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A Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan allows you to invest in fixed and variable annuities and mutual funds in a tax-deferred account. You can participate in the tax-deferred retirement program by entering into a Salary Reduction Agreement. You are allowed to change your contribution amounts on a monthly basis; to be effective the month after you sign the election form.
Contributions into the plan are automatically deducted from your salary before you receive your paycheck and before you pay taxes on that income. Because you report less income, you pay fewer taxes on your earnings. Federal and State income taxes are deferred until you begin taking withdrawals. UNI does not contribute toward this program.
With this option, you may contribute after-tax dollars to your TIAA-CREF Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan. This will allow you to enjoy tax-free distributions, without penalty, when you are age 59 ½ or older and you take a distribution five years after you made the first Roth contribution to the contract. Withdrawals of earnings prior to age 59 ½ are subject to ordinary income tax and a 10% penalty may apply.
How will I benefit from making Roth Contributions?
It depends. If you expect your tax rate to be higher in retirement than it is now, then the Roth option can provide you with significant tax advantages. On the other hand, if you expect your tax rate to be higher now than in retirement, the pretax Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan option may be the right choice for you.
You May Benefit from Contributing
to the Roth Tax-Deferred Annuity
Plan if you:
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Benefits
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| Are not eligible to make Roth IRA contributions
because of high income. |
The Roth option does not have adjusted gross
income (AGI) limits. |
| Want to make Roth contributions greater than the
Roth IRA limit. |
Contribution limits are higher than those of the Roth IRA, allowing you to maximize your after-tax retirement savings. |
| Are near retirement and believe you will have more savings than required to meet your immediate needs for retirement income. |
Assets may be passed along to your beneficiaries income tax free. |
| Believe that your income tax rates are likely to rise in the future. |
You may enjoy a tax-free benefit at retirement when you expect a higher tax rate. However, you give up the immediate tax benefit of making pretax contributions now. |
| Want tax diversification of retirement assets. |
Having both pretax and after-tax assets in your retirement accounts allows you to hedge against the uncertainty of future tax rates. |
| Are just starting out and in a lower tax bracket. |
By making after-tax contributions that are based on a lower income, you pay less taxes now rather than at retirement when you are more likely to be earning more. Also, the earlier you start, the more time you give your money to work for you. |
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Now that the UNI retirement plan offers two savings options, pretax and Roth, your contribution choices are:
- Roth after-tax contributions to your Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan.
- Pretax contributions to your Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan.
- Both pretax and Roth after-tax contributions to your Tax-Deferred Annuity Plan.
*Roth contributions are included in your maximum contribution limits, plus any catch-up limits, if applicable.
Getting Started
- If you want to start contributing or change the amount you are currently contributing, it is easy.
- You simply need to complete and submit a new Salary Reduction Agreement.
- If you are enrolling for the first time, you will also need to set up your new contract with TIAA CREF at
www.tiaa-cref.org/uni.
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