As a public school employee, you dedicate your career to the future of Florida’s students. You deserve a secure and comfortable future of your own.
To help plan for retirement, one of the employee benefits it pays to take advantage of is your 403(b) supplemental retirement plan. This valuable tool — designed for employees of the public school system — can help you meet your retirement goals. Here’s how:
It's tax-deferred:
You pay no current income tax on the money you contribute or on your investment.
It's portable:
If you change jobs, your savings go with you.
It can help close the gap:
You pay no current income tax on the money you contribute or on your investment.
Since income taxes are calculated after your 403(b) contribution, the amount that goes into your savings account is typically higher than the reduction in your take-home pay.
In the simple example below, a monthly contribution of $300 costs just $225 in take-home pay — because income taxes are lower. At $200 per month, take-home pay in this example goes down by just $150. Over a long career, those pre-tax savings can add up to substantial retirement income.
With $300 pre-tax contribution |
With $200 pre-tax contribution |
|
---|---|---|
Total monthly pay | $3000 | $3000 |
Income tax paid | $675 | $700 |
Contribution to a 403(b) plan | $300 | $200 |
Take-home pay | $2,025 | $2,100 |
Reduction in take-home pay from 403(b) contribution |
$225 |
$150 |
Increase in saving over 25 years with a 3% return |
$133,950 |
$89,300 |
Assumes 25% federal income and payroll taxes, annual compounded investment return of 3%, and month-end contributions. For illustration only.
You will probably need about 70% to 90% of your pre-retirement income to maintain your standard of living when you stop working.
How much will you need to save in order to supplement Social Security and the Florida Retirement System?
A “gap analysis” calculates the amount you’ll need to save on a monthly basis to fill the gap between your retirement income and expenses. You can calculate your own gap analysis, or you can work with a financial advisor or investment plan provider who can calculate it for you.
Learn more about the investment plan providers in your district who can help you determine the amount you should be saving.
The most important step in retirement planning is making sure you’re saving enough. The next step is finding the right investment — to put your savings to work for you.
The Model Plan makes it easier for you to choose high-quality and low-cost investment products. These products received a seal of approval for inclusion in the Model Plan from Florida’s leading education organizations working in your best interest.
Florida’s school employees can invest their 403(b) savings in annuities and mutual funds. Within The Model Plan, PlanMember Services, Security Benefit and Suncoast Credit Union offer mutual funds. Equitable, PlanMember Services, Security Benefit and Suncoast Credit Union offer annuities.
Learn more about what annuities and mutual funds are and how they work.
Many factors will impact your choice of investment options, including how much risk you’re comfortable taking. Be careful to compare how investment options differ in terms of the rate of return you should expect and any fees or charges.
Remember: All Model Plan investment products and the provider companies are monitored for quality and value by an independent investment consultant. These products received a seal of approval for inclusion in the Model Plan from Florida’s leading education organizations working in your best interest.
When you choose a plan, you can work with one of the company’s representatives to decide the best options for investing your 403(b) savings.
Members of the Florida Retirement System can also get retirement advice from an Ernst & Young financial advisor — at no charge. These financial experts come highly rated from other FRS members who have used this service.
Saving and investing for your retirement in a 403(b) plan can help you get closer to securing the financial future you deserve. The Model Plan was created to offer you quality investment options so that you can feel confident in your investment decision.
Also called a tax-deferred account, a 403(b) plan is a type of retirement savings plan for employees of tax-exempt organizations, including public schools. Similar to a 401(k) plan, the 403(b) allows you to contribute a portion of your salary to an employer-sponsored plan on a pre-tax basis. That means contributions are made before income tax is calculated, which lowers income taxes paid. The investment gains from these contributions also grow on a tax-deferred basis, so no income taxes are paid until the money is withdrawn as income from the plan.
There are many reasons to participate in a 403(b) plan, including significant tax advantages:
The Independent Benefits Council (IBC) is a not-for-profit organization formed in 2007 by four of Florida’s leading education groups — the Florida Education Association, the Florida Association of School Administrators, the Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents. The IBC works on employee benefits issues for which a statewide approach would likely benefit public school employees and employers, compared with district-by-district action.
Established by the IBC, the Model Plan brings together a set of preferred products for Florida’s school employees’ supplemental retirement savings within 403(b) plans. Investment products and the companies that provide them have been thoroughly vetted to ensure fairness and transparency in fees and costs, as well as high-quality performance and services. They are continually monitored to maintain these high standards and values.
Within the Model Plan, employees can invest in annuities, mutual funds, or a combination of both through multi-product accounts that combine these registered products. You can choose the product type that best meets your individual circumstances and your investment preferences.
Learn more about annuities and mutual funds.
Four investment companies comprise the Model Plan selected by the IBC to provide supplementary retirement products in the following categories:
Annuities
Mutual Funds
Multi-Product Accounts
To start saving for your retirement, learn more about the options available in the FOR EMPLOYEES section.
From there, you can find a plan in your district. You can also work with one of the company’s representatives to decide the best options for investing your 403(b) savings.
Yes. The Model Plan was designed to meet the supplementary retirement investment needs of all school employees. Because of the diversity of products available from Model Plan companies, participants will find options that meet their individual circumstances.
The Model Plan makes the investment decision less overwhelming and more manageable while maximizing the value to you.
When the Model Plan was established, all companies then offering 403(b) products in Florida’s school districts were invited to participate in the selection process. Some companies chose not to participate because they didn’t want to offer programs statewide, which is required by the Model Plan. Others felt their prices wouldn’t be competitive.
Ultimately, four companies possessed the IBC’s seal of approval for inclusion in the Model Plan. These companies offer high-quality products and services at fair prices to 403(b) participants in Florida, and are listed below:
Yes. Several of the companies included in the Model Plan offer trained financial representatives to meet personally with you by phone or in person.
The amount of additional retirement savings depends on many factors, including the difference in investment returns and fees and how long you’re invested.
By selecting a Model Plan option, you can rest assured that the investment company and the investment product have been thoroughly vetted to ensure high quality at a fair price.
Yes. You choose the level of service you need from an investment plan provider. Total costs vary for specific products and services, but all investment options were vetted to ensure fairness and transparency in fees and costs, as well as high-quality performance and services.
Potentially. This is an important feature of the multi-product custodial account. PlanMember Services and Security Benefit offer hundreds of different mutual fund companies through their investment portfolios. Yours most likely is among them.