Our Retirement Plan
In order to assist its employees in ensuring that they have enough funds set aside for their retirement years, the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc. established the Retirement Pension Plan of the National Association of Free Will Baptists (“Plan”). The Plan is intended to provide retirement security to Free Will Baptist ministers and other eligible employees. It allows your employer to set funds aside for your retirement. In addition, it enables you to set aside a portion of your earnings in a tax-advantaged manner during your working years.
The Plan is a church retirement income account program described in section 403(b)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Internal Revenue Code permits denominations and churches to set up retirement plans designed to permit you and your employer to accumulate retirement savings. The Plan takes full advantage of these special tax rules.
You are eligible to participate in the Plan if you are working at least 20 hours a week for an eligible employer that has agreed to participate in the Plan (“Participating Employer”). An eligible employer includes any Free Will Baptist church or agency. In addition, Free Will Baptist ministers who are evangelists or otherwise self-employed and the spouses of Free Will Baptist missionaries are eligible to participate in the Plan without regard to the number of hours they work a week.
If you are eligible to participate as described above, you can become a participant in the Plan upon submitting an Enrollment Form to the Board.
403(b) approved plan
Our 403(b) plan is approved by the IRS for all employees of Free Will Baptist Churches or Church Organizations.
Tax deferred contributions
Take advantage of tax deferred contributions to the Plan. Tax deferred contributions are not to be included in gross “reportable” income for tax purposes. Since the tax deferred contributions and interest are tax deferred, they will only be subject to taxes when the money in your account is distributed to you.
Personal and employer contributions
Participants can make contributions by Salary Reduction or by direct contributions from the employer, i.e. the church or church-related entity. Participants may also contribute personal “after-tax” funds. These contributions must be made by personal check or automatic bank draft from the participant’s personal checking account. The employer (church/church agency) is permitted to contribute to the participant’s retirement account as an added compensation benefit without such being taxable to the participant. All church checks must be payable to the Board of Retirement. NO PERSONAL CHECKS CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR SALARY REDUCTION OR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS.
Other funds that may be available
Participants may find other funds available to them through State Association plans (check with your state leaders) and with the Randall House Rewards Program where a percentage of your Sunday School curriculum order is deposited into your account.
Prospectus
Our Prospectus outlines in detail our plan and investment options. You can view our Prospectus here.
