403(b) Retirement Program
Prepare Today. Serve Tomorrow.
A retirement savings program built for pastors, ministers, and church staff. Save faithfully through your ministry today so you can be provided for in the years ahead.
A Retirement Program Built for Ministry
The Church Extension Fund 403(b) program helps churches provide a meaningful retirement benefit to those who serve them. Eligible employees can save directly from their paychecks, and participating churches can add to those savings.
How It Works
Getting started takes only a few steps for both churches and their employees.
Church Enrolls
A participating church joins the program and defines how it will contribute, including any matching it chooses to offer.
Employee Enrolls
Eligible staff complete a short enrollment and choose how much of their pay to contribute each period.
Contribute Each Payroll
Contributions are deducted each payroll and combined with any church matching or employer contributions.
Grow Toward Retirement
Balances are invested over time and participants can track their savings toward their retirement goals.
For Employees
Benefits for Church Employees
Save Straight From Payroll
Contributions come directly out of your pay, so saving for retirement happens automatically.
Benefit From Church Support
When your church matches or contributes, your retirement savings grow beyond what you set aside.
Built for Ministry Careers
Designed specifically for pastors, ministers, and church staff who have devoted their careers to service.
Track Your Progress
See your contributions and savings over time so you can plan with confidence for retirement.
For Churches
Benefits for Churches
Care for Those Who Serve
Offer a meaningful retirement benefit that shows lasting appreciation for your ministry team.
Flexible Contribution Options
Choose the matching or contribution approach that fits your church's budget and priorities.
Attract and Retain Staff
A retirement program helps churches recruit and keep dedicated, long-serving employees.
Simple to Administer
The program is designed to work alongside your existing payroll process with straightforward setup.
Understanding Employer Matching
Churches choose how they want to support their employees' retirement savings. The examples below illustrate common matching approaches — each church decides what it offers.
e.g. 100% up to 5% of pay
The church matches every dollar an employee contributes, up to a set percentage of the employee's salary.
e.g. 50% up to 6% of pay
The church matches a portion of each dollar contributed, up to a set percentage of the employee's salary.
e.g. 3% of salary
The church contributes a set percentage of salary regardless of whether the employee contributes.
e.g. year-end contribution
The church may choose to make additional contributions from time to time as its resources allow.
These are illustrative examples only. Each participating church determines its own contribution and matching approach.
Retirement Calculator
Estimate how your savings could grow over time. Adjust the values below to explore different scenarios.
Est. monthly income
$2,197
Investment growth
$402,618
Your contributions
$144,879
Church contributions
$96,586
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about the 403(b) retirement program.
For Churches
Enroll your church to offer a 403(b) retirement benefit and choose how you want to support your staff.
Start Church EnrollmentFor Employees
Eligible church employees can enroll to begin saving for retirement directly from their paycheck.
Open a 403(b) AccountImportant Information
The Church Extension Fund is a faith-based nonprofit ministry organization. It is not a bank, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, custodian, or recordkeeper, and does not accept deposits or provide banking services.
Information on this page is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal, or financial advice. It is not an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Please consult qualified tax, legal, and financial professionals regarding your individual circumstances.
Participation in the 403(b) program is subject to eligibility requirements and program terms. Contribution limits and rules are established by applicable regulations and may change. Any projections or estimates are illustrative only and are not a guarantee of future results.
Questions About the Program?
Our team is here to help churches and employees understand the 403(b) retirement program and how to get started.