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You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict , so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. A 403(b) is the retirement planning vehicle used by not-for-profit or other tax-exempt employers of nurses, doctors, teachers, professors, school personnel, researchers, clergy, and some governmental organization workers. 403(b) plans are named after the section of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code that created them. It has been estimated that 403(b) plans cover about 20 percent of U.S. employees. But for some reason they get much less press than , which are sponsored by private, for-profit companies. Like a 401(k) however, a 403(b) is a way for eligible employees to save for retirement through payroll deductions (also called elective deferrals) on either a percentage of salary or set dollar amount basis. 403 b vs 401 k plans
Like a 401(k), 403(b) plans can be funded with pre-tax or after-tax dollars. Pre-tax contributions grow tax-deferred until you withdraw them at retirement, at which point they are taxed as ordinary income. After-tax contributions, also known as Roth contributions, means your money grows tax-free, and since you have already paid taxes on these contributions, you will not pay tax on withdrawals made in retirement. Both plans include a taken before reaching age 59 ½. Military reserve duty, permanent disability or medical expenses exceeding a certain percentage of your adjusted gross income may make you eligible for a qualified distribution that does not trigger the penalty. Both 401(k) and 403(b) plans may , hardship withdrawals and an additional catch-up contribution for employees over age 50. An additional commonality includes allowing an (should an employer choose to offer one). Contributing to your 403(b) at least up to the amount of your employer’s match is a good way to avoid leaving (almost) free money on the table. 403 b contribution limits
Employees can contribute up to $20,500 in 2022. Those over age 50 can also contribute up to an additional $6,500 in catch-up contributions. Regardless of age, employees with at least 15 years of service with the same employer and an average annual contribution of less than $5,000 per year may be permitted to defer an extra $3,000 per year over and above normal IRS deferral limits (up to a lifetime limit of $15,000 for this type of catch-up contribution). For plans with employer contributions, you can contribute up to 100 percent of your salary, or $61,000, whichever is less. This limit rises to $67,500 for those age 50 or over. Contributions made over and above the IRS elective deferral limits are made on an after- tax basis. Advantages of 403 b plans
A 403(b) plan allows you to save on a tax-advantaged basis, deferring taxes on your income and any investment earnings or enjoying a tax-free benefit, depending on which plan you select. 403(b) employer contributions may vest faster than in 401(k) plans. If you are no longer with your employer, 403(b) rules may be more flexible than 401(k) early withdrawal rules. You can contribute more to a 403(b) plan each year than you can to an . Disadvantages of 403 b plans
403(b) plans may contain limited investment options that are not employee-friendly such as with low returns, expensive fees and surrender charges. If you have a 403(b) plan, look to invest in funds that offer relatively lower fees. 403(b) plans without employer matching contributions do not include Employee Retirement Income Security Act protections, which means there are no minimum standards for the retirement plan. Minimum standards include helpful safeguards for savers. Like a 401(k), 403(b) plans also include required minimum distributions. These are required starting in April of the year after you turn age 72 unless you are still employed. How to choose investments in your 403 b
As mentioned above, eligible investment options in your plan will charge you a fee (taken out of your balance on a monthly or quarterly basis), so it’s very important to be aware of how much you are paying for the “privilege of investing.” Fees matter, so you need to read the plan prospectus (for and variable annuities) or the contract (for fixed annuities) which outlines costs of the various investment options as well as investment objectives, risk levels and performance history. You should be able to locate this information online through your plan administrator. However, speaking to someone in your employer’s Human Resources department may be helpful if you need additional assistance or clarification. How much should you contribute to a 403 b
Since a 403(b) can be an important component of your retirement income, in addition to Social Security and other investments or savings, experts advise contributing between 10 to 15 percent of your salary and to start as soon as you become eligible. Bankrate’s can help you calculate how much to save for retirement based on your annual salary, contribution rate, age, expected rate of return, employer match (if applicable) and other relevant factors. Learn more
SHARE: Bankrate reporter Brian Baker covers investing and retirement. He has previous experience as an industry analyst at an investment firm. Baker is passionate about helping people make sense of complicated financial topics so that they can plan for their financial futures. Brian Beers is the managing editor for the Wealth team at Bankrate. He oversees editorial coverage of banking, investing, the economy and all things money. Related Articles