403(b) plan

Written byTimothy Lake

Fact-checked byThe Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

403(b) plan: The 401(k)(ish) retirement savings option for public schools and nonprofits.

A 403(b) plan is a tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement savings plan available to public schools and other tax-exempt organizations. It allows educators, government employees, and nonprofit employees to make pretax contributions up to a certain limit.

These 403(b) plans are tax advantaged, meaning that plan holders contribute funds that grow tax free until withdrawals are made. Contributions are usually made by taking deductions from the employee’s payroll. Some employers may offer a Roth option, where contributions are taxed up front and plan holders can withdraw money tax free in the future.

Withdrawals made before age 59 1/2 are, with some exceptions, subject to a 10% penalty. In general, 403(b) plans are available for employees of nonprofit organizations, which include (but are not limited to):

Eligible employees of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations
Public school employees
Eligible employees of churches
Ministers (whether self-employed or working for tax-exempt organizations)

Plan holders can make investments without having to worry about paying capital gains taxes along the way. Unlike with 401(k) plans, 403(b) plan assets can be invested in annuities or mutual funds, but not in individual stocks, real estate investment trusts (REITs), or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

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Holders of 403(b) plans must pay certain administrative fees that can make the plans expensive to use. And as with other retirement plans, participants over age 50 can make extra “catch-up” contributions.

Learn more about 403(b) plans and how they differ from 401(k) plans.

Timothy Lake