Savings Plus Program

Savings Plus is a voluntary program offered by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) and administered by Nationwide Retirement Solutions. This program allows eligible state and CSU employees to save toward retirement by investing pre-tax contributions in tax-deferred investments.

Savings Plus Plan Information

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ELIGIBILITY
With the exception of the following, all employees (including rehired annuitants and FERP participants) are eligible to participate in the Savings Plus program:
- Part-time, seasonal or temporary employees who are contributing mandatorily to the PST (Part-time, Seasonal, Temporary) Retirement Plan are eligible to contribute.
PARTICIPATION
There are 2 deferred compensation plans offered to eligible employees: a 401(k) and a 457. These contributions are made through payroll deductions, prior to federal and state taxes. There is also a Roth (after-tax) 401(k) plan available.

The plan contribution limits that apply to Savings Plus are prescribed under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Sections 401(k) and 457.
- Contributions to a 457 plan are not offset by contributions to a 403(b) or 401(k) plan.
- In 2024, the maximum pre-tax deduction for a 401(k) plan or 403(b) is $23,000, AND $23,000 for a 457 Plan, for a total contribution of up to $46,000.
- There is no employer matching contribution
ENROLLMENT
- Go to the CalHR Savings Plus Program official website to learn about the program, maximum contributions amounts, catch-up allowances and administration of the program.
- Follow the steps to enroll online.
- Enrollment and changes are handled between employee and CalHR.
EFFECTIVE

All plan participants must complete an online application in order to start payroll deductions toward their account.

Once the account is established, plan participant changes can be made via Savings Plus Voice Response Unit or website. Transactions made as late as 1:00 p.m. on the last business day of the month will be processed with the next pay period. For example, a change initiated on August 30th, will be processed during the September pay period, and the contribution will be deducted from the October 1 pay warrant.

Additional Information/Resources

For additional information regarding this program, including maximum contribution amounts, catch-up allowances, and administration of the Savings Plus Program, refer to the Savings Plus website or contact Savings Plus at (855) 616-4776.