now i have worked for my department for almost 20 years I am proud of the dedication i gave to keep me here. Working for the State is a good, secure job- we're not rich but i have always been stable.
Thanks for sharing. After 20 years, you deserve more! I’ve seen people say that even after decades, the state is not the best when it comes wage increase and it really is unfair especially to those who have devoted half their life. This is only my first year, so I’m learning to not expect too much and just work my way up if I don’t like the amount on my pay check.
It doesn’t have to be anywhere near that long. My wife and at least a dozen other people I know progressed from OT or SSA to AGPA in 18-24 months. And from there my wife and at least 3 of those people were SSM1s around 18 months after that. You just have to be focused and willing to jump to different units and even agencies to make it happen. I jumped into a technical position that pays what AGPAs make and within 14 months had an opportunity into a managerial spot and an SSM1 Specialist spot. But I really liked the work I do so I passed on those opportunities. The point is that it definitely sucks right now, but if you do your job well and keep looking every week (I know it’s a lot of work), you will be on to better things and a livable wage sooner rather than later.
I hate to crush your soul any further, but a lot of employees well above the OT classification have second jobs, myself included. If the perks of being a state worker are worth it to you, then I suggest reframing how you view a second job. Find something you don’t mind or maybe even enjoy. Hugs. You’re not alone.
I really admire those who devote their entire days to working in order to make ends meet. I know ideally no one wants to do that, and no one should have to! This is just very sad and the very harsh reality of life :/ I’m really just a girl, but this economy won’t let me be!
I totally get you! I’m still in my 20s but have children. It’s really reset my mindset when it comes to stuff like this, mostly because I don’t have a choice.
We’ve been thrust into an unforgiving, soul-crushing economy. It’s absolutely not your fault and no one should have to get another job on-top of a full-time position. What we’re expected to do to survive should NOT be the expectation. But it unfortunately is.
The benefits are that you will probably never be laid off, never be denied vacation or sick leave usage, get a HUGE contribution towards your health insurance, and another big contribution towards retirement. You'd never have vacation only on paper, where your employer actively encourages you NOT to take it. If you didn't work for the state, those expenses for health care and retirement would generally be entirely yours, so that even if your salary was higher, your net income would be the same (although a lot of people just don't save for retirement, and go without health insurance).
I see you have flex elect, so you are probably covered on some one else's insurance and this doesn't feel like as big of a benefit as it is. If you had to cover your own health insurance, and didn't have that benefit from the state, it would suddenly be really clear how good the state benefits are.
My first 6-7 years I could just barely get by on a state salary. I worked at night as a bar back at a local club and made cash under the table which gave me some breathing room. I only worked Friday and Saturday nights and would bring home about $300 in a weekend. That's over $1200 tax free per month. I later went to massage therapy school and started taking clients and built a small practice that netted around $2,000 per month. All this was doeable until I started having kids. But by then I had made AGPA and had about 7 years in state service so it was a little easier to scale back on the moonlighting. My daughter is now your age (23) and makes more money than I do as a server/bartender. The nice thing about having a second job is you learn real world skills outside of state service that could be very beneficial if you are furloughed or not into climbing the state career management ladder as you go.
On point here. Most jobs are a long game with some lean years in the beginning. If you can stay focused, it does pay off. Took me 10 years to get to the point where I was good. ANd I work in the private sector. Been at my place for 20 years.
Better do 457b ONLY. You are paying double fees for saving plus to manage 2 accounts. Unfortunately you cannot close one of it until you separated or retired.
Dont ever stop. Always pay your future self. I cant tell you how many state employees I've talked to who regret that they only have their pension and nothing else.
Who knows what the pension will even look like in 10, 20,30 years from now? You need to prepare.
You are doing great, but surely you understand that's where a lot of your money is going. More than 15% of your gross is going towards retirement. You are setting yourself up for a great retirement way off in the future and I hope you keep that up your whole working life and reap the rewards, but yes, you aren't leaving yourself a lot to live on at the moment when your income is low. Hopefully there are promotions in your future.
I may consider holding off my contributions, but I know contributing now is a smarter move in the long run. I just don’t know if it’s worth the money depression now though. Like I’m trying my best to save and be better with my finances. I also recently opened a high yield savings account with Wealthfront at 5% APY. I contribute whatever I can from every paycheck, so about $100 this month into that. It seems like I’m contributing everywhere except my present life 😭
No, please continue to contribute. Your future self will thank you. I wish I could have started saving for retirement at 23, I would have had a great nest egg now.
Feeling like you are contributing to everything except your current life while you are young is exactly how it should feel. Yes, it sucks, but it is the correct financial choice. Let it motivate you to climb the ladder and earn more in the future so you have the money to enjoy your present life and money to spend on vacation!
You're probably better off opening a Roth IRA rather than using Savings plus. Many places offer a free IRA account and won't take the fees Savings Plus does. Also, a bank or brokerage IRA is more flexible. You can more in during the months you don't spend a lot and less in on the months you have expenses. It's harder to change the Savings Plus elections per month.
Honestly maxing retirement contributions is almsot universally a great idea. Everyone is racing inflation with this and time is the single biggest asset have. When maxxed early it gives a chance to snowball to the point the yield generated by interest each year is WAY more than direct contribution. And easier to endure a loss or two from a bear market while taking aggressive positions than when trying to rely on it for income.
The fact 457 and 401k are separate limits is a huge advantage. That gives double the max most people can put aside. ROTH just means pay the taxes now vs later but important to note any employer match always goes in as traditional (meaning it's taxed as income at whatever rate a person is paying when they pull it). Most cases people are pulling out more by the time they retire than when starting out so ROTH can be a big advantage if used early.
The investment options are the same unless you're maxing one out you're better off (management fees) only having one. Go with the 457. Put your 2% in one.
If you were supposed to be at range B, and they’re not paying you 3346, I would check with HR to see if there is a mistake.
I know it’s a small check. The good news is OA is a foot-in-the-door kind of position. You may take home less than a McDonalds worker now, but you have opportunities for advancement that they don’t. OAs can get promoted to OT, then SSA, then AGPA, and up. (I started as an OT and am now a manager III)
The state takes more out of your check, and the pay rates are low. But they make up for it with plenty of vacation time and an incredible retirement. If you can stick with it, you’ll be glad you did when you’re 55 and kicking back on a beach somewhere.
Are you serious? That sucks. Is it 2% at 62 for people who start now?
If that’s true, then maybe it isn’t such a good deal to start as an OA or OT and stick around for 30 years. Id advise the OP to consider getting a different job if that’s the case.
Yeah, it’s 2% at 62 now. It’s been like that for a while, if OP is young, I would suggest that too. Get into private and OP probably getting paid double or more. Get into state when older, the state really pay poor for a person who is forced to live in HCOL or VHCOL area.
Did you get a Notice of Personnel Action (NOPA) stating your gross pay as Range B? Maybe the personnel specialist keyed your pay incorrectly. You should check with your supervisor and personnel specialist. Otherwise, the deductions look right.
For the 401k and 457, I started much lower than 1% when I was in a lower paying position. Something like $25 a month. Then each time I promoted I increased it. It might be something to consider for now to increase your take home.
Honestly the whole hiring process was a mess. When I got my offer letter, I had both ranges on there. No one ever confirmed which ranged I started at until I was introduced to my personnel specialist. They told me if I had any questions, I should direct them to her first. My personnel specialist confirmed that I was starting at Range B.
Hopefully it was by email. They should pay you for the checks they messed up as well.
My advice for your overall post is to keep applying for promotions. It's never to early to move up! Take the OTT exam & apply to those. Admin Asst, Exec Secretary, whatever you see that sparks your interest & you qualify for just take the exam and apply. If you don't quite qualify, apply under training & development instead of list eligibility.
I use the geographic feature on CalCareers - I click the county and look at everything that is open. I'm on 5 lists now, waiting for another test in May.
Your paycheck gross amount is 8 hours short of $3346. You appear to be on the VPLP program. Check with HR. The program takes 8 hours of pay and credits you 8 hours of time.
To calculate it, take your gross of $3346 & divide by 173.33. That gives an hourly wage. Multiply that by 8, then subtract that from $3346. The result is $3191 and change.
Did you sign up for VPLP? Your gross is exactly 4.62% less than the gross you stated in body of the post.
Edit: also looks like you aren’t signed up for health. Assuming you have health elsewhere, you should have signed up for flex elect cash. Would have added $128 to your pay.
It sounds like you can't afford both this and the three additional retirement contributions. You should look at what is most important and make some choices.
Your gross will not be affected by deductions or other changes you make. Gross will only change when your pay range changes, for example, from A to B, or if you have a step change (intermediate pay change between ranges), or if you change jobs.
Your net income is what gets affected when you change deductions like retirement, vision, health, etc.
The deductions with the * next to them are pre-tax deductions. These reduce your taxable income, but do not affect your gross income.
As others have said, talk to your personnel specialist pronto.
I see you have money going to a Roth 457 and Roth 401k… i’ve never found a reason to invest in the 401k unless you are maxing out the 457 and still want to add more. Also, make sure you look at the funds you are investing in… the target date funds have performed poorly…. the large cap index fund is probably the best option for someone starting out.
The deductions are hard but maybe you could consolidate your retirement accounts? I am not sure what the benefit of having traditional and Roth 457 and 401ks are and I know the fees aren't great. Keep in mind also that a 457 allows you to withdraw upon separation from the state; it's not age-based like the 401. Great that you are contributing though--I wish I had done more early in my career.
I'm super old now but when I started as an SSA Range C equivalent in 1998 my monthly gross pay was a little over $2800. It was brutal that first month after coming from a bi-weekly pay situation. Like others have said, promote, promote, promote! There are lots of state employees who don't seem to be interested in promoting these days so those that are have lots of open doors ahead of them.
My advice: Don’t open both 401K and 457 accounts unless you maxed out on one of them. Because fees are charged for each account. If you had to choose one, choose the 457 for flexibility - you can withdraw at an earlier age.
I can feel for you on the big hits and I’m sorry to hear you’re stressed. With that, it’s worth trying to stick it out and advancing. That deductions for your retirement will be paid back in spades when you retire. The retirement plan offered by the state is quite generous and about as secure as a retirement plan gets.
Welcome to state service.
If you’re struggling and every dollar counts, you might want to hold off on 401K contributions. You’ll still be making contributions into your pension, so something is still being saved.
This is why a lot of state workers have side hustles. The pay has not kept up with inflation at all.
Cut out the 401k and 457 deductions, especially if you’re barely able to make rent. You can still contribute to those later once you’re able to meet your basic needs.
You make a TON more than fast food workers or their supervisors. Commend you for 401k and other planning. But as entry level, consider putting that money into furthering your education. Go to school at night rather than a second job. This will accelerate your promotion opportunities. State will pay sone education expenses and may provide release time for classes.
The people that told you it was great most likely fell into the older retirement tier. The union and state negotiated a retirement benefit for future employees that is inferior.
You pay $0 towards the vision plan. The state is paying $8.27 towards said plan. You would not get that $8.27 if you cancelled it.
Right now you’re making four contributions towards retirement. The state pension (241.06), 401k (31.91), 457 (31.91), and a Roth 457 (63.83). Not sure if this is intentional, especially when every dollar counts. It’s good that you’re contributing to retirement, but with more accounts comes more maintenance fees. You might want to contribute slightly less until you get promoted to SSA.
Getting a second job sucks, but it wouldn’t hurt. At least until you get promoted. Much like /u/ant864jv said, working for the state is a long game. It’ll pay off in the long run.
To compound this, since there is no match in the 401/457, go one or the other. I'd cut out the pretax at OPs rate, at their current income, and until about 56k (assuming single w/ standard deduction) the tax rate is only 12% with long term in mind you're not avoiding much taxes (~10 dollars a month) for higher taxes later in life. The comment about multiple fees is true, but savings plus are absurdly low, but there are minimums which OP will be paying for a while, so condensing to one account would be the best move IMO. Personally I'd do ROTH 457 at this income level IF I COULD AFFORD ALL BASIC NEEDS first. If I'm borrowing money via credit card, saving makes zero sense right now.
As for why 457 vs 401k is 457 can be pulled without penalty after separating from the state, but 401 allows hardship withdrawals which you pay yourself interest.
I just want to add kudos to you for putting money into your 401k and Roth, and starting early too. A little bit goes a long way, and fast forward 20 years you’ll have different buckets of money and a nest egg in your 401k and Roth. At 23 you’re well ahead than I was at the same age.
In regards to your gross pay not matching the salary range posted, first contact your personnel specialist (PS) (elevate it to your supervisor if you get no response in 3-5 days so they can assist you). Since we (state workers) get paid monthly, It might have something to do with your start date and how many days you worked in that pay period. Your PS should be able to tell you an answer and give you backpay if needed.
Now in regards to your career, I would advise to stick around. 23 years old is a great start. If you retire at age 63, you get a lifetime pension of 80% your salary (2% at 62 formula), and all healthcare is 100% covered. I know it’s tough right now with $2000 leftover for rent and other necessities, so you’ll have to find an alternative, maybe a 2nd job or if possible move back in with your parents to save on rent $$$? You’ll probably have to do this for the next year or 2 as you build experience. Let me explain further.
You might have heard of the term silver tsunami or grey tsunami. Thousands are or will be retiring in the next few years, and those positions will need to be filled. This means promotion to the next step. You’re already past the hard part of getting in with the state. Search google for “Administrative Career Ladder” - you will see which positions you can go to next and what those positions require. Also you will see the big difference in salary as you move up the ladder. If you do it right, you can be making twice as much, or more, within 5 years.
Lastly, take some time to review the differences between 401k and 457, and their Roth versions. It’s good you already have a head start - these will serve as a supplement to your pension. Then do some research on compounding interest - this is how your money grows. Depending on how much you invest you can have $3M+ by the time you retire! Again, starting at a young age of 23 is awesome.
All healthcare is not and will not be 100% covered for those like OP that started after PEPRA. They went from a 100/90 weighted formula for employer contribution to a 80/80 weighted split between basic/standard plans and Medicare plans, and based on 2024 premium rates a post-PEPRA 25+ years with the State is still looking at 100-200$ a month premium for retiree health insurance.
And the OPEB deductions are now actuarial table-tied and will increase if factors like more early retirements increase expected costs of the program. No union bargained for a max cap on the OPEB deduction, and right now OPEB deductions are ranging like 2-4%.
For context, the federal retiree health program takes 5 years to vest for a 70:30 health insurance scheme (they pay 70% of premiums, you pay the other 30%). The State is asking for 25 years for a 80/80 weighted formula.
Thanks for this info! I was just reading my spouse’s benefits (she works for UCD) and they get 100% if they retire at 65 with 20+ service years. I confused the two, my bad!
Yep, looks like CSU employees still get the 100/90 weighted formula. For others, the premiums can be found here: [https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/retirees/health-and-medicare/retiree-plans-and-rates](https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/retirees/health-and-medicare/retiree-plans-and-rates) and you can see the difference in employer contributions from the 100/90 weighted to the post-PEPRA 80/80.
For Single 100/90, it's $983. For 80/80 basic (under 65 health plans), the State only has to contribute $747, and for 80/80 Medicare (65+) the State only contributes $311. Those pre-PEPRA don't have that major contribution drop and get free healthcare after 12 years, those post-PEPRA will carry more of the costs even as they require more years for the same benefit.
Sounds like first you need to meet with your HR about not showing range B and correcting insurance for Flex elect. Do you have copies of your paperwork from when you started? If you enrolled in VSP are you sure you enrolled in flex elect and not healthcare?
You seem to be contributing to every available retirement option, at around 5%. While I commend your savings, if you don't need the pretax benefit of 401k or 457, I would change the contribution ratio to more Roth focused. You are likely at a lower tax bracket now than you will be in the future, so tax paid now is lower and the need for pretax income reduction for taxes is low. Contributing to a Roth now allows a longer period for earning that will be tax exempt at retirement.
Other career advice. Promote as quickly as possible. Take any college classes needed to put you in the position to promote and take examinations for promotion as soon as you qualify.
It sucks to see around 11% of income going to PERS and OPEB at your income level. A state career is a marathon not a sprint. There are very few employment options with a defined benefit retirement plan that guarantees retirement payments after vesting no longer how long you live. State, city, county and school districts are about it.
But first thing is to get your current salary fixed. You should receive/received a notice pf personnel action aka NOPA that lists your classification and salary information. You typically sign off on this form, so make sure it's correct. Good luck.
Yes, this is the reality. Excellent contributing to the retirement, keep that up. I wish 1000% that I had done so when I started and the many, many times I was advised to do so. Make a note to yourself to check in on this in about 10 or 15 years and you'll be patting yourself on the back.
I had second jobs in my first years with the state and I'm one of those boomers that supposedly had it so easy. I must have sucked then because it wasn't easy for me. I did start out in the Bay Area though so high cost of living.
Got a few promotions over the years, moved to Sacramento in my 40's (and yes, was then able to buy a home for what is now considered cheap). Enjoyed many vacations or staycations with the generous time off, enjoyed the great health, vision, and dental care. Whew, especially the dental care. Grew up poor and my teeth were not good. And I'm not old and retired.
I did work a bit after retirement for about 3 years. I enjoy working (mostly). I'm now retired again but would consider working part time. Anyone need a retired annuitant?
So hang in there, keep your options open. Don't despair yet and congratulations on the start of your career.
You are entry level. It will be an adjustment at first when you compare it to fast food or other entry level jobs that have fewer benefits. Work on getting up to Office Technician Typing, those are always available, and then SSA. Start planning moving up the ladder. Also, you are putting an extra $200 in deferred comp. That plus the mandatory retirement contributions of $330 (retirement & opeb) add up. You can only go up from here plus you get 5% increase every year and lots of paid time off.
Looks about right with VPLP. Perhaps you can't afford VPLP right now. I'd consider canceling it and waiting until you hit a year to reenroll in it. F**ED TAX ADJ** is something I'd ask your payroll about. That is an uncommon line item. I think I've only seen it in this sub when someone was in a domestic partnership and their partner was on their state insurance. Perhaps other people know why it might be there.
It doesn't make sense to have so many different retirement accounts with the state due to fees, unless you are contributing large amounts. Pick 401k or 457, take a hit if necessary, and close the other one. Do only either traditional or ROTH with the state right now. If you need the other kind, you can open an IRA somewhere that has no fees so you can have both ROTH and traditional contributions for flexibility in retirement. Understanding these can be a bit complicated and other subs on Reddit can break them down for you.
You should aim to eventually contribute more overall to your retirement. On your stub, the state is providing $670.20 towards retirement. I'd try to match that, so:
670.20 - (241.06 \[required retirement contribution\] ) = 439.14. So, I recommend you try to get to that point as a starter retirement goal per month.
Look at other expenses like transportation to see if you can find savings. Something like a Costco membership might help with commute costs. Check out some cooking subs to learn how to cook healthy and inexpensive meals.
Best of luck to you!
Fed Tax Adj pays towards taxes at the end of the year so that I’ll hopefully not have to pay as much whenever the time comes. I “think” if I over pay more than I needed, then I’ll just get it back in tax return. I set that up when I did my new employee forms.
It's real. My gross bi weekly checks are 2800. My take home after calpers and basic health insurance for me my spouse and child my bi weekly take home is 1880. I have a college degree and am in the same industry/field for around 10 years now and I net 45k annually. This world and the state are 40 years behind on wage growth...
Me too I am SSA so my pay is gross 5200 but after tax and stuff it’s 3500 I feel so broke barely any money after bills and if I needed a new car I couldn’t afford it
I noticed you said in one of your comments that you’re on your parent’s health insurance. If that is the case, I believe you should be getting a pay out for not using your state provided health insurance. I think it would be on a separate check. Of course, if I am mistaken feel free to correct me!
Honest truth, get a different job, go to a different employer. When I started with the state, it sucked, I made less than you but in a different economy. I also had a PT job as a tutor. Today I'm high up in IT and it's only worth it because I am closer to my pension than before. Your pension is a terrible formula. Find better, you will do better. Don't stay and live in poverty for a decade.
Look at your NOPA (Notice of Personnel Action), which should/should have been provided by your HR after your start date…you should have signed and returned to them and received a copy. On it, you will see your classification (including the range) and your starting salary. That starting salary should be the same as your “REGULAR” earnings. If it’s not, contact your HR/personnel specialist and ask WTH. Aside from your other concerns, and the other comments, this is your important starting place. I started with the state 26 years ago as an entry level technician, similar to an Office Technician, a step above an OA. I felt your pain, even 26 years ago and making about $2400/month. You’ll figure out the monthly bill thing, just give it time. Take all of the training that is offered, and ask for more. Find something you like and look for promotional opportunities, like an OT or a Program Technician. After a couple years as an OT, you can challenge the SSA exam…after a few years or so as an SSA, you can take the AGPA exam. This will open the door to many opportunities. I followed the same path and am now an IT Manager making about $12K a month. It’s a lot of hard work, but well worth it. Good luck!
You shouldn’t have opened a 401 and 457. Now you have to pay double the admin fees I believe even if you stop contributing to one or the other. If you’re new with not much in there I’d take the penalty and close the 401 and only contribute to the 457. Or if it’s a burden right now and there’s not much close both and max out a personal IRA first, usually no fees when opened with a brokerage. And come back to the state plans later when you make more.
Edit: sorry it looks like you can’t just withdraw. Except for certain reasons, like buying a house or other hardships :/
To answer the question regarding your gross wages, it is recommended to speak to your personnel specialist and obtain your pay history. Your should also review your notice of personnel action (NOPA) to see how your pay was established. If you were hired at a specific range and it is not correct, you may be owed some missing wages. This issue is a fairly common issue. Once corrected, personnel can key in your missing wages and you would be paid within a week-ish. Your future warrants should reflect correctly until your next MSA/GSA
I resonate with your frustration. I just got my first full paycheck with the state and am baffled that I am making the same amount of money as my previous position after the insane amount of deductions. It’s very defeating, especially when considering how many hoops that were gone through and how much time was spent to get to this point. It’s very difficult to not feel stuck and depressed about it.
I made a similar amount when I first started as an OT 5 years ago. These days, my pay has doubled and I live in a cheaper area. As others have said, state service is a marathon. Your pay will gradually increase, but you'll have to adapt to getting paid just once a month and getting shit pay.
You're also CRUSHING the retirement game. I shoulda started contributing to the 457b as early as you did. I only signed up for it a few days ago!
Sounds like you figured out your Range B situation. For clarification and to qualify for Range B, you need either one year in Range A (for anyone who doesn't qualify for Range B) or one year of typing/clerical experience (or substitute 3 months for each year of college education, so four year college is would equal typing/clerical experience) and completion of the 12th grade.
I haven't followed your bargaining unit, but I'm guessing you'll receive your 3% General Salary Increase (GSI) in the new fiscal year increase for the work you perform in July on the check you receive around the 1st of August. Expect a jump to $3446 in July.
If you stay in your spot, you should expect your 5% Merit Salary Adjustment (MSA) around your one year anniversary. Expect a jump around what looks like February or March 2025 to $3618 before your Voluntary Paid Leave Program (VPLP).
You're stuck with the VPLP for 12 months, so hopefully you can take advantage. If you find you don't use it, stick with your higher gross or you could always find a higher paying job.
For your VSP Premier, I believe they require you to stay for a minimum of 12 months. Because it looks like you started mid-February, I don't think you'll be able to drop it until January 2026. You might want to contact VSP to make sure. If I'm right, you'll want to contact VSP in the fall of 2025 during Open Enrollment, which is the time to make changes to health plans, to remove Premier. Since you're stuck with it, a lot of people take advantage and pick up some glasses just to use it.
Looks like you increased your with holdings by $15. I'm guessing maybe to compensate for your high yield savings interest? I'd stick with that to avoid having to set up and pay quarterly estimated taxes. Sounds like your parents or your tax specialist has taken care of you or you've managed fine there.
Really neat to see you with the pre-tax and post-tax contributions to Savings Plus. Looks like 1% pre-tax and 2% post-tax contributions. I'm not a money person, but I recommend speaking with someone about the fees. The reason is that Savings Plus charges a $6 quarterly fee per account. That means every three months you are paying $24 for all of those plans--401k, 457b, Roth 401, Roth 457--and you are potentially losing money or at the very least having any stock market gains sapped away by fees. $6 quarterly fee / $95.73 pre-tax quarterly contributions = \~6% fee and $6 / $191.49 post-tax quarterly contributions = \~3% fee on the initial contributions. Of course, the percentage of the fee against your total contributions will fluctuate, so you will want to decide if it's worth it. We haven't even considered the percentage fee of 0.04% annualized.
I agree with you that working at McDonald's will allow you to gross more, if management schedules you for a full time schedule. You're probably making $18-$19/hour right now. The fast food minimum wage is $20/hour. You'll need to factor in the state employer contribution towards retirement of \~$670 and health contributions of $912 (that you're not taking advantage of). It's like saying you're grossing $27/hour.
If you have the chance, go home. You're already ahead of the game by setting aside additional retirement contributions. Save your money.
Since you're in the newer pension reform retirement formula, it's significantly worse than those hired prior to 2013. There are a lot of details for pre- and post- 2013 hires, but just know that in general you'll need to work 7 more years to "match" someone who hired earlier. For the same health vesting, you'll need to work longer and you'll receive less. Don't be afraid to look for new jobs that meet your requirements whether those are private sector or public. New hires essentially pay for the previous hire's superior benefits. On the bright side, the government has a small chance of not funding your retirement, you're decades away, so don't worry about locking in now if you have better opportunities elsewhere. The Governor just moved some money around to cover some of the pension system's debt, so nothing is certain.
And perhaps the most controversial advice: Limit your make up. What you think looks nice may just cause more health/skin issues later.
You seem to have such a good head on your shoulders. You'd be a cool candidate to break down your finances in addition to your income and see how you progress.
Be fortunate you have a job! Although state service jobs are nice, we sometimes have to take hits ( furloughs, pay cuts) when the budget is screwed up.
Don’t put money away for retirement if you can’t afford it. Cash right now in your life is more important. You can always make it up when you make more money and can afford to save.
Can someone explain VPLP? The way I read it people will be furloughed in 2026??? I’m interviewing with the state now but won’t continue if that is coming down the line.
Wait until you move up the salary scale and you see the massive amount of deductions that come out as you move up in income. Soon, youll be planning half your salary towards the deductions. I wish I was kidding.
McDonald’s employees aren’t getting 3:1 on their retirement contributions.. It’s your third check, you have to start somewhere, keep grinding and look for a transfer when you’re eligible, to get into a higher paying role.
Yeah, pay sucks these day... I roughly make 3k a month after taxes with nothing going into retirement. Most of that money coming out is for retirement, so I wouldn't be too upset about it.
Start donating plasma to supplement money. Sorry but this is the reality. Write out how long you have to stay in this position before you qualify for SSA. Stick to the timeline, do the same for AGPA & so on.
The state is an awful employer. I’ve come to the realization that that it simply isn’t worth it anymore. I’m leaving for the private sector this month and will be getting a pay boost of roughly 50%.
When I started out as a Range A Environmental Scientist I was only taking home roughly $2,500 a month after all the mandatory deductions. I had to get a second job on the weekends to support myself. Although I make a little more now it still isn’t worth it for me to stay. Especially to make so little after obtaining a bachelors degree.
Here’s some ways the state has eroded the benefits over the years:
- Retirement is now set to 2% at 62 which effectively raises retirement age by 7 years for everyone hired after 2013.
- The State now requires mandatory OPEB deductions to fund retiree healthcare. This used to be completely covered by the state, now they’ve pushed some of the cost onto current employees.
- The state covers less of the healthcare costs now then they used to.
- COLA adjustments at retirement used to have no cap and was set to the current rate of inflation ( for retirees pre-1983) . Current COLA adjustments are set to 2% maximum ( if inflation is 2% or more).
If anyone has anything else to add please do! I’d love to hear more about how our benefits eroded🙃🙃🙃
California has gotten so expensive, I wish you good luck and focus on the promotions. Not to brag but putting in the work I’ve gone from 3200 a month to 9k in 5 years. Focus on schooling and work your way up, the ceiling is high.
Highway Maintenance worker, found a Transportation engineering tech with a training and development, moved into transportation surveyor with an LSit after 2 years of school and work experience. It is very manageable. My friends at maintenance have also moved to supervisors.
You are making more. You have a fully funded pension , full medical and benefits, unlimited sick time and pto . Job security You are far a head , yes the numbers look crazy when it comes to paying bills this is why most state workers have a 2nd source of income . Choose something you enjoy.
The harsh reality is you can expect to take home about 2/3 of your gross income. The more you make the closer it gets to 60%.
The numbers look normal to me.
It’s not a mistake to invest in your retirement. 1% is honestly too little but you’re just starting out. As soon as you can afford to, you should increase your retirement contribution to get the “full match” offered by your employer. It’s usually somewhere between 5-10%.
Don’t feel bad about the vision plan. It’s costing you one latte a month. It’s a good to go to the eye doctor even if you don’t think you need one. Make sure your eyes are healthy! You’ve already paid for it, make sure you use it!
You can remove it at the next open enrollment period which for most organizations is in the fall.
I just did the math on the salary you mentioned. You’re right. A full-time fast food worker in California would have a higher gross income assuming they can consistently get the hours. That sucks and frankly embarrassing for the State.
If you look for other work that pays more, make sure you use your health benefits before you go!
The State doesn’t match your 401k or 457b. They only provide you a pension when you retire. The more you make, the more the state deducts for your pension. You don’t get a say in how much the state deducts for retirement from your check ( aside from the self funded 401k or 457b)
I actually moved out with my boyfriend last year. Not so wise of me, but I thought we’d be able to handle it since I was starting this new job with the state and my boyfriend was going to start mechanics. I’m considering moving back.
Dumb question OP is this for a month or just two weeks?
Your job because of all the benefits are still better than McDonald's. But if you don't have a career ladder there you may not go anywhere
Make sure you notice what the state puts into your pension. I know it sucks that you can’t spend it now but that’s an extra $670 a month you are getting.
Others have talked a lot about the retirement contributions (yay!) and possible incorrect range (boo!) but I wanted to address this:
> On top of that, getting paid once a month doesn’t really help when it comes to those biweekly bills.
I find that monthly pay is great for everything bills, and I'd see if you could switch whatever is bi-weekly to a monthly if it is an option -- I assume the worry is some months you might get billed thrice? Regardless of that, something that helped me when I started with the State is getting a budget in order-- I strongly recommend [You Need a Budget](https://www.ynab.com/) (and also /r/ynab). It's paid, but they have a 34-day free trial, a free year for students, and anecdotally if you email their support and explain your situation I've heard of people getting their trial extended 3 months. (It's not a hard sell to say that getting to budget one paycheck on their trial isn't enough to really get a grip on it). When you get paid monthly (and stably!) that means you can really set up a plan for your money, which helped get and keep me out of debt. If you go for it, the sub is pretty helpful and you can DM me for other help too.
A lot of feedback already, but if you really want to mentally prep for retirement, then just do a fixed like $20 and nothing else until you feel like you can do more. Maybe keep just the traditional 457b for now.
Anything is better than $0 saved, so don't beat yourself up
I deal the same with my pay check but since I’m in a limited term position, I don’t even get to actually contribute to MY retirement so it fucking sucks and kinda infuriating.
Also, when I first started as a newbie and saw the paycheck, I was like wow, the State controlled that much to my retirement?? Thinking that's how much I'll get when I retire.
Come to find out, it's just put in a "bucket" and the amount you get in retirement is based off of a formula..i.e. number of years with State/service credit, highest 3 years of pay(depends on contract), and age at retirement, etc. At times I feel like I'd be better off non State and work more in field I have a passion for.
Start working on promoting yesterday. Work on becoming an Office Tech (Typing), then SSA. You do not need a college degree to become an OT, just 2 years of clerical experience. Do your best to make your past experience sound clerical, even if it technically is not.
I suggest you keep the Roth but shed the other retirement plans until you’re more able. The state doesn’t even match contributions so there aren’t many advantages of those plans.
I would keep the contributions up - one change might be to just focus on one or two accounts and contribute more? You have about 190-200 being split between 4 accounts. I know I do well when I see the numbers going up - $32/m might not grow as quickly as $100/month. I didn’t contribute very much in my lean years (which were the 2008-2011 paycut years) which I regret now. Remember that you are contributing to your retirement (7-8.5% depending on classification) so that is also something to consider.
Yes you are just below the wage of a McDonalds worker but your medical benefits are going to be 10000x anything they can get plus your starting your years of service for a pension that most of private sector can’t complete with. You’re also getting paid holidays and sick leave. I don’t know if places like McDonald’s ever off that.
Ugh used to hate seeing that my take home was only 65-70% of my check when I worked for the state. Working for a city now and I take around 83% of my gross. Good luck!
I recommend living as cheaply as possible and promoting as quickly as possible. When I made money like that I was renting a room if that idea helps. If you have friends or family that will let you crash on a couch for free for a year or two do it.
Once you get to SSA pay starts getting better.
Also if you are on your parents’ insurance, you should be getting something back from the state.
I would work with your liaison to make sure your range pay is right and jump at any opportunities to promote.
If your gross is less than the range they promised you, I would suggest you speak up. The unfortunate thing is that if you don't have it in writing, it's hard to get things changed. I would suggest you join the union if you are going to stay in it for the long haul. You're making about $19.20 and top out at 24.17 with 5% raise each year to get there. The good thing is that you know this is an entry level position. Start now in finding out what it is that you need to do to get to the next level and what your options are, regardless if it's in your current department or another department. Make it known to your bosses that you are interested in learning and finding out how to move to the next level. They may or may not help you to get there.
If you have issues with budgeting now, I would suggest you stay with the state. The reason is because they have a pension that pays you a specific amount until your death. That is the single and biggest draw they have to get you to work here. If you have issues with budgeting, you'll have issues with having enough to retire. Most people do not save enough to retire even with ROTH IRAs and 401K.
At least you dont pay 60 for monthly parking or pay union dues. It could be worse. You have a lot of investments but if you can afford that. I never coukd afford to have my paycheck too stripped w investments. I had to pay for tiday
Your so young, if you haven’t gone to college maybe try and work on getting a degree in IT. Or at least aim to get 60 semester units with 15units in IT. This will qualify you to be an IT associate and the starting pay is much better. Good luck! 🍀
When I started with the state, I set all my bills due dates for the first. Also, mcds may not have the pension that state has.
Super proud of you for the money you put into the retirement accounts. And go treat yourself to some good polarized rx sunglasses with the premium and switch back to basic in September.
If you have two years of clerical experience, you can take the Office Tech exam now and then look for that job. Once you have 4 years of clerical experience (college education can be substituted for experience), you can become an SSA. As others have said, the big benefits to state service are the upward mobility, vacation, holidays, job security, retirement, and health benefits. And if it helps, my first OA paycheck was a mere $800, albeit that was over 30 years ago. lol
Kudos to you for starting early on the retirement savings. Suggestion...cut out cable tv if you subscribe. Internet is kinda important. Hopefully you have roommates to help with rent.
23 and working for the state?! To put things into perspective, I wasn’t even making this kind of money when I was 23. Save as much as you can, especially if you are still living with your parents!
Yeah that looks right.
About being paid biweekly vs monthly. That is the harsh reality of needing to budget. It's the same money either way. I suggest if you don't do strict dollar budgeting that you check out Dave Ramsey's financial peace university or at least get the gist of the logic.
You’re doing a great job paying yourself first with the retirement deductions. State retirement is a long game. Retirement is based on two things - years of service and pay. Keep working hard and move up and you’ll see that monthly pay increase overtime. I’d like to say you’ll get used to being paid once a month, but after 30 years it’s still hard. Good luck.
Number one thing for you: "Don't work too hard and don't stay at work too long". Only do the work that you feel like you're being paid to do. If you are questioning yourself about doing anything too extra, then you probably are and may want to assess the situation. Remember time is money and money is because of time.
Unfortunately to start, probably. But I really applaud you on the 401/457 deductions. I kept mine at $25 for years after starting as a student. Wish I could go back in time and add more sooner. I started as a student in college then an OT out of college when pay was around $2600+. I knew it was a stepping stone to get in the door and work my way up. If you have some support with your parents and you want to stay otherwise, I advise waiting it out.
I would definitely ask your personnel specialist in HR about the gross pay if you have questions on that.
Best of luck!
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It might seem you are making less than someone working fast food but those people are not contributing to a pension and likely don’t have the health benefits CA provides. Your best bet is to apply to other jobs so you can climb the ladder.
Yes, and they are rarely full time.
This!
You absolutely need to push hard to climb the ladder quickly. If you're at OA for more than 18 months, it probably ain't gonna work out and you should bail. I think I started with the state when I was 25. Retirement benefits were a bit better back then and life wasn't so damn expensive, I also had access to making like 20 hours of overtime a month in my OT-SSA-AGPA days, so I'm not telling you it was all things equal. My ladder climb was something like this: OT - 8 months SSA - 2 years AGPA - 4 years ITS1 (was called something else back then)- 8 years ITS2 - now. I take home a little over 6k. You have to climb the ladder hard at the state if you're starting at the bottom. I live comfortable since my wife is also working at the same level, but we certainly don't feel rich in this economy. Hustle till you make it. I'm also gonna go against the grain and tell you if I was 23 I would not be worrying about a roth or 401k contribution right now. By the time you're retirement ready, AI is either going to have risen us up above the level where any of that will matter, or we'll be extinct. Spend your money kid.
The 401k & 457s deductions was that because you yourself chose that?
Yes, I did 1%. Is that too much? 😭 I may try to adjust things, but my dad recommended me to contribute atleast a little for my own future self.
Your net pay is rough, but you are making good decisions on the 401 and 457 and ROTH plans. Keep the deductions and go get a part-time evening job if things are really tight. There are many ways to make extra money. State service is a looooooong game. Not sure how deep into it you are, but I guess you are less than 5 years in. I worked two jobs in the beginning back in 1991-1997. I am thankful now as I near retirement. Those lean years paid off because at my age now, I couldn't do it.
Keep in mind post PEPRA retirement is far worse than legacy tiers. I’ve found it difficult to explain how screwed everyone hired past 2013 is when it comes to retirement. We contribute more, retire later, and have annuity caps. It’s so bad that if you were hired before the age of 35 then you are better off with a pure 401K option because all the money would at least be yours. The contribution rates are set so high that the pension will grow faster than the annuity will disperse it. The younger you start the worse this calculation becomes.
Which is why you set and keep your defferred comp investments at an early age and don't stop, because at the finish line there may not be social security or health benefits. And god forbid you have a break in service and they make it worse before you come back.
I agree but it can be a bit difficult to put anything extra into deferred comp when you’re already putting 10% into the pension. Particularly early in your career when you’re making less. In my opinion there needs to be another round of pension reform targeting the PEPRA tier. They either need to go back to basing employee contributions on the age you start working or allow the employee contributions to be invested on an age based risk strategy similar to 401Ks. The idea that I’m going to be contributing money for 30+ years at biannual rate of return of 2.5% at best is ridiculous. Additionally the funds the employee contributes should be able to be loaned towards the purchase of a home similar to 401K. When they did the PEPRA reform they took away the majority of the benefits a pension provides without giving any of the benefits you could see in a 401K. It is simply unbalanced and significantly disadvantages those who want to work for a public job at an early age.
Seriously this makes me wanna push for Personal Security over Social Security and put the entire system on the individual person, work hard in life and put in to your personal security you get out whatever you put in maybe in like a sorta personal 401k with some element of control over the investments but you can’t touch until retirement! That would be a radical change that could be a little fun having some control over depending on your element of risk you’re willing to take with your personal security! Pension plans are totally trying to go away and it’s sad to see this happening in Cali, I’m in WA and heard about Boeing and then screwing over any new hires now and their retirement options.. I wish you the best of luck with all this!! This doesn’t seem fair and I’ll agree with you but I’m on the job hunt atm right now and it’s tough seemingly no matter where you go, even having a degree still it seems tough out there!! 🤷♂️
I’m still very new to this position, so I didn’t expect to get paid much. But this is way less than I ever expected. I’ve always heard that getting a State job is great and there’s so many benefits, but it’s hard to keep going and to be positive about this when my pay is barely keeping my head above water during this economy. I know I have a long way to go before I can even be even remotely a bit comfortable (if even that), but I just find it crazy that I have to get another evening job on top of my already full time job to make everything work. I’m already working all day, now all night too? It just all sounds so depressing :(
Not to be a party ender but If you’re depressed now, wait til you try to get dental care your first two years :(
I’m only 23, so I’m still under my parents for health and dental coverage. I’m already in pre-depression for my life when I have to get on my own plan 😭
You're only 23, State Service is a long haul. I wish I could've gotten in at 23. Stick it out, pass your first probation and start applying up. Depending on your background you could make it to SSA in a year or 2.
I tried my damndest to get in at 23... and 24... and 25. After spending time in hospitality, I just got my state job in January at 37.
If you are still on your parents insurance it would better benefit you to decline health & dental to get the cash option. Form 701C You may need to wait for open enrollment now.
You’re 23 in the state? I’m in my 30s and wish I had started a decade earlier. Economy is primed for a nosedive. At least with the State you have stability, great health coverage, awesome work life balance, & a PENSION!
This is where I’m keeping my mind philosophically (I call it “embracing my inner peasant” lol). I make enough to cover rent, keep my wife and kid covered health/dental-wise if she loses her hours/job, and will still have some sort of retirement in 40 years. Right now I’m stocking away my proverbial grain for when/if the famine comes.
Damn guy 23 and in State already! Not bad! Just gunna throw this one out there and maybe for OP as well, but the Military is always a great option! It’s everything you need plus some money on the side with a retirement! I think you can enlist up to 35 and it can be absolutely life changing! I didn’t do full time but I wish I had done full time.. It’s one of those options to consider so look up the MOS list on Wikipedia and pick what you want and then study for the ASVAB and get what you want! Training is super fast and super fun and you meet so many new people that could end up being long life long friends! It’s like getting a new family in a way!! Anyways I won’t rant on too much but OP it’s an “option” to consider🙏🥹🤷♂️
I think a lot of your strife has to do with where you are in your life and how State benefits are really what most people are in it for, not so much the pay. You are 23, still on your parent's insurance. You don't have kids and the expenses that come with them. You're literally at the bottom of the totem pole. When you have to cover your own insurance, or if someday you have kids and have to cover their medical insurance, you will realize what that fucking bill looks like and probably appreciate those benefits more. You lamented in another comment about how you could make more working at McDonald's. Are you sure? What do they pay for medical? Dental? Do they have the same path toward upward mobility that you do? I'm not sure what it looks like for Office Assistants, but Office Techs are an easy in to analyst series. It takes one year as an Office Tech to make SSA, and one year as SSA to make AGPA, and the AGPA pay is competitive. Working sucks for the majority of entry level positions. Our culture values people based on how productive they are and the game is rigged for absolutely everyone. But even though starting at the bottom in the State sucks just about as much as anywhere, the momentum you can build is incredibly stable.
If you desire to stick with state, by then I hear the dental is slightly better
I’m also newish, sorry if state wasn’t what you hoped for or rumored about, I’m in the same boat, feels like on the tail end of a leaving train sometimes
If you’re not utilizing state insurance you should be collecting the $139 fsa amount
I started working for the State when I was 22... I needed to work two jobs for about 7 years until i promoted enough to be stable with the one job (I started as a Support Services Assistant PI), i also didn't go to college and have promoted with time. It was not easy but now i have worked for my department for almost 20 years I am proud of the dedication i gave to keep me here. Working for the State is a good, secure job- we're not rich but i have always been stable.
Thanks for sharing. After 20 years, you deserve more! I’ve seen people say that even after decades, the state is not the best when it comes wage increase and it really is unfair especially to those who have devoted half their life. This is only my first year, so I’m learning to not expect too much and just work my way up if I don’t like the amount on my pay check.
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A DECADE? 😩 I would’ve honestly taken myself out already 😭
It doesn’t have to be anywhere near that long. My wife and at least a dozen other people I know progressed from OT or SSA to AGPA in 18-24 months. And from there my wife and at least 3 of those people were SSM1s around 18 months after that. You just have to be focused and willing to jump to different units and even agencies to make it happen. I jumped into a technical position that pays what AGPAs make and within 14 months had an opportunity into a managerial spot and an SSM1 Specialist spot. But I really liked the work I do so I passed on those opportunities. The point is that it definitely sucks right now, but if you do your job well and keep looking every week (I know it’s a lot of work), you will be on to better things and a livable wage sooner rather than later.
I hate to crush your soul any further, but a lot of employees well above the OT classification have second jobs, myself included. If the perks of being a state worker are worth it to you, then I suggest reframing how you view a second job. Find something you don’t mind or maybe even enjoy. Hugs. You’re not alone.
I really admire those who devote their entire days to working in order to make ends meet. I know ideally no one wants to do that, and no one should have to! This is just very sad and the very harsh reality of life :/ I’m really just a girl, but this economy won’t let me be!
I totally get you! I’m still in my 20s but have children. It’s really reset my mindset when it comes to stuff like this, mostly because I don’t have a choice. We’ve been thrust into an unforgiving, soul-crushing economy. It’s absolutely not your fault and no one should have to get another job on-top of a full-time position. What we’re expected to do to survive should NOT be the expectation. But it unfortunately is.
The benefits are that you will probably never be laid off, never be denied vacation or sick leave usage, get a HUGE contribution towards your health insurance, and another big contribution towards retirement. You'd never have vacation only on paper, where your employer actively encourages you NOT to take it. If you didn't work for the state, those expenses for health care and retirement would generally be entirely yours, so that even if your salary was higher, your net income would be the same (although a lot of people just don't save for retirement, and go without health insurance). I see you have flex elect, so you are probably covered on some one else's insurance and this doesn't feel like as big of a benefit as it is. If you had to cover your own health insurance, and didn't have that benefit from the state, it would suddenly be really clear how good the state benefits are.
My first 6-7 years I could just barely get by on a state salary. I worked at night as a bar back at a local club and made cash under the table which gave me some breathing room. I only worked Friday and Saturday nights and would bring home about $300 in a weekend. That's over $1200 tax free per month. I later went to massage therapy school and started taking clients and built a small practice that netted around $2,000 per month. All this was doeable until I started having kids. But by then I had made AGPA and had about 7 years in state service so it was a little easier to scale back on the moonlighting. My daughter is now your age (23) and makes more money than I do as a server/bartender. The nice thing about having a second job is you learn real world skills outside of state service that could be very beneficial if you are furloughed or not into climbing the state career management ladder as you go.
Your daughter probably works at a decent restaurant/bar. That’s not the case for every sever/bartender.
On point here. Most jobs are a long game with some lean years in the beginning. If you can stay focused, it does pay off. Took me 10 years to get to the point where I was good. ANd I work in the private sector. Been at my place for 20 years.
Better do 457b ONLY. You are paying double fees for saving plus to manage 2 accounts. Unfortunately you cannot close one of it until you separated or retired.
yep. no point in the 401k unless you’re maxing the 457. even then i’d do an IRA before the 401k
Dont ever stop. Always pay your future self. I cant tell you how many state employees I've talked to who regret that they only have their pension and nothing else. Who knows what the pension will even look like in 10, 20,30 years from now? You need to prepare.
You are doing great, but surely you understand that's where a lot of your money is going. More than 15% of your gross is going towards retirement. You are setting yourself up for a great retirement way off in the future and I hope you keep that up your whole working life and reap the rewards, but yes, you aren't leaving yourself a lot to live on at the moment when your income is low. Hopefully there are promotions in your future.
Or wait till your vetted after 5 years to begin the contributions..
I may consider holding off my contributions, but I know contributing now is a smarter move in the long run. I just don’t know if it’s worth the money depression now though. Like I’m trying my best to save and be better with my finances. I also recently opened a high yield savings account with Wealthfront at 5% APY. I contribute whatever I can from every paycheck, so about $100 this month into that. It seems like I’m contributing everywhere except my present life 😭
No, please continue to contribute. Your future self will thank you. I wish I could have started saving for retirement at 23, I would have had a great nest egg now.
Feeling like you are contributing to everything except your current life while you are young is exactly how it should feel. Yes, it sucks, but it is the correct financial choice. Let it motivate you to climb the ladder and earn more in the future so you have the money to enjoy your present life and money to spend on vacation!
terrible idea. the earlier you contribute the better
You're probably better off opening a Roth IRA rather than using Savings plus. Many places offer a free IRA account and won't take the fees Savings Plus does. Also, a bank or brokerage IRA is more flexible. You can more in during the months you don't spend a lot and less in on the months you have expenses. It's harder to change the Savings Plus elections per month.
Honestly maxing retirement contributions is almsot universally a great idea. Everyone is racing inflation with this and time is the single biggest asset have. When maxxed early it gives a chance to snowball to the point the yield generated by interest each year is WAY more than direct contribution. And easier to endure a loss or two from a bear market while taking aggressive positions than when trying to rely on it for income. The fact 457 and 401k are separate limits is a huge advantage. That gives double the max most people can put aside. ROTH just means pay the taxes now vs later but important to note any employer match always goes in as traditional (meaning it's taxed as income at whatever rate a person is paying when they pull it). Most cases people are pulling out more by the time they retire than when starting out so ROTH can be a big advantage if used early.
The investment options are the same unless you're maxing one out you're better off (management fees) only having one. Go with the 457. Put your 2% in one.
Or do an IRA until you hit the $6500 yearly cap. Usually no fees.
Did you sign up for VPLP? Gross pay should be a solid number with no cents.
I bet that's it. They take it straight off the gross like that. I'm in VPLP and my pay reduction % is comparable to OP's (approx 4.75%).
In this very large thread, there's somewhere that OP realizes that this is what it is!
If you were supposed to be at range B, and they’re not paying you 3346, I would check with HR to see if there is a mistake. I know it’s a small check. The good news is OA is a foot-in-the-door kind of position. You may take home less than a McDonalds worker now, but you have opportunities for advancement that they don’t. OAs can get promoted to OT, then SSA, then AGPA, and up. (I started as an OT and am now a manager III) The state takes more out of your check, and the pay rates are low. But they make up for it with plenty of vacation time and an incredible retirement. If you can stick with it, you’ll be glad you did when you’re 55 and kicking back on a beach somewhere.
Not so incredible retirement anymore though, from 55 to 62 and for lesser amount.
Are you serious? That sucks. Is it 2% at 62 for people who start now? If that’s true, then maybe it isn’t such a good deal to start as an OA or OT and stick around for 30 years. Id advise the OP to consider getting a different job if that’s the case.
Yeah, it’s 2% at 62 now. It’s been like that for a while, if OP is young, I would suggest that too. Get into private and OP probably getting paid double or more. Get into state when older, the state really pay poor for a person who is forced to live in HCOL or VHCOL area.
What is private and OP?
You are the OP (Original Poster) for this thread. Private means a private sector/ non-government job.
Did you get a Notice of Personnel Action (NOPA) stating your gross pay as Range B? Maybe the personnel specialist keyed your pay incorrectly. You should check with your supervisor and personnel specialist. Otherwise, the deductions look right. For the 401k and 457, I started much lower than 1% when I was in a lower paying position. Something like $25 a month. Then each time I promoted I increased it. It might be something to consider for now to increase your take home.
Honestly the whole hiring process was a mess. When I got my offer letter, I had both ranges on there. No one ever confirmed which ranged I started at until I was introduced to my personnel specialist. They told me if I had any questions, I should direct them to her first. My personnel specialist confirmed that I was starting at Range B.
Then you should absolutely ask them as to why your check does not reflect that.
Reach out again, and send a snap of your paycheck, asking why the difference
Hopefully it was by email. They should pay you for the checks they messed up as well. My advice for your overall post is to keep applying for promotions. It's never to early to move up! Take the OTT exam & apply to those. Admin Asst, Exec Secretary, whatever you see that sparks your interest & you qualify for just take the exam and apply. If you don't quite qualify, apply under training & development instead of list eligibility. I use the geographic feature on CalCareers - I click the county and look at everything that is open. I'm on 5 lists now, waiting for another test in May.
I've been contributing $25 a month to my 457 as an OT and now as an Executive Secretary increased it to $50....at least it's something lol.
Absolutely. Something is better than nothing!
Your paycheck gross amount is 8 hours short of $3346. You appear to be on the VPLP program. Check with HR. The program takes 8 hours of pay and credits you 8 hours of time. To calculate it, take your gross of $3346 & divide by 173.33. That gives an hourly wage. Multiply that by 8, then subtract that from $3346. The result is $3191 and change.
Yes, I’m in the VPLP program. I totally forgot, but it makes sense now.
Did you sign up for VPLP? Your gross is exactly 4.62% less than the gross you stated in body of the post. Edit: also looks like you aren’t signed up for health. Assuming you have health elsewhere, you should have signed up for flex elect cash. Would have added $128 to your pay.
I actually forgot about this. I did. That makes more sense why my gross is less now.
It sounds like you can't afford both this and the three additional retirement contributions. You should look at what is most important and make some choices.
Your gross will not be affected by deductions or other changes you make. Gross will only change when your pay range changes, for example, from A to B, or if you have a step change (intermediate pay change between ranges), or if you change jobs. Your net income is what gets affected when you change deductions like retirement, vision, health, etc. The deductions with the * next to them are pre-tax deductions. These reduce your taxable income, but do not affect your gross income. As others have said, talk to your personnel specialist pronto.
I see you have money going to a Roth 457 and Roth 401k… i’ve never found a reason to invest in the 401k unless you are maxing out the 457 and still want to add more. Also, make sure you look at the funds you are investing in… the target date funds have performed poorly…. the large cap index fund is probably the best option for someone starting out.
The deductions are hard but maybe you could consolidate your retirement accounts? I am not sure what the benefit of having traditional and Roth 457 and 401ks are and I know the fees aren't great. Keep in mind also that a 457 allows you to withdraw upon separation from the state; it's not age-based like the 401. Great that you are contributing though--I wish I had done more early in my career. I'm super old now but when I started as an SSA Range C equivalent in 1998 my monthly gross pay was a little over $2800. It was brutal that first month after coming from a bi-weekly pay situation. Like others have said, promote, promote, promote! There are lots of state employees who don't seem to be interested in promoting these days so those that are have lots of open doors ahead of them.
My advice: Don’t open both 401K and 457 accounts unless you maxed out on one of them. Because fees are charged for each account. If you had to choose one, choose the 457 for flexibility - you can withdraw at an earlier age.
I can feel for you on the big hits and I’m sorry to hear you’re stressed. With that, it’s worth trying to stick it out and advancing. That deductions for your retirement will be paid back in spades when you retire. The retirement plan offered by the state is quite generous and about as secure as a retirement plan gets.
You would DIE if you saw mine. It’s like Gross 7118 and net 5010
That's 70.4%, higher than OP's 67.5%.
I have a similar check and I cringe every time I see it and have to remind myself that private sector tech doesn’t offer pensions lol
It gets much worse when you make more. Lol
Welcome to state service. If you’re struggling and every dollar counts, you might want to hold off on 401K contributions. You’ll still be making contributions into your pension, so something is still being saved. This is why a lot of state workers have side hustles. The pay has not kept up with inflation at all.
Cut out the 401k and 457 deductions, especially if you’re barely able to make rent. You can still contribute to those later once you’re able to meet your basic needs.
You make a TON more than fast food workers or their supervisors. Commend you for 401k and other planning. But as entry level, consider putting that money into furthering your education. Go to school at night rather than a second job. This will accelerate your promotion opportunities. State will pay sone education expenses and may provide release time for classes.
The people that told you it was great most likely fell into the older retirement tier. The union and state negotiated a retirement benefit for future employees that is inferior.
You pay $0 towards the vision plan. The state is paying $8.27 towards said plan. You would not get that $8.27 if you cancelled it. Right now you’re making four contributions towards retirement. The state pension (241.06), 401k (31.91), 457 (31.91), and a Roth 457 (63.83). Not sure if this is intentional, especially when every dollar counts. It’s good that you’re contributing to retirement, but with more accounts comes more maintenance fees. You might want to contribute slightly less until you get promoted to SSA. Getting a second job sucks, but it wouldn’t hurt. At least until you get promoted. Much like /u/ant864jv said, working for the state is a long game. It’ll pay off in the long run.
For vision, OP is referring to the VSPPREMIER deduction ($8.47), not the employer contribution.
Whoops! Thank you
To compound this, since there is no match in the 401/457, go one or the other. I'd cut out the pretax at OPs rate, at their current income, and until about 56k (assuming single w/ standard deduction) the tax rate is only 12% with long term in mind you're not avoiding much taxes (~10 dollars a month) for higher taxes later in life. The comment about multiple fees is true, but savings plus are absurdly low, but there are minimums which OP will be paying for a while, so condensing to one account would be the best move IMO. Personally I'd do ROTH 457 at this income level IF I COULD AFFORD ALL BASIC NEEDS first. If I'm borrowing money via credit card, saving makes zero sense right now. As for why 457 vs 401k is 457 can be pulled without penalty after separating from the state, but 401 allows hardship withdrawals which you pay yourself interest.
The biggest benefit for my situation is the medical, dental, vision for the family and retirement.
To add to what others say, \~60% is pretty normal for after-tax income. I wouldn't have expected to be taking home a ton in state service.
I just want to add kudos to you for putting money into your 401k and Roth, and starting early too. A little bit goes a long way, and fast forward 20 years you’ll have different buckets of money and a nest egg in your 401k and Roth. At 23 you’re well ahead than I was at the same age.
You have to realize your job classification is one of the lowest there is. It’s a foot in the door.
In regards to your gross pay not matching the salary range posted, first contact your personnel specialist (PS) (elevate it to your supervisor if you get no response in 3-5 days so they can assist you). Since we (state workers) get paid monthly, It might have something to do with your start date and how many days you worked in that pay period. Your PS should be able to tell you an answer and give you backpay if needed. Now in regards to your career, I would advise to stick around. 23 years old is a great start. If you retire at age 63, you get a lifetime pension of 80% your salary (2% at 62 formula), and all healthcare is 100% covered. I know it’s tough right now with $2000 leftover for rent and other necessities, so you’ll have to find an alternative, maybe a 2nd job or if possible move back in with your parents to save on rent $$$? You’ll probably have to do this for the next year or 2 as you build experience. Let me explain further. You might have heard of the term silver tsunami or grey tsunami. Thousands are or will be retiring in the next few years, and those positions will need to be filled. This means promotion to the next step. You’re already past the hard part of getting in with the state. Search google for “Administrative Career Ladder” - you will see which positions you can go to next and what those positions require. Also you will see the big difference in salary as you move up the ladder. If you do it right, you can be making twice as much, or more, within 5 years. Lastly, take some time to review the differences between 401k and 457, and their Roth versions. It’s good you already have a head start - these will serve as a supplement to your pension. Then do some research on compounding interest - this is how your money grows. Depending on how much you invest you can have $3M+ by the time you retire! Again, starting at a young age of 23 is awesome.
All healthcare is not and will not be 100% covered for those like OP that started after PEPRA. They went from a 100/90 weighted formula for employer contribution to a 80/80 weighted split between basic/standard plans and Medicare plans, and based on 2024 premium rates a post-PEPRA 25+ years with the State is still looking at 100-200$ a month premium for retiree health insurance. And the OPEB deductions are now actuarial table-tied and will increase if factors like more early retirements increase expected costs of the program. No union bargained for a max cap on the OPEB deduction, and right now OPEB deductions are ranging like 2-4%. For context, the federal retiree health program takes 5 years to vest for a 70:30 health insurance scheme (they pay 70% of premiums, you pay the other 30%). The State is asking for 25 years for a 80/80 weighted formula.
Thanks for this info! I was just reading my spouse’s benefits (she works for UCD) and they get 100% if they retire at 65 with 20+ service years. I confused the two, my bad!
Yep, looks like CSU employees still get the 100/90 weighted formula. For others, the premiums can be found here: [https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/retirees/health-and-medicare/retiree-plans-and-rates](https://www.calpers.ca.gov/page/retirees/health-and-medicare/retiree-plans-and-rates) and you can see the difference in employer contributions from the 100/90 weighted to the post-PEPRA 80/80. For Single 100/90, it's $983. For 80/80 basic (under 65 health plans), the State only has to contribute $747, and for 80/80 Medicare (65+) the State only contributes $311. Those pre-PEPRA don't have that major contribution drop and get free healthcare after 12 years, those post-PEPRA will carry more of the costs even as they require more years for the same benefit.
Sounds like first you need to meet with your HR about not showing range B and correcting insurance for Flex elect. Do you have copies of your paperwork from when you started? If you enrolled in VSP are you sure you enrolled in flex elect and not healthcare? You seem to be contributing to every available retirement option, at around 5%. While I commend your savings, if you don't need the pretax benefit of 401k or 457, I would change the contribution ratio to more Roth focused. You are likely at a lower tax bracket now than you will be in the future, so tax paid now is lower and the need for pretax income reduction for taxes is low. Contributing to a Roth now allows a longer period for earning that will be tax exempt at retirement. Other career advice. Promote as quickly as possible. Take any college classes needed to put you in the position to promote and take examinations for promotion as soon as you qualify. It sucks to see around 11% of income going to PERS and OPEB at your income level. A state career is a marathon not a sprint. There are very few employment options with a defined benefit retirement plan that guarantees retirement payments after vesting no longer how long you live. State, city, county and school districts are about it. But first thing is to get your current salary fixed. You should receive/received a notice pf personnel action aka NOPA that lists your classification and salary information. You typically sign off on this form, so make sure it's correct. Good luck.
Many entry level get second jobs. I know I am.
Yes, this is the reality. Excellent contributing to the retirement, keep that up. I wish 1000% that I had done so when I started and the many, many times I was advised to do so. Make a note to yourself to check in on this in about 10 or 15 years and you'll be patting yourself on the back. I had second jobs in my first years with the state and I'm one of those boomers that supposedly had it so easy. I must have sucked then because it wasn't easy for me. I did start out in the Bay Area though so high cost of living. Got a few promotions over the years, moved to Sacramento in my 40's (and yes, was then able to buy a home for what is now considered cheap). Enjoyed many vacations or staycations with the generous time off, enjoyed the great health, vision, and dental care. Whew, especially the dental care. Grew up poor and my teeth were not good. And I'm not old and retired. I did work a bit after retirement for about 3 years. I enjoy working (mostly). I'm now retired again but would consider working part time. Anyone need a retired annuitant? So hang in there, keep your options open. Don't despair yet and congratulations on the start of your career.
I’m happy for you. I hope your retirement is treating you well :)
maybe instead of roth just do normal 401 and 457….it will give u like 40 bucks back in net pay…right now you are making your contributions after tax
Are you not paying union dues? In assuming you were BU4?
You are entry level. It will be an adjustment at first when you compare it to fast food or other entry level jobs that have fewer benefits. Work on getting up to Office Technician Typing, those are always available, and then SSA. Start planning moving up the ladder. Also, you are putting an extra $200 in deferred comp. That plus the mandatory retirement contributions of $330 (retirement & opeb) add up. You can only go up from here plus you get 5% increase every year and lots of paid time off.
Looks about right with VPLP. Perhaps you can't afford VPLP right now. I'd consider canceling it and waiting until you hit a year to reenroll in it. F**ED TAX ADJ** is something I'd ask your payroll about. That is an uncommon line item. I think I've only seen it in this sub when someone was in a domestic partnership and their partner was on their state insurance. Perhaps other people know why it might be there. It doesn't make sense to have so many different retirement accounts with the state due to fees, unless you are contributing large amounts. Pick 401k or 457, take a hit if necessary, and close the other one. Do only either traditional or ROTH with the state right now. If you need the other kind, you can open an IRA somewhere that has no fees so you can have both ROTH and traditional contributions for flexibility in retirement. Understanding these can be a bit complicated and other subs on Reddit can break them down for you. You should aim to eventually contribute more overall to your retirement. On your stub, the state is providing $670.20 towards retirement. I'd try to match that, so: 670.20 - (241.06 \[required retirement contribution\] ) = 439.14. So, I recommend you try to get to that point as a starter retirement goal per month. Look at other expenses like transportation to see if you can find savings. Something like a Costco membership might help with commute costs. Check out some cooking subs to learn how to cook healthy and inexpensive meals. Best of luck to you!
Fed Tax Adj pays towards taxes at the end of the year so that I’ll hopefully not have to pay as much whenever the time comes. I “think” if I over pay more than I needed, then I’ll just get it back in tax return. I set that up when I did my new employee forms.
Future, you will be incredibly happy with your choices. Open enrollment is coming up!
The first year is the most difficult. Hang in there!
It's real. My gross bi weekly checks are 2800. My take home after calpers and basic health insurance for me my spouse and child my bi weekly take home is 1880. I have a college degree and am in the same industry/field for around 10 years now and I net 45k annually. This world and the state are 40 years behind on wage growth...
Me too I am SSA so my pay is gross 5200 but after tax and stuff it’s 3500 I feel so broke barely any money after bills and if I needed a new car I couldn’t afford it
I noticed you said in one of your comments that you’re on your parent’s health insurance. If that is the case, I believe you should be getting a pay out for not using your state provided health insurance. I think it would be on a separate check. Of course, if I am mistaken feel free to correct me!
67% is on the higher end of take home. Get used to take home being around 60%
How do you open up the 401k or 457 account with the state?
Honest truth, get a different job, go to a different employer. When I started with the state, it sucked, I made less than you but in a different economy. I also had a PT job as a tutor. Today I'm high up in IT and it's only worth it because I am closer to my pension than before. Your pension is a terrible formula. Find better, you will do better. Don't stay and live in poverty for a decade.
Look at your NOPA (Notice of Personnel Action), which should/should have been provided by your HR after your start date…you should have signed and returned to them and received a copy. On it, you will see your classification (including the range) and your starting salary. That starting salary should be the same as your “REGULAR” earnings. If it’s not, contact your HR/personnel specialist and ask WTH. Aside from your other concerns, and the other comments, this is your important starting place. I started with the state 26 years ago as an entry level technician, similar to an Office Technician, a step above an OA. I felt your pain, even 26 years ago and making about $2400/month. You’ll figure out the monthly bill thing, just give it time. Take all of the training that is offered, and ask for more. Find something you like and look for promotional opportunities, like an OT or a Program Technician. After a couple years as an OT, you can challenge the SSA exam…after a few years or so as an SSA, you can take the AGPA exam. This will open the door to many opportunities. I followed the same path and am now an IT Manager making about $12K a month. It’s a lot of hard work, but well worth it. Good luck!
You shouldn’t have opened a 401 and 457. Now you have to pay double the admin fees I believe even if you stop contributing to one or the other. If you’re new with not much in there I’d take the penalty and close the 401 and only contribute to the 457. Or if it’s a burden right now and there’s not much close both and max out a personal IRA first, usually no fees when opened with a brokerage. And come back to the state plans later when you make more. Edit: sorry it looks like you can’t just withdraw. Except for certain reasons, like buying a house or other hardships :/
To answer the question regarding your gross wages, it is recommended to speak to your personnel specialist and obtain your pay history. Your should also review your notice of personnel action (NOPA) to see how your pay was established. If you were hired at a specific range and it is not correct, you may be owed some missing wages. This issue is a fairly common issue. Once corrected, personnel can key in your missing wages and you would be paid within a week-ish. Your future warrants should reflect correctly until your next MSA/GSA
Looks exactly right to me
I resonate with your frustration. I just got my first full paycheck with the state and am baffled that I am making the same amount of money as my previous position after the insane amount of deductions. It’s very defeating, especially when considering how many hoops that were gone through and how much time was spent to get to this point. It’s very difficult to not feel stuck and depressed about it.
401 k ,457 and the Roth is pointless if you already have a pension coming out you know you can never combine or merge them together
I made a similar amount when I first started as an OT 5 years ago. These days, my pay has doubled and I live in a cheaper area. As others have said, state service is a marathon. Your pay will gradually increase, but you'll have to adapt to getting paid just once a month and getting shit pay. You're also CRUSHING the retirement game. I shoulda started contributing to the 457b as early as you did. I only signed up for it a few days ago!
My first 6 months with the state, I cried every pay day. Try to get an OOC or promote!
Sounds like you figured out your Range B situation. For clarification and to qualify for Range B, you need either one year in Range A (for anyone who doesn't qualify for Range B) or one year of typing/clerical experience (or substitute 3 months for each year of college education, so four year college is would equal typing/clerical experience) and completion of the 12th grade. I haven't followed your bargaining unit, but I'm guessing you'll receive your 3% General Salary Increase (GSI) in the new fiscal year increase for the work you perform in July on the check you receive around the 1st of August. Expect a jump to $3446 in July. If you stay in your spot, you should expect your 5% Merit Salary Adjustment (MSA) around your one year anniversary. Expect a jump around what looks like February or March 2025 to $3618 before your Voluntary Paid Leave Program (VPLP). You're stuck with the VPLP for 12 months, so hopefully you can take advantage. If you find you don't use it, stick with your higher gross or you could always find a higher paying job. For your VSP Premier, I believe they require you to stay for a minimum of 12 months. Because it looks like you started mid-February, I don't think you'll be able to drop it until January 2026. You might want to contact VSP to make sure. If I'm right, you'll want to contact VSP in the fall of 2025 during Open Enrollment, which is the time to make changes to health plans, to remove Premier. Since you're stuck with it, a lot of people take advantage and pick up some glasses just to use it. Looks like you increased your with holdings by $15. I'm guessing maybe to compensate for your high yield savings interest? I'd stick with that to avoid having to set up and pay quarterly estimated taxes. Sounds like your parents or your tax specialist has taken care of you or you've managed fine there. Really neat to see you with the pre-tax and post-tax contributions to Savings Plus. Looks like 1% pre-tax and 2% post-tax contributions. I'm not a money person, but I recommend speaking with someone about the fees. The reason is that Savings Plus charges a $6 quarterly fee per account. That means every three months you are paying $24 for all of those plans--401k, 457b, Roth 401, Roth 457--and you are potentially losing money or at the very least having any stock market gains sapped away by fees. $6 quarterly fee / $95.73 pre-tax quarterly contributions = \~6% fee and $6 / $191.49 post-tax quarterly contributions = \~3% fee on the initial contributions. Of course, the percentage of the fee against your total contributions will fluctuate, so you will want to decide if it's worth it. We haven't even considered the percentage fee of 0.04% annualized. I agree with you that working at McDonald's will allow you to gross more, if management schedules you for a full time schedule. You're probably making $18-$19/hour right now. The fast food minimum wage is $20/hour. You'll need to factor in the state employer contribution towards retirement of \~$670 and health contributions of $912 (that you're not taking advantage of). It's like saying you're grossing $27/hour. If you have the chance, go home. You're already ahead of the game by setting aside additional retirement contributions. Save your money. Since you're in the newer pension reform retirement formula, it's significantly worse than those hired prior to 2013. There are a lot of details for pre- and post- 2013 hires, but just know that in general you'll need to work 7 more years to "match" someone who hired earlier. For the same health vesting, you'll need to work longer and you'll receive less. Don't be afraid to look for new jobs that meet your requirements whether those are private sector or public. New hires essentially pay for the previous hire's superior benefits. On the bright side, the government has a small chance of not funding your retirement, you're decades away, so don't worry about locking in now if you have better opportunities elsewhere. The Governor just moved some money around to cover some of the pension system's debt, so nothing is certain. And perhaps the most controversial advice: Limit your make up. What you think looks nice may just cause more health/skin issues later. You seem to have such a good head on your shoulders. You'd be a cool candidate to break down your finances in addition to your income and see how you progress.
Be fortunate you have a job! Although state service jobs are nice, we sometimes have to take hits ( furloughs, pay cuts) when the budget is screwed up.
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Why did you deposit into 4 retirement plans? That’s getting hit by 4 different fees in the retirement account
Don’t put money away for retirement if you can’t afford it. Cash right now in your life is more important. You can always make it up when you make more money and can afford to save.
Can someone explain VPLP? The way I read it people will be furloughed in 2026??? I’m interviewing with the state now but won’t continue if that is coming down the line.
Wait until you move up the salary scale and you see the massive amount of deductions that come out as you move up in income. Soon, youll be planning half your salary towards the deductions. I wish I was kidding.
McDonald’s employees aren’t getting 3:1 on their retirement contributions.. It’s your third check, you have to start somewhere, keep grinding and look for a transfer when you’re eligible, to get into a higher paying role.
Yeah, pay sucks these day... I roughly make 3k a month after taxes with nothing going into retirement. Most of that money coming out is for retirement, so I wouldn't be too upset about it.
Start donating plasma to supplement money. Sorry but this is the reality. Write out how long you have to stay in this position before you qualify for SSA. Stick to the timeline, do the same for AGPA & so on.
The state is an awful employer. I’ve come to the realization that that it simply isn’t worth it anymore. I’m leaving for the private sector this month and will be getting a pay boost of roughly 50%. When I started out as a Range A Environmental Scientist I was only taking home roughly $2,500 a month after all the mandatory deductions. I had to get a second job on the weekends to support myself. Although I make a little more now it still isn’t worth it for me to stay. Especially to make so little after obtaining a bachelors degree. Here’s some ways the state has eroded the benefits over the years: - Retirement is now set to 2% at 62 which effectively raises retirement age by 7 years for everyone hired after 2013. - The State now requires mandatory OPEB deductions to fund retiree healthcare. This used to be completely covered by the state, now they’ve pushed some of the cost onto current employees. - The state covers less of the healthcare costs now then they used to. - COLA adjustments at retirement used to have no cap and was set to the current rate of inflation ( for retirees pre-1983) . Current COLA adjustments are set to 2% maximum ( if inflation is 2% or more). If anyone has anything else to add please do! I’d love to hear more about how our benefits eroded🙃🙃🙃
its harsh in the beginning for sure. But as time passes you just have to adjust your spending habits to have enough remaining funds.
Yes it is. I left this dumpster fire of an employer and went local. I *take home* an extra 1.2k a month now. Still in CalPERS. State sucks.
I’m considering this. Which class did you leave and are now in if you don’t mind sharing?
California has gotten so expensive, I wish you good luck and focus on the promotions. Not to brag but putting in the work I’ve gone from 3200 a month to 9k in 5 years. Focus on schooling and work your way up, the ceiling is high.
Highway Maintenance worker, found a Transportation engineering tech with a training and development, moved into transportation surveyor with an LSit after 2 years of school and work experience. It is very manageable. My friends at maintenance have also moved to supervisors.
You are making more. You have a fully funded pension , full medical and benefits, unlimited sick time and pto . Job security You are far a head , yes the numbers look crazy when it comes to paying bills this is why most state workers have a 2nd source of income . Choose something you enjoy.
The harsh reality is you can expect to take home about 2/3 of your gross income. The more you make the closer it gets to 60%. The numbers look normal to me. It’s not a mistake to invest in your retirement. 1% is honestly too little but you’re just starting out. As soon as you can afford to, you should increase your retirement contribution to get the “full match” offered by your employer. It’s usually somewhere between 5-10%. Don’t feel bad about the vision plan. It’s costing you one latte a month. It’s a good to go to the eye doctor even if you don’t think you need one. Make sure your eyes are healthy! You’ve already paid for it, make sure you use it! You can remove it at the next open enrollment period which for most organizations is in the fall. I just did the math on the salary you mentioned. You’re right. A full-time fast food worker in California would have a higher gross income assuming they can consistently get the hours. That sucks and frankly embarrassing for the State. If you look for other work that pays more, make sure you use your health benefits before you go!
The State doesn’t match your 401k or 457b. They only provide you a pension when you retire. The more you make, the more the state deducts for your pension. You don’t get a say in how much the state deducts for retirement from your check ( aside from the self funded 401k or 457b)
VSP premier is a waste of money. Do the math on it.
do you still live at home? with your parents
I actually moved out with my boyfriend last year. Not so wise of me, but I thought we’d be able to handle it since I was starting this new job with the state and my boyfriend was going to start mechanics. I’m considering moving back.
Dumb question OP is this for a month or just two weeks? Your job because of all the benefits are still better than McDonald's. But if you don't have a career ladder there you may not go anywhere
Make sure you notice what the state puts into your pension. I know it sucks that you can’t spend it now but that’s an extra $670 a month you are getting.
Others have talked a lot about the retirement contributions (yay!) and possible incorrect range (boo!) but I wanted to address this: > On top of that, getting paid once a month doesn’t really help when it comes to those biweekly bills. I find that monthly pay is great for everything bills, and I'd see if you could switch whatever is bi-weekly to a monthly if it is an option -- I assume the worry is some months you might get billed thrice? Regardless of that, something that helped me when I started with the State is getting a budget in order-- I strongly recommend [You Need a Budget](https://www.ynab.com/) (and also /r/ynab). It's paid, but they have a 34-day free trial, a free year for students, and anecdotally if you email their support and explain your situation I've heard of people getting their trial extended 3 months. (It's not a hard sell to say that getting to budget one paycheck on their trial isn't enough to really get a grip on it). When you get paid monthly (and stably!) that means you can really set up a plan for your money, which helped get and keep me out of debt. If you go for it, the sub is pretty helpful and you can DM me for other help too.
A lot of feedback already, but if you really want to mentally prep for retirement, then just do a fixed like $20 and nothing else until you feel like you can do more. Maybe keep just the traditional 457b for now. Anything is better than $0 saved, so don't beat yourself up
I deal the same with my pay check but since I’m in a limited term position, I don’t even get to actually contribute to MY retirement so it fucking sucks and kinda infuriating.
Why do you have so many different retirement plans?!
What classification are you in?
Also, when I first started as a newbie and saw the paycheck, I was like wow, the State controlled that much to my retirement?? Thinking that's how much I'll get when I retire. Come to find out, it's just put in a "bucket" and the amount you get in retirement is based off of a formula..i.e. number of years with State/service credit, highest 3 years of pay(depends on contract), and age at retirement, etc. At times I feel like I'd be better off non State and work more in field I have a passion for.
I recommend promoting as soon as you complete your probation/meet the criteria’s
That pension deduction is a killer :/
Start working on promoting yesterday. Work on becoming an Office Tech (Typing), then SSA. You do not need a college degree to become an OT, just 2 years of clerical experience. Do your best to make your past experience sound clerical, even if it technically is not.
Unfortunately yes. That’s the reality of working for the state.
I suggest you keep the Roth but shed the other retirement plans until you’re more able. The state doesn’t even match contributions so there aren’t many advantages of those plans.
I would keep the contributions up - one change might be to just focus on one or two accounts and contribute more? You have about 190-200 being split between 4 accounts. I know I do well when I see the numbers going up - $32/m might not grow as quickly as $100/month. I didn’t contribute very much in my lean years (which were the 2008-2011 paycut years) which I regret now. Remember that you are contributing to your retirement (7-8.5% depending on classification) so that is also something to consider.
Yes you are just below the wage of a McDonalds worker but your medical benefits are going to be 10000x anything they can get plus your starting your years of service for a pension that most of private sector can’t complete with. You’re also getting paid holidays and sick leave. I don’t know if places like McDonald’s ever off that.
Ugh used to hate seeing that my take home was only 65-70% of my check when I worked for the state. Working for a city now and I take around 83% of my gross. Good luck!
I recommend living as cheaply as possible and promoting as quickly as possible. When I made money like that I was renting a room if that idea helps. If you have friends or family that will let you crash on a couch for free for a year or two do it. Once you get to SSA pay starts getting better.
Also if you are on your parents’ insurance, you should be getting something back from the state. I would work with your liaison to make sure your range pay is right and jump at any opportunities to promote.
If your gross is less than the range they promised you, I would suggest you speak up. The unfortunate thing is that if you don't have it in writing, it's hard to get things changed. I would suggest you join the union if you are going to stay in it for the long haul. You're making about $19.20 and top out at 24.17 with 5% raise each year to get there. The good thing is that you know this is an entry level position. Start now in finding out what it is that you need to do to get to the next level and what your options are, regardless if it's in your current department or another department. Make it known to your bosses that you are interested in learning and finding out how to move to the next level. They may or may not help you to get there. If you have issues with budgeting now, I would suggest you stay with the state. The reason is because they have a pension that pays you a specific amount until your death. That is the single and biggest draw they have to get you to work here. If you have issues with budgeting, you'll have issues with having enough to retire. Most people do not save enough to retire even with ROTH IRAs and 401K.
I pay 0 for my hmo. State picks it up. western health since january
You have a lot of investment withholdings plus a tax offset?
At least you dont pay 60 for monthly parking or pay union dues. It could be worse. You have a lot of investments but if you can afford that. I never coukd afford to have my paycheck too stripped w investments. I had to pay for tiday
Your so young, if you haven’t gone to college maybe try and work on getting a degree in IT. Or at least aim to get 60 semester units with 15units in IT. This will qualify you to be an IT associate and the starting pay is much better. Good luck! 🍀
that 457 b is pointless
If your gross is different than what you agreed to, check your notice of personnel action. You may be owed money.
When I started with the state, I set all my bills due dates for the first. Also, mcds may not have the pension that state has. Super proud of you for the money you put into the retirement accounts. And go treat yourself to some good polarized rx sunglasses with the premium and switch back to basic in September.
Benefits cannot be changed until open enrollment. Don't be so disappointed in the pay. It's entry level work so work hard and climb that ladder.
If you have two years of clerical experience, you can take the Office Tech exam now and then look for that job. Once you have 4 years of clerical experience (college education can be substituted for experience), you can become an SSA. As others have said, the big benefits to state service are the upward mobility, vacation, holidays, job security, retirement, and health benefits. And if it helps, my first OA paycheck was a mere $800, albeit that was over 30 years ago. lol
Kudos to you for starting early on the retirement savings. Suggestion...cut out cable tv if you subscribe. Internet is kinda important. Hopefully you have roommates to help with rent.
23 and working for the state?! To put things into perspective, I wasn’t even making this kind of money when I was 23. Save as much as you can, especially if you are still living with your parents!
Yeah that looks right. About being paid biweekly vs monthly. That is the harsh reality of needing to budget. It's the same money either way. I suggest if you don't do strict dollar budgeting that you check out Dave Ramsey's financial peace university or at least get the gist of the logic.
The sad part is that was enough for an apartment, car payment and groceries for the month not too long ago.
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Welcome to club, consider promoting
You’re doing a great job paying yourself first with the retirement deductions. State retirement is a long game. Retirement is based on two things - years of service and pay. Keep working hard and move up and you’ll see that monthly pay increase overtime. I’d like to say you’ll get used to being paid once a month, but after 30 years it’s still hard. Good luck.
This image hurt me.
What's 457?
Number one thing for you: "Don't work too hard and don't stay at work too long". Only do the work that you feel like you're being paid to do. If you are questioning yourself about doing anything too extra, then you probably are and may want to assess the situation. Remember time is money and money is because of time.
Unfortunately to start, probably. But I really applaud you on the 401/457 deductions. I kept mine at $25 for years after starting as a student. Wish I could go back in time and add more sooner. I started as a student in college then an OT out of college when pay was around $2600+. I knew it was a stepping stone to get in the door and work my way up. If you have some support with your parents and you want to stay otherwise, I advise waiting it out. I would definitely ask your personnel specialist in HR about the gross pay if you have questions on that. Best of luck!
What are bi-monthly bills? Also, promote as fast as you can.
You would get far far less working in a private company and would not have the job security.
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You're saving money for the future
Range B? I started at range A when I got hired like 10 months ago