the road to retirement
Follow your north star to a more secure retirement
To help you on your path towards retirement, the State University of New York (SUNY) has developed a custom target date portfolio–the SUNY Targeted Allocation Retirement Series (STARS).
the stars program
Need help navigating the road to retirement? STARS can help.
The STARS program is a hands-free approach that utilizes a combination of investment options to arrive at an allocation based on your projected retirement date. Thanks to the TIAA Traditional allocation in STARS, you get guaranteed growth with an option of guaranteed income for life in retirement.
why tiaa
Get long-term payments that are guaranteed
We manage it for you
No investments to manage—STARS takes care of that for you, providing a diversified mix of investments based on your time horizon to retirement at age 65.
It’s tailored to your needs
No “one size fits all” approach—your strategy is based on the information you provide about your financial situation and preferences.
Provides guaranteed income
A cornerstone of STARS is TIAA Traditional.* It provides guaranteed growth while you are saving, even if the stock market is down; guaranteed income you can count on for life when you retire; and, even more growth and income opportunities beyond the guarantees.
investment approach
A custom strategy that evolves with you
Working in conjunction with TIAA and on behalf of SUNY employees, CAPTRUST developed the customized investment strategy behind STARS. The “glide path,” which is the framework for this strategy, leverages demographic data to adjust the investment mix over time. The goal is to balance the need for growth during early career years with capital preservation as retirement nears.
Unlike a one-size-fits-all approach, CAPTRUST uniquely tailors each glidepath to the specific needs and characteristics of the organization it serves. CAPTRUST manages the investments within each glidepath, using an open architecture approach to select funds from a diverse array of providers. This ensures flexibility and a broad investment strategy. These glidepaths also focus on adding a guaranteed account, offering participants the option of lifetime income through annuitization. This approach adds an extra layer of personalization and security to retirement, reflecting CAPTRUST's commitment to delivering tailored and effective solutions that resonate with each client's unique profile.
Sample glidepath for illustrative purposes only.
You deserve a secure retirement. TIAA promises to help you get there.
TIAA Traditional Annuity offers participants a unique safety option through its guaranteed principal and guaranteed minimum interest rate. Savings in TIAA Traditional can never lose value and will only continue to grow—even if markets are down. At retirement, participants can choose to convert some or all of their savings into guaranteed income for life.
More to spend
With TIAA Traditional, our flagship fixed annuity, you could have more to spend during retirement than if you followed the standard method of withdrawing 4% of your retirement savings each year. In some cases, up to 33% more.1
Loyalty bonus
People who consistently contribute to TIAA Traditional over time may be eligible for a loyalty bonus. Historically, long-time contributors have received up to 15% more in their retirement payments versus those who transferred in equal savings amounts shortly before activating their payments.2
Profit sharing
In just the last 3 years, TIAA has shared $3 billion annually with more than 2 million fixed annuity customers.
Mission-driven
We know retirement. Founded in 1918 to provide guaranteed retirement income for educators, TIAA’s innovative products and trusted advice have helped millions of Americans achieve a secure retirement.
take action
Ready to invest in STARS?
STARS is available in the SUNY Voluntary 403(b) Savings Plan through TIAA.
Enroll now
We’ve made it easy. Click through to go to your enrollment site. Once you’re there, choose TIAA as your retirement provider and learn about your options.
Questions? Schedule a call
We’ll walk you through enrollment and answer questions along the way.
This material is for informational or educational purposes only and is not fiduciary investment advice, or a securities, investment strategy, or insurance product recommendation. This material does not consider an individual’s own objectives or circumstances which should be the basis of any investment decision.
Investment products may be subject to market and other risk factors. See the applicable product literature or visit TIAA.org for details.
*All guarantees are based on TIAA’s claims-paying ability. TIAA Traditional is a guaranteed insurance contract and not an investment for federal securities law purposes.
TIAA may share profits with TIAA Traditional Annuity owners through declared additional amounts of interest during accumulation, higher initial annuity income, and through further increases in annuity income benefits during retirement. These additional amounts are not guaranteed beyond the period for which they were declared.
TIAA may provide a Loyalty Bonus that is only available when electing lifetime income. The amount of the bonus is discretionary and determined annually.
Annuity contracts may contain terms for keeping them in force. We can provide you with costs and complete details.
TIAA Traditional is a fixed annuity product issued through these contracts by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10017: Form series including but not limited to: 1000.24; G-1000.4; IGRS-01-84-ACC; IGRSP-01-84-ACC; 6008.8. Not all contracts are available in all states or currently issued.
Not all contracts are available in all states or currently issued.
Transfers and withdrawals from TIAA Traditional are restricted by its underlying agreements that can affect the liquidity of the product. Converting some or all of your savings to income benefits (referred to as "annuitization") is a permanent decision. Once income benefit payments have begun, you are unable to change to another option.
1The 2025 Annuity Payout Advantage is hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. The Annuity Payout Advantage calculation uses the TIAA Traditional “new money” income rate for a single life annuity (SLA) with a 10-year guarantee period at age 67 using TIAA’s standard payment method beginning income on March 1, 2025. Individual results may vary.
Example: Participants A and B both are aged 67 and had retirement savings balances of $1 million as of March 1, 2025. Participant A withdrew 4% ($40,000) in year 1. Participant B made a one-time transfer to TIAA Traditional and selected an SLA with a guarantee period of 10 years, starting on March 1, 2025. Participant B received an income rate of 7.9462% ($26,487) on $333,333 annuitized in year 1; Participant B also withdrew 4% ($26,667) from the $666,667 remaining savings balance in year 1. The result ($53,154) is initial income for Participant B in year 1 that is 33% higher than the initial income of Participant A ($40,000).
TIAA income rates are subject to change monthly. TIAA Traditional Annuity income benefits include guaranteed amounts plus additional amounts as may be declared on a year-by-year basis by the TIAA Board of Trustees. The additional amounts, when declared, remain in effect through the “declaration year,” which begins each January 1 for payout annuities.
2Based on an analysis of income benefits available to participants who have made level monthly contributions for 30 years to TIAA Traditional, relative to participants who deposited the same accumulated balance into TIAA Traditional just before converting to lifetime income. Assumes a participant age 67, singlelife annuity with a 10-year guaranteed period, and average payment differentials each month for retirement dates over the last 30 years ending Dec. 31, 2023. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
The TIAA RetirePlus Pro® Models are asset allocation recommendations developed in one of three ways, depending on your plan structure: i) by your plan sponsor, ii) by your plan sponsor in consultation with consultants and other investment advisors designated by the plan sponsor, or iii) exclusively by consultants and other investment advisors selected by your plan sponsor whereby assets are allocated to underlying mutual funds and annuities that are permissible investments under the plan. Model-based accounts will be managed on the basis of the plan participant’s personal financial situation and investment objectives (for example, taking into account factors such as participant age and risk capacity as determined by a risk tolerance questionnaire).
This material is for informational, educational or non-fiduciary sales opportunities and/or activities only and does not constitute investment advice (e.g., fiduciary advice under ERISA or otherwise), a securities recommendation under all securities laws, or an insurance product recommendation under state insurance laws or regulations to invest through a model or to purchase any security or advice about investing or managing retirement savings. It does not take into account any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular customer, or suggest any specific course of action.
You should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. Please call 877-518-9161 or go to tiaa.org/nystate for current product and fund prospectuses that contain this and other information. Please read the prospectuses carefully before investing.
The Plan Fiduciary and the Plan Advisor may determine that an Underlying Investment(s) is appropriate for a Model Portfolio, but not appropriate as a stand-alone investment for a Participant who is not participating in the Program. In such case, Participants who elect to unsubscribe from the Program while holding an Underlying Investment(s) in their Model-Based Account that has been deemed inappropriate as a stand-alone investment option by the Plan Fiduciary and/or the Plan Advisor will be prohibited from allocating future contributions to that investment option(s). Established Restrictions: Each Plan Participant may, but need not, propose restrictions for his or her Model-Based Account, which will further customize such Plan Participant’s own portfolio of Underlying Investments. The Plan Fiduciary is responsible for considering any restrictions proposed by a Plan Participant, and for determining (together with Plan Advisor(s)) whether the proposed restriction is “reasonable” in each case.
No registration under the Investment Company Act, the Securities Act or state securities laws–The Model is not a mutual fund or other type of security and will not be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and no units or shares of the Model will be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, nor will they be registered with any state securities regulator. Accordingly, the Model is not subject to compliance with the requirements of such acts, nor may plan participants investing in underlying investments based on the Model avail themselves of the protections thereunder, except to the extent that one or more underlying investments or interests therein are registered under such acts.
No guarantee–Investments based on the Model are not deposits of, or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by TIAA, the Investment Advisor, The Plan or their affiliates, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other agency. An investment based on the Model is not guaranteed, and you may experience losses, including losses near, at, or after the target date. There is no guarantee that investments based on the Model will provide adequate income at and through your retirement. Investors should not allocate their retirement savings based on the Model unless they can readily bear the consequences of such loss.
TIAA RetirePlus Pro is administered by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (“TIAA”) as plan recordkeeper. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services LLC, Member FINRA and SIPC, distributes securities products. SIPC only protects customers' securities and cash held in brokerage accounts. If offered under your plan, TIAA and CREF annuity contracts and certificates are issued by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF), New York, NY, respectively. Each is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations.