You’ve served the community. Now let’s make sure your retirement serves you.
Navigating a 403(b) isn’t like managing a corporate 401(k). Between “Approved Vendor” lists, high-fee annuities, and confusing insurance products, it’s easy to feel lost. Whether you are changing school districts, moving hospitals, or retiring, we help you cut through the noise and build a plan focused on growth, not hidden fees.
Your Mission is Noble. Is Your Portfolio Efficient?
Many 403(b) participants unknowingly hold accounts laden with “surrender charges” and administrative fees that eat away at the decades of hard work they’ve invested.
As your 403(b) Transition Specialists, we help you audit your past and present accounts to ensure you are capturing every dollar you deserve.
1. The Mid-Career Pivot: The “Annuity Escape” & Consolidation
For teachers and staff moving to a new district or employer.
If you have taught at three different schools, you might have three different 403(b) accounts with three different insurance companies.
- The “Fee Audit”: We analyze your old accounts to expose hidden mortality, expense, and administrative fees often found in older 403(b) contracts.
- Surrender Charge Analysis: Many 403(b) products lock your money up for years. We calculate the exact math to see if it makes sense to move now or wait, ensuring you don’t lose money on exit penalties.
- Consolidation: We help you combine scattered accounts into a single, transparent IRA or your current employer’s plan, giving you one login and lower costs.
2. The Retirement Pivot: Pension Coordination
For those within 5-10 years of retirement.
Your 403(b) doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it usually sits next to a pension (like STRS or PERS).
- The Pension Gap: Your pension covers the basics, but it rarely keeps up with inflation. We structure your 403(b) specifically to handle the rising costs of healthcare and travel that your pension won’t cover.
- Tax Control: Pensions are taxable income. We design a withdrawal strategy from your 403(b) that manages your tax bracket so you don’t tip into a higher rate unnecessarily.
Why Work With a 403(b) Specialist?
Corporate advisors often don’t understand the specific “insurance” nature of many 403(b) plans.
| Feature | The Generalist Approach | The 403(b) Specialist Approach |
| Investment Vehicles | Treats it like a generic 401(k). | Understands the difference between mutual fund custodial accounts and annuity contracts. |
| Fees | Ignores the fine print. | Identifies “Surrender Charges” and “Mortality & Expense” fees immediately. |
| Paperwork | “Call the 1-800 number.” | We coordinate directly with the vendors (TIAA, AXA, Valic, etc.) to push the transfer through. |
FAQ: Common 403(b) Questions
My old 403(b) says I have to pay a fee to leave. Is it worth it? Often, yes. If you are in a high-fee plan (2%+ per year), paying a one-time 5% penalty to move to a low-cost plan can save you tens of thousands of dollars over the next decade. We run the “Break-Even” math for you.
Can I contribute to both a 403(b) and a Roth IRA? Absolutely. In fact, diversifying between “Pre-Tax” (403b) and “Post-Tax” (Roth) is one of the best ways to hedge against future tax hikes.
Ready to untangle your retirement accounts?
Give us a call at (770) 755-1565 or schedule your free consultation above. This service is free for you