Retirement Savings Plans
Financial Planning
Savings Plus Program (401k) & Deferred Compensation Plans (457)
Who is Savings Plus? Savings Plus is a division of California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) and provider of the 401k & 457b supplemental retirement savings plan for all California state department employees. Enrolling in Savings Plus plan is voluntary and available to active state department employees, but plan contributions are via paycheck deductions only.
Savings Plus plan offers the following advantages.
- Helps complement CalPERS and Social Security retirement programs to close potential income gap.
- Mitigates taxes (federal and state) now or in the future with dual modes of contribution—pretax and Roth—AND access to double the annual IRS allowable contribution limit using both plans—401k & 457b simultaneously.
- Allows participants investment flexibility via a wide assortment of investment choices to fit all investor risk profiles; cash equivalents to stock oriented investment solutions.
Who is eligible to enroll?
All active state employees and Rehired Annuitants.
- For Part-Time, Seasonal, and Temporary (PST) employees: You may be automatically enrolled into the PST plan with Savings Plus under certain employment conditions. The PST plan differs from the 401k and/or 457b plans. Learn about the PST plan at https://www.savingsplusnow.com/rsc-web-preauth/resource-center/articles/PST.
Who to contact for more Savings Plus plan information?
Visit the below website to locate and connect with your designated regional Savings Plus plan specialist for more information.
https://www.savingsplusnow.com/rsc-web-preauth/contact/retirement-specialists#sacramento.
How to enroll?
- Via Online (Recommended): Visit www.savingsplusnow.com, then click on the “Enrolling in Savings Plus” picture tile from the homepage to begin.
- Via Text: Text keyword “Savingsplus” to 877697.
- Via Form: Download Enrollment Form from the Savings Plus forms library at https://www.savingsplusnow.com/rsc-web-preauth/forms
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TSA 403 (b) Program
The CSU 403(b) Tax Sheltered Annuity (TSA) Program is a voluntary program that allows eligible CSU employees to save toward retirement by investing pre-tax contributions in tax-deferred investments in either annuities or mutual funds, under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 403(b). TSA contributions are made solely by the employee through payroll deductions, prior to federal and state taxes being calculated. Consequently, these pre-tax contributions result in reduced taxable income for participating employees.
All TSA plans are currently administered through Fidelity. For enrollment, contribution changes and more information, please go to: https://nb.fidelity.com/public/nb/calstate/home or call Fidelity at 877-CSU-3699 (877-278-3699) for assistance.
Eligibility For TSA 403(b) & Mutual Fund Participation:
- The minimum monthly 403(b) contribution is $15 per month. Currently, some 403(b) vendors require a monthly contribution greater than $15, so this level of contribution may limit the employee's choice of vendors.
- With the exception of certain student classifications, all employees are eligible to participate in the 403(b) program, including rehired annuitants (regardless of age).
- The following student classifications are ineligible for 403(b) participation:
- Resident Assistant (class code 1869)
- Student Assistant (class code 1870)
- Student Trainee, On-Campus Work Study (class code 1871)
- Student Trainee, Off-Campus Work Study (class code 1872)
- Graduate Assistant (class code 2355)
Enrollment
Enrollments are now done on-line. Please visit the fidelity CSU site to enroll and change your monthly contribution amounts, https://nb.fidelity.com/public/nb/calstate/home or call Fidelity at 877-CSU-3699 (877-278-3699) for assistance.
Roll-over requests
All forms requiring employer signature are to be sent to the Chancellor's Office for approval pursuant to the CSU TSA plan document and IRS guidelines.
Please send your signature request directly to the Chancellor’s Office.
Once the form is complete, please submit the request for signature using one of the below methods.
- Webpage dropbox: calstate.edu/403bsubmit
- Fax: 562-951-4695
- Mail:
CSU Chancellor’s Office
ATTN: Systemwide Benefits
401 Golden Shore
Long Beach CA 90802
We recommend having directions on the cover page on what you would like us to do once signed: send to vendor by mail or fax (what is the address or fax number) or send back to you by mail or fax. We would review, sign and forward the request to the firm requiring the signature (usually via fax) within 3-5 bus. days. Some vendors don’t have a fax listed on the form so we would mail the request unless we get different instructions.
Maximum Annual Contribution (General Limit)
For the 2024 tax year, the lesser of the following two limits apply to determine the maximum contribution to a 403(b) plan:
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 402 (g) Elective Deferral Limit- $23,000
Internal Revenue Code (IRC) 415 Percentage of Compensation Limit- 100% of adjusted gross salary
Over Age 50 Catch-Up Provision
IRC Section 414(v), added under the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA), created a new catch-up provision available to individuals age 50 or older before the end of the plan year, and allows them to make additional pre-tax elective deferrals to a 403(b) plan over and above the general contribution limits, without regard to previous contributions. This new catch-up rule does not require a calculation worksheet. The maximum amount of this new additional contribution is $7,500 in 2024 for a total of $30,500.
15-Year Rule Catch-Up Provision
IRC Section 402(g)(7) catch-up election permits some long-term employees to contribute an additional $3,000 during the year, for up to five years. If you wish to contribute up to this amount you must demonstrate your eligibility for the catch-up rule by completing a Worksheet to Determine Eligibility for 403(b) Contributions over $23,000. This worksheet must be completed every year you plan to contribute over the limit.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Publications 553 and 571 provide additional information, these publications are available on the IRS's web site address at: http://www.irs.gov.