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Pension Fund of the Christian Church

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

For Members & Clergy

For Members

Guides, factsheets and resources to aid you on the Road to Financial Wellness.

For Clergy

Clergy-specific resources to support your call to ministry.

For Employers

For Employers

Hiring tip sheets, tax guides and more to help you manage your employees' benefits.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

Stay Connected

News & Publications

Events

Retirement Readiness Seminars

Ready to retire soon? Attend this seminar and get answers to common retirement questions to help you prepare for the next step.

The Gathering 2024

Register now to attend The Gathering. We will be in Washington D.C. Sept 3-5.

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

457(b) Plan

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Save even more for your retirement.

The 457(b) Plan is an employer-sponsored deferred compensation retirement plan for members who want to make retirement contributions in addition to a Tax-Deferred Retirement Account - 403(b) Plan and/or Pension Plan. This option is ideal for those seeking an additional vehicle for deferring compensation and decreasing their tax liability.

About the 457(b) Plan

Who is eligible for a 457(b) Plan?

The 457(b) Plan is offered to the following eligible employers affiliated with the Stone-Campbell/Restoration Movement: Colleges, universities, seminaries, benevolent care centers and non-steeples. Check with your employer to see if the 457(b) is available to you.

Why the 457(b) Plan?

Advantages:

  • Contributions are normally made pre-tax, reducing taxable income.
  • Employer and/or employee may make contributions.
  • Accepts rollovers/transfers from qualified plans.
  • Separate set of contribution limits not subject to Pension Plan or 403(b) contribution limits.
  • No minimum age requirements for penalty-free withdrawals.
  • Can be used as an estate planning tool.
  • Competitive, guaranteed base rate of 3-6% with no downside market risk.
  • Value increases with Good Experience Credits, additional interest earnings awarded when excess reserves exist.

Good for employers who:

  • Are already participating in Pension Fund employer-sponsored products.
  • Want to offer benefits to a select group of employees.
  • Is looking for a retirement product that is not subject to IRS non-discrimination testing.
  • Want additional avenues to lower taxable income for employees.
  • Like the flexibility of a rollover-friendly, tax-deferred employer-sponsored plan.

Good for employees who:

  • Seek additional options for lowering taxable income.
  • Are already maxing out contributions to a 403(b) and/or Pension Plan and want to save more for retirement.
  • Want to further decrease their tax liability through an additional investment product.
Get Started

3.5%

is the current base interest rate for the 457(b) plan

How it Works

The 457(b) Plan provides another pre-tax option for lowering your taxable income—with separate contribution limits from our other employer-sponsored plans.

To participate: An adoption agreement between your employer and Pension Fund is required. Your employer will define eligibility requirements for participation in the 457(b) Plan. You or a representative of your employer can contact Client Relations team member to set up the adoption agreement. Not sure who your Client Relations team member is? View our map.

Get Started

In addition to recurring contributions, the 457(b) Plan welcomes rollovers from eligible accounts. Those eligible can request to make a rollover contribution from retirement plans, including:

  • 401(a) or 402(a) qualified plan
  • 403(b) plan
  • 457(b) plan of a governmental entity
  • Eligible individual retirement account (IRA) or annuity

This product offers a competitive, guaranteed base interest rate of 3-6%, reducing your downside risk. Each account also qualifies for Good Experience Credits (additional interest earnings) when designated by Pension Fund’s Board of Directors.

These credits allow members to benefit directly from the upside of stronger markets (when underlying investments have performed well + minimum reserve requirements have been met). In combination with the 457(b) Plan’s base interest rate, Good Experience Credits may help you reach your retirement income goals faster.

FAQs

A 457(b) plan’s annual contributions and other additions (excluding earnings) to a participant’s account cannot exceed the lesser of:

  • 100% of the participant's includible compensation, or
  • The elective deferral limit ($23,000 in 2024).
  • This limit applies to total contributions (employee plus employer).

Good Experience Credits are additional interest earnings. Each year, the Pension Fund Board of Directors reviews reserves required for current and future benefits. When reserves exist above what is required, the Board of Directors may declare Good Experience Credits for all 457(b) Plan participants. Over time, these extra earnings can make a significant difference when saving for retirement.

View more FAQs on our General FAQs page.

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Take a Step Toward Financial Wellness

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In need of help?

Our Client Relations team is here to answer your retirement and savings questions and help you decide which product is right for you or your organization.

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How does the 457(b) compare to other products?

View an overview of how the 457(b) plan competes with similar retirement products.

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