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What is a 403(b) plan, and how does it differ from a 401(k)?

Nearly identical, except where it isn’t.
Written byDebbie Carlson
Debbie Carlson
Debbie Carlson is a veteran financial journalist who writes about many personal finance and financial industry topics such as retirement, consumer spending, sustainable and ESG investing, commodity markets, exchanged-traded funds, mutual funds and much more, in an easy-to-understand way. Debbie writes for many high-level and top-tier media organizations and has contributed to Barron's, Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, and U.S. News & World Report, among other publications. She holds a BA in Journalism from Eastern Illinois University.
Fact-checked byNancy Ashburn
Nancy Ashburn
As a 30+ year member of the AICPA, Nancy has experienced all facets of finance, including tax, auditing, payroll, plan benefits, and small business accounting. Her résumé includes years at KPMG International and McDonald’s Corporation. She now runs her own accounting business, serving several small clients in industries ranging from law and education to the arts.
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If you’re a public school teacher or you work for a nonprofit organization, any retirement savings plan offered through your job will most likely be a 403(b).

Total assets held by 403(b) plans amounted to more than $1.1 trillion in 2020, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in April 2022.

Key Points

  • 403(b) plans are tax-sheltered plans offered to teachers, nonprofit employees, and employees at churches.
  • 403(b) plans are similar to 401(k) plans in many practical ways.
  • Employers may elect not to match 403(b) plans for certain legal reasons.

These plans are similar to the more familiar 401(k) plans offered by companies, as they offer a tax-sheltered way for employees to save for retirement in individual accounts, but there are some differences.

What is a 403(b) plan?

Just like 401(k) plans, the 403(b) plan is named after a specific section of the tax code that describes it. A 403(b) plan is tax-advantaged and employer-sponsored. It’s also called a tax-sheltered annuity or TSA plan; at one time, the Internal Revenue Service only allowed 403(b) plans to hold annuities, but now they can also own mutual funds.

Employees who can contribute to 403(b) plans include:

  • Eligible employees of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations.
  • Public school employees, including grade school, high school, state colleges, universities, and public school system employees organized by Native tribal governments.
  • Eligible employees of churches.
  • Ministers, whether self-employed or working for tax-exempt organizations.

Similarities between 403(b) and 401(k) plans

From a practical standpoint, these two types of retirement plans have many similarities:

  • Tax-advantaged savings. An employee can contribute pre-tax income; no tax is due on earnings until withdrawals are made.
  • Contribution limits are $22,500 for the 2023 tax year, and if you’re over 50, you can make catch-up contributions of an additional $7,500.
  • Employers may offer a Roth option, where contributions are taxed as ordinary income and future withdrawals are tax free.
  • Withdrawals remain subject to a 10% penalty if made before age 59 1/2 (with certain exceptions).
  • However, employees who are 55 years or older can make penalty-free withdrawals if they leave their jobs (although withdrawals are still subject to ordinary income tax).

How a 403(b) plan is different from a 401(k) plan

There are some key differences to a 403(b) plan that savers should be aware of before they sign up.

If a 403(b) employer does not match an employee’s contributions, that 403(b) plan doesn’t have to comply with Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) rules. Essentially, ERISA rules set standards for retirement plans, including fiduciary responsibilities for plan managers.

The Department of Labor does not consider 403(b) plans employer-sponsored if all the contributions are from the employee; that’s considered voluntary savings. However, if the employer offers a match to the 403(b), then it is subject to ERISA rules.

Fees for 403(b) plans can vary widely, according to the GAO’s April 2022 report. The report surveyed both ERISA and non-ERISA plans and showed record-keeping and administrative fees ranged from 0.0008% to 2.01% of assets, while fees for investment options ranged from 0.01% to 2.37%.

By comparison, a study of 401(k) fees by the Investment Company Institute and BrightScope showed that in 2018 (the latest data available), the average total plan cost was 0.94%, which included administrative, advice, and other fees, as well as asset-based investment management fees.

One unique aspect of a 403(b) plan: the IRS rules surrounding catch-up contributions. Employees who have worked at least 15 years with their organization can take advantage of a special 403(b) catch-up that is the lowest of these options:

  • $3,000, or
  • $15,000, reduced by additional elective deferrals the employee contributed in previous years because of this rule, or
  • $5,000, multiplied by how long the employee worked at the organization, minus their total elective deferrals for prior years.

The IRS says the special 403(b) catch-up formula imposes a lifetime limit of $15,000 of elective deferrals.

The bottom line

Both 403(b) and 401(k) plans offer ways to save for retirement and defer taxes. However, 403(b) participants should understand that their plans may not be covered by Department of Labor rules, and may be expensive to use. Fees matter, as they reduce how much return savers make over time.