Our Services

403(b) Planning

If you work for a school district, a public agency, or a nonprofit, a 403(b) is likely part of your retirement picture. It is also one of the least understood accounts people hold. We help you understand what you have and how it fits with everything else.
Request a Consultation
Employer-Sponsored Accounts
What a 403(b) Is

The Account Most People Own and Few People Understand

A 403(b) is an employer-sponsored retirement account offered by public schools, certain nonprofits, and some public agencies. Functionally it plays a role similar to a 401(k) in the private sector, but the rules, the vendor options, and the way it interacts with a pension are different enough to matter.

For most public educators, the 403(b) is not the main retirement asset. The pension usually is. That makes the 403(b) a supplemental piece, and how it is used should follow from what the pension already provides, not the other way around.

That coordination is the part that usually goes unexamined. We look at the account you have, explain in plain language how it works, and clarify what role it should actually play alongside your pension and Social Security.

 

Contribution limits and withdrawal rules for 403(b) accounts are set by federal regulation and change from year to year. We will walk you through the current rules as they apply to your situation, and coordinate with your tax professional where a question falls outside the scope of financial planning.

Direct Contact

What your specific 403(b) is and how it works
How it differs from a 401(k) and a 457(b)
How it coordinates with your pension rather than duplicating it
Accounts left behind at previous districts or employers
The questions worth asking before consolidating anything
How withdrawals interact with your other retirement income
Where This Fits

Part of The Peak Path™

A 403(b) is one piece gathered at Base Camp and coordinated into the route, rather than a decision made on its own.

1

Base Camp

We inventory the accounts you hold, including old ones.

2

Map the Route

Your 403(b) is mapped into the wider plan, not treated alone.

3

Vista Point

Reviews keep contributions and allocation aligned over time.

Explore the full Peak Path™ →

Keep Exploring

Related Services

Employer-Sponsored Accounts

The broader service covering 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), IRAs, and Roth IRAs.

Learn more →

CalSTRS Pension Review

For educators, how your pension and supplemental accounts work together.
Learn more →

Public Employees and Educators

Our dedicated guide for public sector retirement planning.

Learn more →

Common Questions

Good to Know Before You Start

Is a 403(b) better than my pension?
They serve different purposes. For most public educators the pension provides the income foundation, and the 403(b) supplements it. The useful question is not which is better, it is what role each should play given what the pension already covers.
I have 403(b) accounts at two different districts. What now?
That is common and worth untangling. We help you locate what you have, understand each account’s rules and costs, and think through the options for each. Consolidation is sometimes right and sometimes not, which is exactly why it deserves a look.
Do you sell 403(b) products?
Our role here is education and coordination: helping you understand what you hold and how it fits into your retirement income plan. Where a need falls outside the scope of financial planning, we coordinate with or refer you to the appropriate licensed professional.
How does a 403(b) affect my Social Security?
Withdrawals become part of your taxable income picture in retirement, which can affect how your overall income is taxed. Coordinating the timing of 403(b) withdrawals with pension and Social Security income is a core part of what we help you plan.

Understand What You Already Own

Bring your most recent statement and we will walk through it together,
in plain language.

Book a Free Consultation