If you teach in a Phoenix district, work for a city or county, or work at a hospital, you likely have a 403(b) or 457 plan. These plans can build real retirement money. But many teachers and public workers get pushed into high-fee products they never fully understood. We help you see what you own and fix what needs fixing. Capital Choice Arizona gives independent, education-first advice. We are not tied to one insurance company’s products.
The person who handed you the 403(b) packet in the break room was often a salesperson, not an advisor. Many 403(b) plans are built around high-fee annuities. Those fees can run 1% to 3% every year. Many also carry surrender charges that lock your money in for 7 to 10 years.
Public school and governmental 403(b) plans are usually not covered by ERISA, the federal law that protects most private 401(k) savers. That means no one was required to screen these products for you. We help you read the real costs and decide what to keep and what to change.
If you have a governmental 457(b) plan, you have a rare perk. After you leave that employer, you can take money out without the usual 10% early-withdrawal penalty. Income taxes still apply, but the penalty does not. That can make a 457 a smart bridge if you retire before age 59 and a half. A 457 also has its own separate contribution limit. If your job offers both a 403(b) and a 457, you can fund each one, which doubles how much you can set aside in a year. We help you use both the right way.
Most Arizona educators and public workers have an Arizona State Retirement System pension. ASRS is a cost-sharing plan. In the 2025-26 year you pay 12% of your salary into it, and your employer pays the same. That is a big slice of your paycheck already going toward retirement, so how you use any extra 403(b) or 457 money matters. Your ASRS pension is one leg of your retirement. As an ASRS member you also pay into Social Security, which is a second leg. Your 403(b) or 457 is the third. We line all three up so they work together, not against each other.
You do not have to roll your money out to get help. We can manage your 403(b) or 457 while it stays in the plan, with no rollover required. You keep your plan’s benefits. We handle the fund choices and the rebalancing.
Call Capital Choice Arizona at (602) 396-2741. We will review your fees, your fund choices, and how your plan fits with your ASRS pension.
For other inquiries, you can reach us at (602) 396-2741.
Yes — district teachers plus city, county, and hospital staff with 403(b) or 457 plans.
Yes. We read the real costs, including annual fees and surrender charges.
Yes, while it stays in the plan.
Yes; most of our education/public-sector clients have an ASRS pension.
