UC Retirement System
The UC Retirement Plan is More Powerful than most Participants Know.
You have access to one of the most sophisticated retirement systems in the country. Most UC employees are only using one layer of it.
Download the Guide Schedule a ConsultationFour retirement layers. Permanent decisions. Most people wing it.
The UC system is layered by design: each plan governed by separate IRS rules, each with its own contribution limits, timing decisions, and long-term consequences. Getting it wrong carries a lasting cost. Some decisions cannot be undone.
When to draw your pension
The age you start UCRP has a permanent, compounding effect on lifetime income. The right answer depends on which tier you're in, and most people don't know their tier.
A plan most employees don't know exists
The 457(b) has its own contribution limit, completely separate from the 403(b). Most UC employees contributing to one have never been told about the other.
The Savings Choice window
If you elected Savings Choice in 2016 or later, a one-time window to switch to Pension Choice may already be open, and it closes permanently.
Social Security just changed
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, repealed the WEP and GPO. UC employees previously affected are now entitled to their full benefit.
What UC gives you, and what most people leave on the table.
Each plan is governed by a separate section of the tax code, with its own limits and rules. They can all be funded simultaneously.
UCRP Pension
A guaranteed lifetime income paid by UC, not subject to market risk. The formula (Age Factor × Service Credit × HAPC) makes timing of retirement one of the highest-stakes decisions you'll make.
403(b)
Tax-deferred or Roth voluntary contributions via Fidelity NetBenefits. Entirely separate from your pension. At 60–63, the SECURE 2.0 enhanced catch-up raises your annual limit significantly.
457(b)
A separate deferred compensation plan with its own IRS limit, independent of the 403(b). No 10% early withdrawal penalty after separation, making it a powerful pre-retirement bridge.
DC Plan / Mega Backdoor Roth
The After-Tax account in the UC 401(a) DC Plan enables Roth savings far beyond normal income limits. A physician at 61 who maximizes all three plans can shelter up to $143,500 in a single year.
A Huge Opportunity, Written Directly into the Tax Code.
The 403(b), 457(b), and DC Plan After-Tax Account are each governed by separate IRS limits and can be fully funded simultaneously, on top of a pension that continues to accrue.
UC Retirement System: A Planning Guide
Eight pages covering every layer of the UC system: UCRP tiers and timing, 403(b) and 457(b) contribution limits, the Mega Backdoor Roth strategy, SECURE 2.0 changes, and the 2025 Social Security Fairness Act. Updated for 2026.
Download the Guide (PDF)Deep expertise in the UC retirement system.
We understand the tiers, the HAPC rules, the Second-Choice Window, and how UCRP coordinates with Social Security, the 403(b), 457(b), and DC Plan — the details that matter most for UC faculty, physicians, and staff.
Fee-Only Fiduciary
We earn no commissions and sell no products. Our only compensation is a transparent advisory fee based on assets under management.
Deep UC System Expertise
We work exclusively with UC faculty, physicians, and staff. We know the tiers, the HAPC rules, the Second Choice Window, and how to coordinate UCRP with Social Security, the 403(b), 457(b), and DC Plan simultaneously.
Beyond the Default Menu
Through brokerage link accounts inside your UC plans, Contango clients access our managed portfolios that go well beyond the standard fund lineup. For qualified investors, this includes institutional-quality private alternatives.
Ready to see how your UC retirement benefits fit together?
We offer a complimentary consultation to UC faculty and physicians. There's no obligation, simply a conversation about where you stand and what you may be missing.
Schedule a ConsultationThe information on this webpage is for educational purposes only. This information on this webpage does not constitute personalized investment, tax, or legal advice and should not be considered investment or financial advice. Contribution limits reflect 2026 IRS figures. UC plan provisions, tiers, and employer contributions are subject to change. The information on this webpage is based in part upon information from third-party sources that we believe to be reliable, but which has not been independently verified by us and, as such, we do not represent that the information is accurate or complete. You can verify current UC plan provision details at ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu or Fidelity NetBenefits.
Contango Wealth Management LLC is an investment adviser registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Registration with the SEC does not in any way constitute an endorsement by the SEC of an investment adviser's skill or expertise. Moreover, SEC registration does not imply that a registered adviser has achieved a certain level of skill, competency, sophistication, expertise or training in providing advisory services to its clients.
For more information on our firm, please view our Form CRS and Form ADV Part 2 which can be found on the disclosures page of our website. These disclosure documents outline our material arrangements and business practices as well as how we address conflicts of interest. We also provide advisory services to qualified retirement plans and individual investors. Our disclosures page is available Here.