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Employee contributions

You are immediately eligible upon employment to start making elective deferrals to the plan.

Employer contributions

You are eligible for employer contributions on the later of the first anniversary of your date of hire and completion of 1,000 hours of service.

Starting early has its advantages

Employee contributions

You may contribute as much as 100% of your annual includible compensation up to the maximum IRS contribution limit. 

You may increase or decrease the amount you contribute to the plan as often as your employer allows.

Includible compensation is not reduced by elective salary reduction contributions to the 403(b) program or other plans sponsored by CPS.

2025 contribution limit

Your contribution limit for 2025 is $23,500.

Catch-up contributions

You are eligible for catch-up contributions if you meet the following: 

2025 catch - up contributions

> An additional $3,000 if you have 15 more years of service and have undercontributed in prior years, and 

> An additional $7,500 if you are age 50 or older.

Stop/change contributions

If you would like to stop or change your contribution rate, please submit a completed Salary Reduction Agreement to Human Resources.

Employer contributions

The College of Idaho will match a percentage of the elective deferrals of each eligible employee. The College of Idaho will determine the uniform matching percentage to be contributed periodically. Currently, The College of Idaho will match 100% of your deferral up to a maximum of 7% of your compensation (i.e., if you defer 3%, The College of Idaho will contribute 3%; if you defer 10%, The College of Idaho will contribute 7%).

Vesting

You are immediately 100% vested in your own contributions and in employer matching contributions made to your account.

Accessing your money

Withdrawals

Your plan was established to encourage long-term savings, so withdrawals prior to age 59½ may be subject to federal restrictions and a 10% federal early withdrawal tax penalty. The following events may qualify you to withdraw vested amounts without incurring a 10% federal early withdrawal tax penalty:

  • Reaching age 59½
  • Severance from employment at or after age 55
  • Your death or total disability
  • Payments that start after you sever from employment if paid at least annually in equal or close to equal amounts over your life or life expectancy (or the lives or joint life expectancy of you and your beneficiary)

In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires you to take Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) withdrawals from your retirement account(s) annually beginning the year you reach the RMD eligible age. RMD eligible age is:

  • Age 73 if you were born January 1, 1951, or later (The RMD eligible age will increase to age 75 after December 31, 2032)
  • Age 72 if you were born after June 30, 1949, and before January 1, 1951 (For individuals turning age 72 in 2023, no RMD payment is required in 2023)
  • Age 70 ½ if you were born before July 1, 1949.
Distribution options

The retirement plan allows you to take distributions in the following circumstances:

  • From your contributions in the case of hardship, when you attain age 59½, or sever employment
  • From The College of Idaho’s matching contributions when you attain age 59½, or sever employment

In the case of financial hardship, your plan allows for hardship withdrawals from your account while you are employed by The College of Idaho only if you are unable to satisfy the immediate and heavy financial need from other reasonably available resources.

Safe harbor distributions

Safe harbor distribution reasons include:

  • Medical expenses for you, your spouse, or your dependent.

  • Expenses directly related to the purchase of your principal residence, excluding mortgage payments.

  • Tuition-related educational fees, room and board, for post-secondary education for the next 12 months for you, your spouse, or your dependents.

  • Amounts required to prevent eviction from, or foreclosure on, your principal residence.

  • Funeral expenses for your deceased parent, spouse, children, or dependents.

  • Repairs for uninsured or underinsured damage to your home due to theft, fire, storm, or other casualty.

To inquire on your eligibility to receive a hardship withdrawal, please contact the Client Care Center at 1.800.448.2542.

Severance from employment

Depending on your employer’s plan provisions, your withdrawal options include:

  • Transferring your vested account balance over to another tax-advantaged plan that accepts rollovers
  • Electing systematic or partial withdrawals
  • Taking a lump-sum distribution
  • Choosing one of the many annuity options, inside the plan or via rollover
  • Taking the Required Minimum Distributions when required by law

Retirement plans and accounts such as 403(b)s, IRAs, 401(k)s, etc., can be tax deferred regardless of whether or not they are funded with an annuity. Investment in an annuity within a plan does not provide additional tax-deferred treatment of earnings. However, annuities do provide other features and benefits.

Generally, income taxes must be paid on all amounts you withdraw from your plan. Consult your financial professional for more specific information.

Important considerations before deciding to move funds either into or out of a Corebridge Retirement Services account
There are many things to consider. For starters, you will want to carefully review and compare your existing account and the new account, including: fees and charges; guarantees and benefits; and, any limitations under either of the accounts. Also, you will want to know whether a surrender of your current account could result in charges. Your financial professional can help you review these and other important considerations. Consult a tax professional before making a decision to move funds either into or out of a Corebridge account.

Loans

Tax-free loans make it possible for you to access your account, subject to certain limitations, without permanently reducing your account balance. Defaulted loan amounts (not repaid on time) will be taxed as ordinary income and may be subject to a 10% federal early withdrawal tax penalty if you are younger than age 59½.

Participants and former participants may take loans from the plan. Loans may be obtained by calling the Client Care Center at 1.800.448.2542.

RO2767020(03/2023)