What Is a 457 Plan?

A 457 plan is a tax-advantaged retirement savings plan offered to employees of many state and local governments and some nonprofit organizations. Like the better-known 401(k) plan in the private sector, the 457 plan allows employees to deposit a portion of their pre-tax earnings in an account, reducing their income taxes for the year while postponing the taxes due until the money is withdrawn after they retire. A Roth version of the 457 plan, which allows after-tax contributions, may be allowed at the employer's discretion. There are two main types of 457 plans:

• The 457(b): This is the most common 457 plan and is offered to state and local government employees and nonprofits. It is a retirement savings plan that offers tax advantages to participants.
• The 457(f): This plan is offered only to highly compensated executives in tax-exempt organizations. It is a supplement to the 457(b) and it is, essentially, a deferred salary plan.

Types of 457 Plans

As noted, the 457 plan comes in two flavors, the 457(b) and the 457(f).

The 457(b) Plan

The 457(b) plan is most often offered to civil servants, police personnel, and other employees of government agencies, public services, and nonprofit organizations such as hospitals, churches, and charitable organizations. It is similar to a 401(k). Participants set aside a percentage of their salary into a retirement account. The employees choose how their money is invested from a list of options, mostly mutual funds and annuities.

The account grows in value without being taxed over the years. When the employee retires, taxes will be due on the amount withdrawn.

Employees are allowed to contribute up to 100% of their salary, provided it does not exceed the dollar limit set for the year.

457(b) Contribution Limits

As of 2023, employees can contribute up to $22,500 per year to 457 plans. This limit increases to $23,000 for 2024.

In some cases, workers are allowed to contribute even more. For example, if an employer permits catch-up contributions, workers over the age of 50 may pay in an additional $7,500 a year, making their maximum contribution limit $30,000 ($22,500 + $7,500) in 2023. The catch-up contribution remains at $7,500 for tax year 2024, making the maximum contribution limit $30,500 ($23,000 + $7,500).

Also, 457(b) plans feature a "double limit catch-up" provision. This is designed to allow participants who are nearing retirement to compensate for years in which they did not contribute to the plan but were eligible to do so.

In this case, employees who are within three years of retirement age may contribute up to $45,000 in 2023 and up to $46,000 in 2024. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of a 457(b) Plan

The 457(b) plan has all of the advantages of a 401(k), although there are some differences.

Advantages of a 457(b)

Tax Benefits

If a traditional rather than a Roth plan is chosen, the contributions are deducted from an employee's paycheck on a pre-tax basis. That amount is subtracted from the employee's gross income, effectively lowering the person's taxes paid for that year. For example, if Alex earns $4,000 per month and contributes $700 to a 457(b) plan, Alex's taxable income for the month is $3,300.

Employees invest their contributions in their choice or choices from a selection of annuities and mutual funds.

All interest and earnings generated from year to year remain untaxed until the funds are withdrawn.

Withdrawals Without Penalty

There is one big difference between the 457(b) and other tax-advantaged retirement plans: no penalty for early withdrawals in some circumstances.

If an employee retires early or resigns from the job for any reason, the funds can be withdrawn without incurring a 10% penalty from the IRS. Early withdrawals from most retirement plans are subject to the penalty except for certain hardship reasons. (The penalty was waived for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.) 

A 457(b) account holder can take a penalty-free withdrawal without changing jobs, like a 401(k) account holder. The list of acceptable reasons, however, is limited to "unforeseeable emergencies."

Exceptions to the Rules

Early withdrawals from a 457(b) are subject to the 10% penalty if the account holder rolls the funds over from a 457 to any other tax-advantaged retirement account, such as a 401(k). This would happen if, for example, a government employee quit to take a job in the private sector.

In addition, anyone who takes money out of a retirement account early must keep in mind that any income taxes due on that money will be owed in the year that the withdrawal is taken.

Disadvantages of a 457(b) Plan

One potential advantage of most tax-advantaged retirement savings plans is the employer match. An employer may choose to match some portion of an employee's contribution to the plan. An employer who matches the first 3% of the employee's contribution, for example, is presenting the employee with a 3% raise.

Employer Match Is Rare

Employers can match their employees' contributions to a 457(b) but, in practice, most don't.

If they do, the employer contribution counts toward the maximum contribution limit. This is not the case for 401(k) plans.

For instance, in 2023, if an employer contributes $10,000 to a 457(b) plan, the employee can add only $12,500 for the year until the $22,500 contribution limit is reached (except for those eligible to use the catch-up option).

457(b) vs. 403(b)

The 403(b) plan, like the 457(b), is mostly available to public service employees. They are a particularly common benefit offered to public school teachers.

The 403(b) has its origins in the 1950s when it exclusively offered an annuity to participants. Participants still have the option of creating an annuity but they also can choose to invest in mutual funds.

In fact, the 403(b) has changed over the years until it closely resembles the private sector's 401(k) plan, although the investment choices offered to participants are relatively limited.

The annual contribution limits are identical to those of the 457(b) and 401(k) plans.

If you're a public employee, your employer may well offer a 457(b) or a 403(b).