The Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan
The Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan is a nonprofit church plan with tax savings unique to clergy and advantages that stand out from the rest—including financial planning at no additional cost, financial wellness incentives, and personalized support.
Designed especially for ministry leaders, our 403(b)(9) plan helps you build a secure financial future while you live into your calling.
Financial Planning, at NO Additional Cost
Active participants of the Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan (“CBB 403(b)(9) Plan”) can meet with a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® at Empower to build a comprehensive financial plan, free-of-charge.
When an active participant of the CBB 403(b)(9) Plan completes their financial plan with Empower, Church Benefits Board (CBB) will add $500 to their Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) retirement account.* CBB provides this financial planning incentive through generous grant support. Our goal is to encourage all of our participants to improve their financial well-being by building a financial plan.
*The $500 incentive is available while funds last.
To learn more about the financial planning process, visit our Financial Planning page.
Financial Advice, at NO Additional Cost
Church Benefits Board partners with Empower to offer FINRA licensed, personalized financial and retirement savings advice for all plan participants. There is no additional fee for this value-added service, and advice is effective immediately. These advisors will assist you with questions related to your current investments, housing allowance, rollovers, distributions, and offer you robust advice. Learn more about Financial Advice.
Housing Allowance for Clergy
When participating in a sponsored church plan, you may be eligible to reduce your taxable income-even after retirement. The Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan is a “Church Plan” as recognized by the IRS. This means it may be possible for you to claim a ministerial housing allowance on your withdrawals.
The housing allowance benefit is not available with an IRA (individual retirement account) or most other plans. Only one set up as a “Church Plan” can offer the housing allowance tax advantage.
Learn more about the housing allowance and download our guide.
403(b)(9) Retirement Plan Investment Options
The Church Benefits Board 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan offers a variety of investment options including target date funds, risk-based funds, and do-it-yourself options. Current participants who have questions about which investment option is best for them can call Empower at (833) 301-9355 for free investment advice.
Fiduciary Responsibility
With this plan, all fiduciary responsibility for the investment lineup is taken care of by Church Benefits Board and the Investment/Finance Committee.
Fees
The fee for Church Benefits Board (CBB) and Empower to administer the retirement plan is 75 basis points (bps). When factoring in investment options, the average management fee plus investment fee is 94bps. Therefore, the retirement fees for a majority of our participants are less than 1%.
There is no cost to the church to participate in our plan.
Fees are assessed to the employees based on their individual portfolios and investment selections. Submit an enrollment interest form to meet with our team and learn more.
100% Vested
All employee and employer contributions are 100% vested. This means that all contributions are yours immediately, regardless of how long you’ve been a plan participant.
Types of Contributions
There are three types of contributions into the Church Benefits Board retirement plan: 1) employee pre-tax, 2) employee Roth after-tax, and 3) employer pre-tax contributions.
Limits
An employee may defer (pre-tax and/or Roth employee elective deferral contributions) up to $24,500 in 2026. Employees age 50 or more may defer an additional $8,000/year. Employees ages 60-63 may make catch-up contributions of up to $11,250/year (indexed). Annual contributions made by the employer and employee to all retirement vehicles cannot exceed the lesser of $72,000 in 2026 or 100% of the employee’s includible compensation (includible compensation excludes housing allowance).
Refer to page 6 of the Summary Plan Description for more information.
Account Management
Church Benefits Board partners with Empower as the recordkeeper for the 403(b)(9) retirement plan. Through Empower, participants can manage their retirement accounts, access planning tools, and connect with financial professionals for guidance and support. Empower is the second-largest retirement services provider in the United States.
Benefits Book
The Benefits Book includes an overview of our 403(b)(9) Retirement Plan, insurance options, financial wellness programs, and resources. View the Benefits Book.
Questions? We’re here to help.
If you have questions about retirement, insurance, or other benefits, contact the Church Benefits Board team. We also have a page of frequently asked questions.
Plan Adviser Partners
Fiducient Advisors
Fiducient Advisors is an independent, employee-owned investment consulting firm that works with fiduciary clients including retirement plan sponsors, institutional investment pools, non-profit organizations and private clients.
EMPOWER
Empower is a premier retirement services provider that’s transforming the way people approach retirement planning. Retiring comfortably is part of the American dream. Empower’s goal is to help make this dream possible for everyone by harnessing the potential of new technologies, continually innovating plan designs, and providing the highest-quality service in the industry.