Roth 403(b) and 457(b) Retirement Savings Options

Retirement Savings Options

FCPS offers 403(b) and 457(b) Retirement Savings Plans that let you save for retirement through easy payroll deductions.  You can make pre-tax or after-tax (Roth) contributions. 

  • Pre-tax contributions allow you to delay paying taxes until you take the money out.
  • After-tax (Roth) contributions are taxed now but can be withdrawn tax-free in retirement once certain requirements are met.

Roth Information Sessions

To help you understand how Roth (after-tax) contributions work and decide whether they’re right for you, FCPS investment providers hosted informational sessions.  Recorded versions of these presentations are available for you to view below.

Recorded Presentations

Advantages of Roth (after-tax) Contributions

You can make contributions that are taxed now so that your withdrawals in retirement can be tax-free, as long as certain conditions are met. This may be a good choice if you expect your tax rate to be the same or higher in retirement.

You may want to consult a financial or tax advisor to determine whether Roth contributions are right for you.

What Is a Roth (after-tax) Contribution?

Roth contributions are made after taxes are taken out of your paycheck. Unlike pre-tax contributions, Roth contributions do not lower your taxable income now—but your withdrawals can be tax-free in retirement if:

  • You are age 59½ or older; and
  • It has been at least five years since your first Roth (after-tax) contribution.

Pre-Tax Contributions vs. Roth (After-Tax) Contributions

Feature
Pre-Tax
Roth (After-Tax)
When you pay taxes
Later—taxes are deferred until you withdraw funds
Now—taxes paid on current income
Effect on paycheck
Lowers taxable income
Does not lower taxable income
Withdrawals in retirement
Taxable as ordinary income
Tax-free if qualified*
IRS limits
Same annual limit applies to both.
Combined total may not exceed IRS limits

*Qualified Roth withdrawals are tax-free if your account has been open for at least five years and you are age 59½ or older (or meet another qualifying event).

How to Start Roth (After-Tax) or Change Pre-Tax Contributions

You may start, change, or stop your Roth (after-tax) or pre-tax contributions at any time by submitting a Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA) to TSA Consulting Group (TSACG). Please visit TSACG’s  Online Salary Reduction Agreement . 

Timing of Changes

The timing of your contribution change depends on when you submit your Salary Reduction Agreement.

  • Salary Reduction Agreements submitted by the 20th of the month take effect on the first day of the next month.
  • Salary Reduction Agreements submitted on or after the 21st take effect on the first day of the following month.

Contribution Limits

Calendar Year 2026 Contribution Limits:

  • Standard limit: $24,500
  • Additional catch-up for participants age 50 or older (by December 31, 2026): $8,000

Calendar Year 2025 Contribution Limits:

  • Standard limit: $23,500
  • Additional catch-up for participants age 50 or older (by December 31, 2025): $7,500

Note: The combined total of your pre-tax and Roth (after-tax) contributions cannot exceed the annual limits.

For more information about special catch-up contribution limits, see Supplemental Retirement Plans .

Enrollment Steps

  1. From the Corebridge website, select “Plan details.”
  2. Then select “Enrollment” which is located on the left-hand side of the “Plan details” page.
  3. Follow the instructions to enroll. You may also contact your local Corebridge representative (see the Approved 403(b)/457(b) Providers Contact List ).
  4. After you create your Corebridge account, you must set up your payroll contribution by submitting a Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA) to TSACG.  Please visit TSACG’s  Online Salary Reduction Agreement  to start, stop, or change a Salary Reduction Agreement.  For more information about submitting an SRA, see the  Online Salary Reduction Agreement Overview .

  1. To enroll, you will need the group ID/plan number and plan enrollment code. See the  Empower Online Enrollment Document for Fairfax County Public Schools 403(b) Plan  to retrieve that information.
  2. From the  Empower website , select "About your plan".
  3. From there, select "Enroll now" and then "Register".
  4. Select "I have a Plan Enrollment Code" and follow the prompts using the information provided. Follow the prompts to complete enrollment. You may also contact your local EMPOWER representative to obtain this information and assist with your enrollment.  See the Approved 403(b)/457(b) Providers Contact list.
  5. After you create your Empower account, you must set up your payroll contribution by submitting a Salary Reduction Agreement (SRA) to TSACG.  Please visit TSACG’s  Online Salary Reduction Agreement  to start, stop, or change a Salary Reduction Agreement.  For more information about submitting an SRA, see the  Online Salary Reduction Agreement Overview .

Frequently Asked Questions**

(See more questions on Roth Frequently Asked Questions** )

All employees eligible for 403(b) and/or 457(b) participation may contribute after-tax contributions. The income restrictions that apply to Roth IRAs (Individual Retirement Accounts) do not apply.

No. Roth 403(b) and Roth 457(b) accounts are part of the FCPS-sponsored supplemental retirement plans. Your ability to contribute to a Roth IRA depends on your income and tax filing status. These limits do not affect your ability to contribute to the FCPS 403(b) or 457(b) Roth options.

Yes. You can divide your contributions between Roth (after-tax) and pre-tax in any proportion, as long as the total stays within the annual IRS limit.

Yes. However, Roth IRAs have separate income-based eligibility rules and lower contribution limits.

If you participate in the VRS Hybrid 457 Plan, it’s generally best to first take advantage of the employer match before contributing to the FCPS 403(b) and/or 457(b) plans. Employees who participate in the VRS Hybrid Plan can contribute up to 4% of their salary to the VRS Hybrid 457(b) Plan through Voya. These contributions are eligible for an employer match of up to 2.5%. In contrast, the FCPS supplemental 403(b) and 457(b) Plans do not include an employer match. If your goal is to maximize the employer match, you should first contribute to your VRS Hybrid 457(b) account through Voya.

**Note:Legislative guidelines and the official 403(b) and 457(b) plan documents are the final authority in all matters of plan interpretation and administration.

Need Help or More Information?

Corebridge Financial : Client Care Center: 1-800-448-2542  https://www.corebridgefinancial.com/rs/fcps

Empower Retirement : Customer Care Center: 877-449-3277 https://fcps.empower-retirement.com

TSA Consulting Group (TSACG) : Participant Transactions Team: 1-888-796-3786 https://www.tsacg.com/individual/plan-sponsor/virginia/fairfax-county-public-schools/

VRS Hybrid 457 – Voya : VRS Defined Contribution Plans Service Center: 1-877-327-5261 (option 1) https://dcp.varetire.org/contact

Related Pages

Roth Frequently Asked Questions

Roth contributions let you pay taxes on your retirement savings now, so your withdrawals may be tax-free later. The following questions provide additional details about this option.

403(b) Retirement Savings Plan

Learn more about the FCPS 403(b) plan.

457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan

Here you will find more details on the 457(b) plan, including eligibility and enrollment information.

Approved Providers for 403(b)/457(b) Plan

Here you will find contact information for the 403(b) and 457(b) providers as well as additional information about plan distributions.

Supplemental Retirement Savings Plans

Here you will find more information about the 403(b), 457(b), and VRS Hybrid 457 Plans.

Former Employee Benefits

Here you will find an overview of how your benefit programs will be impacted when you leave employment with FCPS.