Welcome to the St. Joseph's / Candler Retirement Savings Plan. Your Defined Contribution Plan offers several advantages to help you create a successful retirement.

STARTING A 401(k) IS EASY. Once you enroll, your retirement savings contributions are automatically deducted on a pre-tax basis from your paycheck. No checks to write or deposits to worry about.

A 401(k) REDUCES YOUR CURRENT TAXES. The money you put into your Defined Contribution Plan reduces your current taxable income dollar-for-dollar. As a result, you will pay less tax each pay period.

A 401(k) POTENTIALLY INCREASES YOUR EARNINGS. Since you do not have to pay taxes on your savings until you take the money out of the Defined Contribution Plan, your retirement savings nest egg has the potential to grow faster.

TAKE ACTION - ENROLL TODAY!

Call 912-819-2443 or use the Contact Us / Our Location page to request an appointment to enroll in the Defined Contribution Plan.         

*Any discussion of taxes is for general informational purposes only, does not purport to complete or cover every situation, and should not be construed as legal, tax, or accounting advice. Clients should confer with their qualified legal, tax, and accounting advisors as appropriate.*  

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 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

AM I ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN?  You are eligible to participate in your 401(k) Retirement Pension Plan if you are at least 18 years of age.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PRE-TAX SAVINGS?  Contributing to the 401(k) Retirement Plan in pre-tax dollars is a powerful advantage because it reduces your current taxable income every year and your investment contributions and earnings are not taxed until you make a withdrawal. It is also simplified, as your investment contributions will be automatically deducted from your paycheck and deposited into your account.

HOW MUCH INCOME CAN I CONTRIBUTE?  The Internal Revenue Code limits the amount you can contribute in pre-tax dollars each calendar year. The current federal limit is $19,000. If you have questions about this limit, please contact us.

If you are age 50 or older in 2019, you can contribute an additional "catch-up" contribution of $6,000. If you are eligible for and wish to make these additional catch-up investment contributions, contact us or your 401(k) Plan Administrator.

CAN I ROLL OVER MONEY FROM ANOTHER RETIREMENT PLAN?  If you have an existing qualified retirement plan account with a prior employer or a rollover IRA, you may transfer or rollover all or some of that account into your employer sponsored retirement plan on becoming a participant in the plan. By doing so, you avoid current income tax liability on the amount distributed. Moreover, your money can continue to accumulate on a tax-deferred basis.

DOES ST. JOSEPH'S / CANDLER OFFER A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 401(k) PLAN?  One of the best features of the Retirement Savings Plan is the Employer Contribution. Your Employer will match 50% of each dollar you contribute, on the first 6% of pay that you defer to your 401(k) Plan.

You must have one full year of service and be at least 21 years of age to be eligible to receive the matching contribution.

WHAT IS VESTING AND HOW DOES IT WORK?  The term "vesting" refers to ownership of the money contributed to your retirement account. You are always 100% vested in the money you contribute, which includes any rollover or transfer contributions you are allowed to make to your retirement plan, in addition to any earnings on that money. Consult with your 401(k) Plan Administrator or refer to your Summary Plan Description for details.

You are 100% vested after three years of service on the value of your Employer's contributions.

HOW DO I DIRECT MY INVESTMENTS?  You may choose from a range of funding options to direct your contributions. Learn more about your 401(k) Plan's investment selections by requesting a current Prospectus Kit for your retirement savings plan's investment options. You may change your allocation among the funding options for future and current contributions at any time. If you have additional questions or would like some help determing your risk tolerance and proper asset allocation, please contact your representative.

CAN I TAKE A LOAN AGAINST MY ACCOUNT?  Loans are permitted. The amount you may borrow is limited by rules under the Internal Revenue Code and your employer's 401(k). You are permitted a maximum of one outstanding loan, per account, at a time. The minimum loan allowed for your plan is $1,000. Please refer to your Summary Plan Description for details.

Under Internal Revenue Code limitations, the maximum allowable outstanding loan balance is the lesser of 50% of your account balance or $50,000. Your plan restricts access to employee contributions only. 

CAN I WITHDRAW MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT?  Since your 401(k) Plan is designed primarily to help you save for retirement, the IRS has placed restrictions on when money may be withdrawn from your account before you retire. You may withdraw money from your retirement pension account under the following circumstances with no tax penalties.

Termination of Employment -- You may receive all of your contributions and the vested amount of any employer contributions, as well as income earned on those contributions, on termination of employment.  Additional requirements may apply.

Death -- Any account balance that a participating employee has at death will be paid to his or her designated beneficiaries, as outlined in the Beneficiary Designation Form on file with your employer's 401(k) Plan Administrator.

Your Summary Plan Description provides more details about making withdrawals from your 401(k) Plan.  To obtain a copy, contact your Plan Administrator. Always consult a tax advisor or investment professional about the income tax consequences of any withdrawals.

Ordinary Federal Income taxes generally apply to withdrawals. Federal Income tax rules generally prohibit withdrawals prior to age 59 1/2. Where withdrawals are allowed, a 10% tax penalty may apply.

WHAT IF I NEED MONEY IN AN EMERGENCY?  Hardship withdrawals are available subject to IRS rules. In addition, hardship withdrawals are subject to ordinary income tax and a 10% penalty if you are under the age of 59 1/2. You should see your 401(k) Plan Administrator for more details.

ARE THERE COSTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM?  There are no administrative fees associated with the Defined Contribution Plan assessed to the participant. Mutual Fund companies may assess certain annual fees and expenses. For more information regarding fees, please read each mutual fund prospectus carefully. 

HOW DO I OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT MY ACCOUNT?  Each quarter, you will receive a personal account statement with a detailed summary of all activity including: account transactions and history, ending account balance, and vesting information. You can contact us virtually anytime either over the phone or on the web for further assistance. You can also login to your account online at www.mlr.metlife.com .

*This is only a summary of St. Joseph's Candler Retirement Savings Plan provisions; the official 401(k) Plan document governs the administration of the Defined Contribution Plan and is available through the Human Resources Department. In general, if any conflicts occur between the information found on this website and the Retirement Plan documents that define the 401(k) Plan, the Plan documents will govern.* 

*Withdrawals are subject to payment of ordinary income taxes, and, if made before age 59 1/2, will be subject to a 10% IRS penalty.*

*Any discussion of taxes is for general informational purposes only, does not purport to complete or cover every situation, and should not be construed as legal, tax, or accounting advice. Clients should confer with their qualified legal, tax, and accounting advisors as appropriate.*