The UNT System offers the University of North Texas, University of North Texas Health Science Center, University of North Texas at Dallas and University of North Texas System Administration employees the opportunity to save for retirement by participating in the UNTS Voluntary 403(b) and 457 Plans.
403b Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan
You can participate in the 403b plan by making pre-tax contributions. You are eligible to participate in this plan, whether or not you are actively contributing to it.
Not yet contributing to the 403(b) Plan?
- To start your contributions to the 403b plan, register online. Once registered, log in to your UNTS Voluntary 403(b) Plan.
- Choose your Plan Vendor(s).
- Once you have logged on to your account, you can choose which vendor(s) to direct your TSA contributions. You must also make investment elections with your chosen vendor(s).
- Click here for step-by-step instructions for enrolling in the 403(b) plan. UNTS ORP-TSA Enrollment Instructions
Already contributing to the 403(b) Plan?
If you are currently contributing to the 403(b) Plan, you may be able to increase your pre-tax contributions. You may also decrease or stop contributions by logging in to your account. When logged in to your plan via www.netbenefits.com/unts:
- Click on “View Summary” next to your balance
- In the “Contributions” box, click “Show More” and then “Change Contributions”
- Click “Contributions Amount”
- Update to the desired amount (this is a monthly amount)
- Click “Change”
Vendor contact information:
- Fidelity 1-800-343-0860
- TIAA 1-800-842-2252
- AIG 1-800-448-2542
- Voya 972-643-6304
Click here for contact information for area vendor representatives (for personalized service).
457 “Texa$aver” Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan
The UNT System also offers UNT, UNTHSC, UNT Dallas and UNT System employees the opportunity to save for retirement by participating in the Texa$aver 457 plan administered by Empower for ERS.
You can participate in this plan by making pre-tax or after-tax (Roth) contributions, or both. You are eligible to participate in this plan, whether or not you are actively contributing to it.
Interested in participating in the Texa$aver 457 Plan? Register here. Then, choose your contribution amount, pre- or post- tax, and investment options. The enrollment wizard will walk you through the process.
Texa$aver is a low-cost program.
- Texa$aver offers you investment products that are competitively priced compared to many retail mutual funds, with low investment fees.
- Additional information about the 457 plan can be found here.
- Find Texa$aver contact info here or read more about the benefits of this plan on the ERS site.
Contribution Rules and Limits for Calendar Year 2026
Effective January 1, 2026, a new Roth 403b Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan (Roth 403b) was added as another great option for University of North Texas System (UNTS) employees to save for retirement. Now employees may choose to make either pre-tax or after-tax (Roth) contributions to both the 403b and 457 Voluntary Retirement Plans. Employees may enroll at any time and more information, to include instructions on how to enroll, can be found above under the 403b Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan section. Please contact any of the retirement plan vendors listed above if you need assistance with enrollment, or contact Fidelity, TIAA, Voya or Corebridge Financial Advisors assigned to the UNTS ORP and 403b Retirement Plans if you would like assistance with making contribution or investment choices.
Important Note: The retirement plan providers have stated that any participant who makes contributions in excess of the standard annual limit to either the 403b or 457 Voluntary Retirement Plans and is subject to the New Mandatory Roth Catch-up FICA Wage Limit, will be considered to have made a deemed Roth contribution. Therefore, employees are highly encouraged to closely monitor their monthly contributions to ensure accuracy and compliance keeping in mind that it normally takes one to two pay periods to start, change or stop a contribution amount.
Remember, it is never too late to begin saving for retirement and UNTS employees have never had more available options or resources than you have now to help you reach your retirement goals. For any additional questions not answered in the listed resources or information above, please send an email to HRBenefits@untsystem.edu.
| Type of Limit | General Description | 2026 | 2025 |
|
402(g) Elective Salary Deferral Limit |
The standard maximum amount of pre-tax and after-tax (Roth) contributions that can be made to 403b or 457 Plans within a calendar year. Often referred to as the “standard contribution limit”. | $24,500 | $23,500 |
|
“Age 50 Catch-Up” Contribution Limit |
An additional contribution amount that employees who attain age 50, or above during the calendar year may make to 403b and 457 Plans. Special conditions may apply. | $8,000 | $7,500 |
|
Age 60, 61, 62, or 63 “Super Catch-Up” Contribution Limit |
An additional contribution amount that employees who attain age 60, 61, 62 or 63 during the calendar-year may make to 403b and 457 Plans. Special conditions may apply. | $11,250 | $11,250 |
| 403b Special 15 Years of Service Catch-Up Limit | An additional “Special 403b Catch-Up” contribution amount for employees who have at least 15 years of service with certain educational and other qualifying organizations. This catch-up cannot exceed $15,000 cumulatively over the lifetime of the 403(b) participant ($3,000 per year for five years). Special conditions may apply. | $3,000 | $3,000 |
| 415 Annual Limit | The combined annual calendar limit of all ORP contributions (both employee and employer), and 403b contributions (both pre-tax and after-tax). Does not include 457 contributions. | $72,000 | $70,000 |
|
457 Special Catch-Up Limit (Note: The stated maximum contribution limit may be subject to a reduction based on a participant’s contribution history.) |
A “Special 457 Catch-Up” for employees participating in an eligible 457 plan who have elected the special catch-up available in the three years prior to the year of “normal retirement age”. For institutions of higher education whose primary retirement is Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), the normal retirement age shall be considered to be when the employee is, or would have been eligible to retire under TRS. Special conditions may apply. | $49,000 | $47,000 |
| New Mandatory Roth Catch-Up FICA Wage Limit | In accordance with The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Act of 2022 (SECURE 2.0), effective January 1, 2026, catch-up contributions are required to be made on an after-tax (Roth) basis for all employees whose FICA wages (from the same employer) were greater than the “Mandatory Roth Catch-Up FICA Wage Limit in the preceding calendar year. | $150,000 | $145,000 |
Compare the 403b and 457 Plans:
Check out this comparison of the plans to help you decide between the two Voluntary Retirement Savings Plan options:
You can participate in both the 403b and 457 plans simultaneously.
The IRS publishes tax sheltering limits annually.