There is no waiting period. You can enroll in the Tufts University Self-Funded Retirement Plan — 403(b) ("Self-Funded") at any time.

If you are hired after July 13, 2021, and you have not enrolled in the Self-Funded Plan within 35 days from your date of hire, you will be automatically enrolled in the Self-Funded Plan with Fidelity at a contribution rate of 6% of your pretax eligible earnings.

Based on your date of birth and assuming a retirement age of 65, you will be invested in the Vanguard Target Retirement Fund, with a corresponding target retirement date. Target Date Funds are an asset mix of stocks, bonds and other investments that automatically becomes more conservative as the fund approaches its target retirement date and beyond. Principal invested is not guaranteed.

We encourage you to take an active role in the Self-Funded Plan - 403(b) and to choose a contribution rate, your retirement provider and investment options that are appropriate for you. If you do not wish to contribute to the 403(b) Plan, you must change your contribution rate with Fidelity to 0% within the first 35 days of your date of hire. You may change your contribution rate at any time online, or by calling the Fidelity Retirement Benefits Line at 1-800-343-0860.

As a reminder: the Tufts University Self-Funded Retirement Plan — 403(b) consists of voluntary contributions. The Tufts University-Funded Retirement Plan — 401(a) consists of university contributions.

Enroll online at any time, or by calling the Fidelity Retirement Benefits Line at 1-800-343-0860.

When you enroll in the Self-Funded Plan - 403(b), you can choose where you want your voluntary contributions directed and your retirement provider(s). You can choose to direct 100% of your deferral election to one provider or split your deferral election to contribute a portion to each retirement provider. For example, you can elect to direct 50% to Fidelity and the other 50% to TIAA. Or you can elect any other split you prefer as long as the total equals 100%. If you do not select a retirement provider, your Self-Funded contributions will be directed to Fidelity and invested in the Plan default option.

Through automatic payroll deduction, you may contribute between 1% and 100% of your eligible pay on a pretax or after-tax basis. Sign up online by accessing the “Contribution Amount” section under “Quick Links” on NetBenefits^®, or by calling the Fidelity Retirement Benefits Line at 1-800-343-0860.

In addition, you can automatically increase your retirement savings plan contributions each year through the Annual Increase Program. This program increases your contributions 1% annually, to help to ensure continued progress toward meeting your future goals. You can opt out of the Annual Increase Program at any time online, or by calling the Fidelity Retirement Benefits Line at 1-800-343-0860.

A Roth contribution to your retirement savings plan allows you to make after-tax contributions and take any associated earnings completely tax free at retirement - as long as the distribution is a qualified one. A qualified distribution, in this case, is one that is taken at least five tax years after your first Roth 403(b) contribution and after you have attained age 59½, or become disabled or die. Through automatic payroll deduction, you may contribute between 0% and 100% of your eligible compensation as designated Roth contributions, up to the annual IRS dollar limits.

Find more information online within the "Plan & Learn" drop down and "Learn" section of NetBenefits^®.

If you have reached age 50 or will reach 50 during the calendar year January 1 – December 31 and are making the maximum plan or IRS contribution, you may make an additional catch-up contribution each pay period. The maximum annual catch-up contribution is $7,500. Going forward, catch-up contribution limits will be subject to cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) in $500 increments.

Starting in 2025, the SECURE 2.0 Act increases the limit for you if you have attained age 60, 61, 62, or 63 in a given calendar year. The limit for 2025 is $11,250.

The IRS contribution limit for 2025 is $23,500.

If you have reached or will reach age 50 by year end and are making the maximum plan or IRS contribution, you may make an additional catch-up contribution of $7,500 allowing you to defer $31,000.

You are always 100% vested in your own contributions to the Tufts University Self-Funded Retirement Plan — 403(b).

To help you meet your investment goals, the Plan offers you a range of options. You can select a mix of investment options that best suits your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. The many investment options available through the Plan include conservative, moderately conservative, and aggressive funds. Select the Plans and Investments tab at www.netbenefits.com/tuftsuniversity for details.

We encourage you to take an active role in the Tufts University Self-Funded Retirement Plan — 403(b) and choose investment options that best suit your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. If Fidelity is your selected retirement provider and you do not select specific investment options in the Plan, your contributions will be invested in the Vanguard Target Retirement Fund with the target retirement date closest to the year you might retire, based on your current age and assuming a retirement age of 65, at the direction of Tufts University.

If no date of birth or an invalid date of birth is on file at Fidelity your contributions may be invested in the Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund. More information about the Vanguard Target Retirement Fund can be found online.

Target Date Funds are an asset mix of stocks, bonds and other investments that automatically becomes more conservative as the fund approaches its target retirement date and beyond. Principal invested is not guaranteed.

If TIAA is your selected retirement provider and you do not select specific investment options in the Plan, your Self-Funded Plan - 403(b) contributions will be invested in the Vanguard Balanced Index Fund - Admiral Shares fund.

If the idea of getting professional help to manage your investments appeals to you, your plan offers Target Date Funds. With Target Date Funds, the investment mix of stocks and bonds automatically becomes more conservative as the target retirement date approaches. Principal invested is not guaranteed at any time, including at or after the fund’s target date. Choose the fund that represents your anticipated year of retirement.

For those desiring the most investment flexibility and choice, the Plan offers a self-directed brokerage option, which provides you with the opportunity to select from thousands of mutual funds and other investment options — beyond those offered in the standard plan line up.

Although your voluntary retirement plan account is intended for the future, you may borrow from your account for any reason.

Generally, Plan rules allow you to borrow up to 50% of your vested account balance. The minimum loan amount is $1,000, and a loan must not exceed $50,000.

Please contact your retirement provider directly for more information on taking a loan from your plan.

Fidelity: Call 1-800-343-0860 or log in to your account at www.netbenefits.com/tuftsuniversity.

TIAA: Call 1-800-842-2776 or log in to your account at www.tiaa.org/tuftsuniversity.

Withdrawals from the Plan are generally permitted when you terminate your employment, retire, reach age 59½, become permanently disabled, or have a severe financial hardship, as defined by your plan.

Please contact your retirement provider directly for more information on withdrawals from your plan.

Fidelity: Call 1-800-343-0860 or log in to your account at www.netbenefits.com/tuftsuniversity.

TIAA: Call 1-800-842-2776 or log in to your account at www.tiaa.org/tuftsuniversity.

You are permitted to roll over eligible pretax and Roth contributions from another 401(k) plan, 401(a) plan, 403(b) plan or a governmental 457(b) retirement plan account or eligible pretax contributions from conduit individual retirement accounts (IRAs). A conduit IRA is one that contains only money rolled over from an employer-sponsored retirement plan that has not been mixed with regular IRA contributions.

Please contact your retirement provider directly for more information on moving money into your plan.

Fidelity: Call 1-800-343-0860 or log in to your account at www.netbenefits.com/tuftsuniversity.

TIAA: Call 1-800-842-2776 or log in to your account at www.tiaa.org/tuftsuniversity.

Be sure to consider all your available options and the applicable fees and features of each before moving your retirement assets.

Your beneficiary or beneficiaries will inherit your account in the event of your death. You should consider identifying a beneficiary when you enroll in your plan, and updating the information if you experience a life-changing event such as a marriage, divorce, birth of a child, or death in the family.

If you have an account with Fidelity, you can update your beneficiaries online at www.netbenefits.com/tuftsuniversity or call Fidelity at 1-800-343-0860 for assistance.

If you have an account with TIAA, you can update your beneficiaries online at www.tiaa.org/tuftuniversity or call 1-800-842-2776 for assistance.