Complimentary 10-Minute 403(b) Checkup

Participate in 403(b) and 457(b) Plans

If you work in a school or a nonprofit, these two plans are often sitting right in front of and available to you. Some may never participate. Some may participate in one and leave the other empty. We will show you how they work, whether traditional or Roth fits, what fees to watch, and the next step you can take, in Hauppauge or by video through Atlas VirtualWealth.

Book Your Complimentary Checkup Pick a 10-Minute Time

No pressure No obligation By video through Atlas VirtualWealth

$24,5002026 elective limit per plan

Two plansSeparate 403(b) and 457(b) limits

10 minutesClear next steps you can use

Don’t Leave This Money on the Table

A 403(b) and a 457(b) are workplace savings plans. Money is deducted from your paycheck. Traditional contributions can lower this year’s taxable wages. Roth contributions, if your plan offers them, are after tax. Qualified Roth withdrawals can come out tax-free later if the holding-period rules are met.

The part some people may miss is simple. If your district or employer offers both plans, the IRS treats the limits as separate. In 2026 that can mean $24,500 in a 403(b) and another $24,500 in a 457(b) before catch-up amounts. Traditional and Roth dollars inside one plan share that same $24,500. You cannot double it by splitting the two.

Opening the account is not the hard part. Choosing a high-fee vendor by default can be. That is the conversation we have in the complimentary 10-minute checkup.

403(b) and 457(b) at a Glance

Educational snapshot for 2026 IRS elective figures. Your employer’s approved vendor list and plan document control the details.

2026 403(b) and 457(b) snapshot. Scroll sideways on a phone if needed.
Topic	403(b)	457(b)
Who it is for	School and nonprofit employees when the employer offers the plan	State and local government employees, and some tax-exempt employers, when the plan is offered
2026 elective limit	$24,500	$24,500, separate from the 403(b)
Age 50+ catch-up	+$8,000 if the plan allows it (ages 50–59 and 64+)	+$8,000 if it is a governmental 457(b) and the plan allows it
Ages 60–63 catch-up	$11,250 instead of the $8,000, if the plan allows it	$11,250 instead of the $8,000, if it is a governmental 457(b) and the plan allows it
Special catch-up	15-year rule may add up to $3,000 a year ($15,000 lifetime) with a qualifying employer	Special pre-retirement catch-up may apply; you generally cannot use it in the same year as the age-50 catch-up
Traditional or Roth	Many plans offer both. They share one elective limit.	Governmental 457(b) plans may offer Roth if the document allows it. Tax-exempt 457(b) plans generally do not.
Leaving the job before 59½	A 10% extra tax can apply to many early withdrawals of taxable amounts	Governmental 457(b) plans generally do not add that 10% extra tax after you separate from service. Ordinary income tax still applies to traditional balances. Roth earnings are tax-free only if the withdrawal is qualified.

Traditional or Roth

This is a tax-timing choice. It is not two extra piles of room under the limit.

Traditional

Goes in before tax. That can lower this year’s taxable wages. Withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income.

Roth

Goes in after tax. It does not lower this year’s W-2. Qualified withdrawals of contributions and earnings can come out tax-free if the plan rules and the five-year clock are met.

Inside one 403(b), traditional and Roth share the $24,500 elective limit. Same rule inside one 457(b). If you have both plans, each plan has its own $24,500.

Not every vendor offers Roth. A governmental 457(b) may offer it. A tax-exempt 457(b) generally does not. Confirm the box on your salary reduction form before payroll starts.

One 2026 catch-up rule matters if you are 50 or older. If your 2025 Social Security wages from that employer were more than $150,000 (W-2 Box 3), age-based catch-up dollars in a 403(b) or governmental 457(b) generally must go in as Roth. The regular $24,500 can still be traditional if the plan allows it. This Roth catch-up rule does not apply to the 403(b) 15-year catch-up or the special 457 pre-retirement catch-up.

How Opening Usually Works

403(b)

Many school districts use a third-party administrator. You pick a vendor from the approved list, sign a salary reduction agreement, and payroll starts the deduction.

The approved list is not a quality ranking. Two vendors on the same list can have very different fees.

457(b)

A 457(b) is opened through the vendor your employer named. For some public employers that is a state or county deferred compensation plan. For others it is a district vendor.

Confirm with payroll or benefits that the plan is actually offered before you fill out paperwork.

Atlas Benefits Advisor is not the plan sponsor and does not process your district’s enrollment form. We help you read the fees, compare the approved choices, and walk away with a next step you can use.

How the Complimentary Checkup Works

Bring a statement if you have one. If you do not, bring the name of your district or employer. Ten minutes. No pitch.

Share Your Situation

Tell us where you work, whether the account would be traditional or Roth, and whether you already have a plan.

Review Your Benefits

We look at fees, approved vendors, Roth availability, and whether opening the second plan is even on the table.

Leave With Next Steps

You leave with something you can use: a form to request, a fee to check, or a reason to wait.

Book Your Complimentary 10-Minute Checkup

No pressure. No obligation. Christopher J. Vargas, LUTCF®, has worked with Long Island educators and nonprofit professionals since 2004.

Prefer to skip the form? Pick a time, call, or text.

Pick a 10-Minute Time Call (631) 389-2358 Text (631) 904-0901

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday by appointment only. Meet in Hauppauge or by video through Atlas VirtualWealth. Call is voice only.

Who This Page Is For

Educators and School Employees

Teachers, aides, custodians, administrators, and district office staff who can use a 403(b) and often a 457(b) next to a pension.

Nonprofit, Healthcare, and First Responders

Hospital and nonprofit households that stack a 403(b) and 457(b), plus officers reviewing deferred compensation beside a pension. Meet by video through Atlas VirtualWealth.

Atlas Benefits Advisor explains your options in plain language so you can decide what fits. Planning and investment management are primarily fee-based. Insurance and annuity recommendations may be commission-based when appropriate. Every compensation detail is disclosed before a recommendation.

What to Bring to the Checkup

Ten minutes goes farther when you have the paperwork in hand. If you have none of this yet, still book. We can walk through how to open the account.

A recent 403(b) or 457(b) statement, if you already have an account
Your district, hospital, or employer name
Whether you want traditional, Roth, or you are not sure
The approved vendor list from payroll or OMNI, if you have it

Helpful Resources

Complimentary 10-Minute 403(b) CheckupBook the same short review this page leads to. How 457(b) Plans WorkSeparate limits, withdrawals, and catch-up rules. 403(b) vs. 457(b) Key DifferencesSide-by-side on eligibility and withdrawals. Educator Benefits ChecklistFees, pension questions, and group life. Atlas VirtualWealthA longer complimentary Atlas VirtualWealth session. No commute. Life and Disability CheckupA short educational review of coverage you already have.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open both a 403(b) and a 457(b)?

Yes, if your employer offers both. The 457(b) contribution limit is separate from the 403(b) limit, so many educators and public employees can contribute to each plan in the same year. Availability is set by your district or employer.

What is the 2026 contribution limit?

For 2026, the elective deferral limit is $24,500 for a 403(b) and $24,500 for a 457(b). Traditional and Roth contributions inside one plan share that limit. Age 50+ catch-up is $8,000 per plan if the plan allows it. Ages 60–63 use $11,250 instead of the $8,000, not both. Plan rules control which catch-ups you can use.

Can I use Roth in a 403(b) or 457(b)?

Yes, if your plan offers Roth. Many 403(b) vendors do. Governmental 457(b) plans may offer Roth if the plan document allows it. Tax-exempt 457(b) plans generally do not. Roth goes in after tax. Qualified withdrawals can come out tax-free if the holding-period rules are met.

Do I have to use Roth for catch-up contributions in 2026?

Only if you are using an age-based catch-up and your 2025 Social Security wages from that employer were more than $150,000 (W-2 Box 3). Then catch-up dollars in a 403(b) or governmental 457(b) generally must go in as Roth. The regular $24,500 can still be traditional if the plan allows it. This rule does not apply to the 403(b) 15-year catch-up or the special 457 pre-retirement catch-up.

How do I actually open the account?

Many school districts use a third-party administrator such as OMNI for the 403(b). You choose an approved vendor, complete a salary reduction agreement, and contributions come out of your paycheck. A 457(b) is opened through the vendor your employer named. We walk through fees and next steps in the complimentary 10-minute checkup, including through Atlas VirtualWealth. Your employer processes the enrollment paperwork.

Is the 10-minute checkup really complimentary?

Yes. There is no pressure and no obligation to buy any product or service.

Do I need a statement before we talk?

Bring a statement if you already have a 403(b) or 457(b). If you have not opened one yet, that is fine. We can still walk through how opening usually works at your district and what to watch for in fees.

Who does Atlas Benefits Advisor help?

K-12 educators, school employees, and nonprofit professionals, plus healthcare workers and first responders and the families in those households. Checkups and Atlas VirtualWealth sessions are available by video through Atlas VirtualWealth.

Book Your Complimentary Checkup

Ten minutes. No pressure. No obligation. Meet in Hauppauge or by video through Atlas VirtualWealth.