Retirement Plans
Dartmouth offers several ways to save for retirement: the employer-funded 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan, the voluntary Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA), and, for eligible highly compensated employees, the 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan. Two older plans, the Defined Benefit Plan and the 403(b) Defined Contribution Plan, are closed to new enrollees but still serve existing participants.
You have the option of investing your contributions with Fidelity, TIAA, or both. The funds offered at each investment provider are the same, except TIAA includes an annuity option. You'll need to select an investment company and funds for each plan before your contributions start.
Whichever plans you participate in, you manage your contributions and investment company at NetBenefits.
Fidelity
Customer Service: (800) 343-0860
netbenefits.com
TIAA
Customer Service: (800) 842-2252
tiaa.org
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What's Changing for 2027 Overview and IRS Limits 401(a) Plan SRA 457(b) Plan Faculty Retirement Option Legacy Plans Financial Counseling
What's Changing for 2027
- 2027 IRS contribution limits for the SRA and 457(b) plans are not available yet. The IRS typically releases them in October or November, and this page will be updated when they are.
Overview and IRS Limits
Annual Contribution Limits
The IRS released the 2026 limits on November 13, 2025. Next year's limits are usually released in October or November.
| Age before the end of the year | 2026 limit | 2027 limit |
|---|---|---|
| Under 50 | $24,500 | TBD |
| 50 to 59 | $32,500 | TBD |
| 60 to 63 (Super Catch-Up) | $35,750 | TBD |
| 64 and older | $32,500 | TBD |
Designated Roth Catch-Up Contributions: For SRA participants 50 and older, pre-tax and Roth after-tax contributions above $24,500 are catch-up contributions.
If your 2025 FICA wages (Box 3 on your W-2) were $150,000 or more, your catch-up amount ($8,000 or $11,250, depending on your age) must be classified as Roth. You don't need to change your election. Dartmouth monitors contributions throughout the year and applies the Roth classification automatically if required.
The FICA wage threshold may change each year when the IRS announces the SRA contribution limits. If so, the changes will be posted here.
Access and Resources
NetBenefits is on a Fidelity platform. It is where all employees elect their contributions and investment company, whether you invest with Fidelity, TIAA, or both. Use it to make changes to your investment companies and your SRA contribution amounts.
All buttons below open PDF files.
NetBenefits User Guide (Enroll and Manage Your Accounts)
401(a) Defined Contribution Plan
This is Dartmouth's employer contribution toward your retirement, based on your age.
Eligibility and Contributions
Benefits-eligible employees age 21 or older are eligible for this plan. Dartmouth contributes on your behalf, ranging from 3% to 9% of your base salary depending on your age. You direct where those contributions are invested, choosing from an approved lineup of funds with Fidelity and/or TIAA.
Vesting
You're vested in your account, meaning you own your account balance, after three years of employment. If you leave Dartmouth before you're vested, you forfeit the account balance.
Who's Not Eligible
Employees currently earning benefits under the Defined Benefit Retirement Plan or the 403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan are not eligible for the 401(a) Plan. Employees who are not benefits-eligible cannot receive 401(a) contributions.
If You Don't Make an Election
If you don't choose Fidelity, TIAA, or both, or select your investment funds within 30 days of becoming eligible, your contributions will be invested in the Vanguard Target Date Fund at Fidelity that most closely matches your expected retirement year. If this happens, you may change your investment company and funds at any time.
Plan Documents
All buttons below open PDF files.
Defined Contribution Plan Summary Plan Description 401(a) Annual Fee Disclosure
Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA)
The SRA is a voluntary 403(b) plan. Contributions can be pre-tax and/or Roth (after-tax), and you are immediately vested.
How It Works
You can contribute to an SRA up to the allowable IRS limits, on a pre-tax and/or Roth basis. Start, change, or stop your contributions at any time. You direct your contributions to an approved lineup of funds with Fidelity and/or TIAA, and you're immediately vested, so you always own your account balance.
NetBenefits is on a Fidelity platform, so you elect your contributions there whether you invest with Fidelity, TIAA, or both.
Rollovers from Other Retirement Plans
The SRA accepts rollovers from prior employers' retirement plans. If you would like to move your other retirement accounts to Dartmouth, contact Fidelity or TIAA for rollover instructions.
SRA Contribution Limits
See the contribution limits table above for the limits by age.
The SRA contribution limit is an individual limit, not an employer limit. If you contribute to another employer's retirement plan in the same calendar year, all contributions count toward your one individual limit.
Designated Roth Catch-Up Contributions: For SRA participants 50 and older, contributions above $24,500 are catch-up contributions. If your 2025 FICA wages were $150,000 or more, your catch-up amount must be classified as Roth (after-tax). Dartmouth monitors and applies this automatically, so no action is needed on your part. The FICA wage threshold may change each year when the IRS announces the SRA contribution limits. If so, the changes will be posted here.
If You Don't Make an Election
If you don't choose Fidelity, TIAA, or both, or select your investment funds before you start participating, your contributions will be invested in the Vanguard Target Date Fund at Fidelity that most closely matches your expected retirement year. If this happens, you may change your investment company and investment funds at any time.
Loan Policy
You may apply for a loan against your SRA balance from one or both of the investment providers holding your account (Fidelity and/or TIAA). You may be approved for a loan if you meet the requirements in the SRA Loan Policy.
All buttons below open PDF files.
Plan Documents
All buttons below open PDF files.
SRA Summary Plan Description SRA Annual Fee Disclosure
457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan
The 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan is a non-qualified plan for eligible highly compensated employees. It lets you defer a portion of your compensation, up to allowable IRS limits. Eligibility is based on a salary threshold determined each year, and newly eligible employees are notified individually.
The 2026 contribution limit set by the IRS for eligible employees is $24,500. Next year's limits are usually released in October or November.
All buttons below open PDF files.
457(b) User Guide (Enrollment) 457(b) Program Description
Faculty Retirement Option (FRO)
The Faculty Retirement Option is designed for eligible faculty members who want to make a gradual transition from full-time employment to retirement over a period of three years. Eligible faculty are contacted individually each fall.
All buttons below open PDF files.
FRO Fact Sheet FRO Program Description
Legacy Plans (Closed to New Enrollees)
The Defined Benefit Plan and the 403(b) Defined Contribution Plan are for existing participants only.
Defined Benefit Retirement Plan
A traditional pension plan funded entirely by employer contributions and is closed to new enrollees. Employees who are already participating continue to earn benefits under this plan.
All buttons below open PDF files.
Defined Benefit Summary Plan Description Defined Benefit Annual Funding Notice Defined Benefit Beneficiary Designation Form
403(b) Defined Contribution Retirement Plan
This plan was closed to new enrollees on December 31, 1988, and is funded through Dartmouth's contributions. Employees currently earning benefits under this plan are not eligible for the 401(a) Plan.
The Defined Contribution Plan Summary Plan Description covers both the 401(a) and the 403(b) plans, with specific call-outs for the 403(b).
All buttons below open PDF files.
Defined Contribution Plan Summary Plan Description 403(b) Annual Fee Disclosure
Financial Counseling and Contacts
Individual financial counseling sessions with Fidelity or TIAA representatives are available to all Dartmouth employees, in person, by video conference, or by phone, at no cost to you.
| Provider | Schedule a session | By phone | General account service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fidelity | getguidance.fidelity.com | (800) 642-7131 | (800) 343-0860 | netbenefits.com |
| TIAA | tiaa.org/schedulenow | (800) 732-8353 | (800) 842-2252 | tiaa.org |
Need help? Contact Benefits | Benefit Plan Cost Estimator | Access Your Retirement Accounts (NetBenefits)
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