The tax benefits of participating in the RIC 403b plan differ depending on whether you elect for your deductions to be taken from your paycheck before or after taxes.
Pretax | Post-tax Roth | |
---|---|---|
Contributions | Made before state and federal tax withholding | Made after state and federal tax withholding; For more information see the Roth Summary. |
Immediate benefit | Lower taxable income for the year | None |
Earnings (if any) | Grow tax-deferred | Grow tax-free |
Distributions | Taxable as ordinary income | Tax-free if qualified |
Qualified Roth Distribution
Earnings on after-tax Roth contributions are tax-free if the participant meets all 3 of these requirements:
- A distributable event has occurred
- Roth account is held 5+ years (from first 457 Roth contribution), and
- The participant is age 59½ or older, disabled, or deceased.
If one or more of these requirements are not met, it is considered a non-qualified Roth distribution and subject to taxation on the earnings portion of the distributed amount.