Our Member Systems
Our Team
Southern Education Retirement Consortium
Created for Educators by Educators
The Southern Education Retirement Consortium (SERC) is made up of board members from systems who adopt SERC, and an Executive Director.
SERC is part of Pioneer RESA in GA, operated by Cooperative Purchasing Agency (CPA).
Kevin Benson - SERC Creator
Kevin Benson serves as Executive Director for Cooperative Purchasing Agency (CPA) and SERC. Kevin strives to provide school systems and their employees, regardless of size, with unprecedented pricing, oversite, and control in the 403(b) and 457 markets.
Danny Kofke
Meet our newest member!
After being a school teacher for 18 years, Danny stepped out of the classroom to join SERC to help change the lives of teachers and classified employees nationwide.
Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)
SERC has selected Eric H. Hansen of Hartmann Astor Investment Consulting (LPL) to serve as the 3(21) co-fiduciary to the sponsor the plans.
Mr. Hansen supports the SERC investment committee by providing fiduciary training and guidance, investment manager search and selection, and ongoing monitoring of mutual funds offered in the plan(s).
Mr. Hansen and his clients were recognized in 2021 with the "Plan Sponsor of the year" award.
SERC's Record Keeper
corebridge Financial has been selected to provide recordkeeping, compliance and education for SERC.
corebridge (formerly AIG) implemented the first ever 403(b) plan (Dade County Schools) and has been committed to the K-12 community for over 60 years.
The plans consist of standard provisions while offering plan design flexibility to meet each your school system's unique needs.
Comprehensive multi-channel education services to blend digital, print, and on-site resources.
About Us
Find out about our retirement solution for school districts
Dec 9, 2022
Kevin Benson, Executive Director of the Southern Education Retirement Consortium, believes he has the solution for small and mid-size school districts looking to offer quality 403(b), 457(b) and 401(a) plans.
What is a consortium?
A consortium is a group of K-12 school districts that have come together to create a model focused on improving retirement outcomes for K-12 employees.
The consortium provides a total employee experience that emphasizes financial education, low-cost transparent fees and diligently evaluated and monitored investment options.
Allows small to medium-size school boards to achieve economies of scale that normally are not available to them.
Who/What is SERC?
Cooperative Purchasing Agency (CPA) is the sponsoring and administrator for SERC. And both operate under the fiscal control of Pioneer RESA.
CPA was founded in 1971, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving school systems, is owned and managed by the member school systems.
SERC was created for educators by educators to provide a simplified solution for 403(b), 457(b) and 401(a) programs for K-12 employees.
SERC believes that educating participants about retirement needs and investment choices, and being fully transparent about fees, provides the best opportunity to help grow educators retirement savings.
Why SERC?
- Improved plan governance
- Plan simplification and design flexibility
- Professional plan management
- Professional oversight of investment options
- Improved transparency
- Potentially lower fees and expenses
- As a member, you have a voice in the governance of SERC
- Saves employers time and money while ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations
Listen to our Financial Planning Retirement Podcast
Aug 5, 2024
Kevin and Danny talk about retirement planning and all you need to learn about it!
Communication is key! An interview with Pat Robertson
In this interview, Danny discusses his teaching career with Pat Robertson. They go over the importance of having goals, why budgeting is so important, and why communication is key in achieving financial goals as a couple.
What is your why? Fox & Friends talks to Danny Kofke about his.
In this Interview on Fox & Friends, Danny talks about how his wife stayed home for nine years while he was an educator, why it is important to know your why, the importance of disability insurance, and why having financial margin in place is a key for financial success.
More Media Clips with Danny Kofke
How SERC serves Small and Medium School Districts
Former teacher Danny Kofke and fiduciary Eric Hansen are principals in the Southern Education Retirement Consortium, an investment collective that serves the K-12 market. They discuss the consortium model which allows small to medium-size schools to band together to get favorable 403(b) pricing and services.
Click here to listen.
Why SERC exists
Bring it Clark Howard, Inc. This is why SERC exists! Something Clark mentioned is so mind blowing:
Let’s say a teacher contributes $250 a month to her 403(b) plan with an assumed 6% annual return. After 35 years, her total investment will total $185,391 if she invests in a variable annuity that charges 3% in annual fees.
By contrast, if she had invested in an index fund charging 0.07%, she would have 85% more—$343,474 in total.
The retirement plans many teachers are being offered HAS to change!
Building wealth and caring for your family on a teacher's salary
Danny talks with Winston Buckley from TRS and discusses how to budget, or create a spending plan. Make sure to tell your money where to go, not the other way around!
Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Podcasts, Part I
Listen to GAEL UnscriptED!
Danny was lucky enough to be on two episodes and this is the first episode.
Georgia Association of Educational Leaders Podcasts
Listen to GAEL UnscriptED! On this episode Danny Kofke talks about SERC at mark 18:35 on episode II.
Teach and Retire Rich!
Teacher-Author Focused on Improving Educator Financial Outcomes (#392) Sep 19, 2025
Our guest, Danny Kofke, is a jack-of-many-trades: elementary school teacher for 18 years, author of 6 books including Where to Spend. Where to Save. A Teachers Guide to Managing Your Finances, and Director of Training and Outreach for the Southern Education Retirement Consortium.
- Danny Kofke
- Where to Spend, Where to Save: A Teacher’s Guide to Managing Your Finances
- Southern Education Retirement Consortium
- Learned by Being Burned (short pod series about K-12 403(b) issues)
- 403bwise.org
- Meridian Wealth Management
Nothing presented or discussed is to be construed as investment or tax advice. This can be secured from a vetted Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).
How to become a Wealthy Teacher
In this interview on the Teacher Retirement System of Georgia’s podcast, Danny discusses his teaching career, how he transitioned from teaching to helping others manage money, how the TRS benefit helps, and much more.
Can you raise your family on a teacher's salary?
In this interview on The CBS Early Show, the crew came down from New York City to interview Danny and his wife, Tracy, on how they managed to raise their family on a teacher’s salary. As an added bonus, CBS flew them to the Big Apple to continue this discussion.
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CPA is the AEPA agent for GA
Don't forget to check out what CPA and AEPA can do for your organization too!