Rice University offers all paid employees the opportunity to contribute to a 403(b). If the salary reduction is made with pre-tax dollars, the earnings accumulate on a tax-deferred basis. If the salary reduction is made on a post-tax basis in a Roth 403(b), the salary reduction and growth are not taxable when you withdraw them. You choose how to invest the funds based on your risk tolerance. Please review and select your investment options, and designate a beneficiary (see below) for your investments.
Enroll in the 403(b) Retirement Plan
To enroll in the 403(b) and or change your current election, you will need to visit the NetBenefits website. This user guide may be helpful. If you wish to designate your beneficiary and investment options at the time the account is created, please also complete your application for either:
Click on the "TIAA" or the "Fidelity Investments" link above for the electronic application that you may complete to set up your account.
Auto-enrollment in the 403(b) Plan
All new and re-hired faculty and staff will be automatically enrolled in the pre-tax 403(b) Supplemental Retirement Plan at a 4% contribution rate if no other election is made within 30 days from the date of hire, date of benefits eligibility, and/or the date the Social Security Number is updated, whichever comes later. You may opt out of this enrollment on the Fidelity NetBenefits website; changes may take 1 - 2 pay cycles.
If you wish to opt out, contribute more or less to the plan, you may make this election by visiting the Fidelity NetBenefits website. To help you make the most of your retirement savings, the plan offers tools to help you maximize your contributions through the Maximizer Tool on the Fidelity NetBenefits website. Refer to this guide for step‑by‑step instructions on making the change.
Retirement Plan Record Keeper
Currently, Rice offers TIAA and Fidelity Investments as recordkeepers for the Rice Retirement Plan. Should you not have a preference for a recordkeeper, your default recordkeeper will be Fidelity. If you prefer Fidelity as your record keeper, you don't need to do anything. If you prefer TIAA as your recordkeeper, use the NetBenefits website to make that designation. For both recordkeepers, the default investment is the age-appropriate Vanguard Institutional Target Fund.
This user guide may help navigate the site.
Rice provides these services to assist plan participants in saving for retirement:
- Personal Retirement consultation in a one-on-one setting, either on-site at Rice locations or nearby in the community at no cost to you:
- TIAA: Click the link or make an appointment by calling 800-732-8353
- Fidelity Investments: Click the link or make an appointment by calling 800-343-0860
- Online Tools and Calculators are also available to help you think about your savings level
Contributions
| 2026 IRS Limits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in Calendar Year | Standard Contribution | Catch-Up Contribution | Super Catch-Up Contribution | Total Contribution Limit |
| Under 50 | $24,500 | $24,500 | ||
| 50-59 & 64+ | $24,500 | $8,000 | $32,500 | |
| 60 - 63 | $24,500 | $8,000 | $3,250 | $35,750 |
| *2026 Catch-Up & Super Catch-Up Contributions will be after-tax if your 2025 FICA wages were $150,000+. | ||||
| 2025 IRS Limits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in Calendar Year | Standard Contribution | Catch-Up Contribution | Super Catch-Up Contribution | Total Contribution Limit |
| Under 50 | $23,500 | $23,500 | ||
| 50-59 & 64+ | $23,500 | $7,500 | $31,000 | |
| 60 - 63 | $23,500 | $7,500 | $31,000 | |
You may be eligible for a different type of “catch-up” provision if you have at least 15 years of employment service with the university. By law, we are required to count any age 50+ contributions toward your catch-up contributions before they are counted as age 50+ contributions. Contact a member of your Benefits Team for more information.
Please refer to the 403(b) Plan Document for more details. Please also review the latest 403(b) Plan Summary Annual Report. Previous Summary Annual Reports can be located on the Required Notices page.
Additional Information
- Investment Window
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If you are not satisfied with the investment line-up, or if you are seeking a particular mutual or sector fund, you can also use the Investment Window (or brokerage account). Both TIAA and Fidelity have this option, which will allow you to invest in any mutual fund that is available on that administrator's platform. Remember that Rice will only report on fees and expenses for the Vanguard Institutional Target Fund and the funds identified under each administrator. In a defined contribution plan, it is ultimately your responsibility to monitor and choose funds that meet your particular needs and goals. We provide you with a reasonable list from which to choose, and you also have the ultimate flexibility to choose any available mutual fund on each administrator's platform.
- Rolling Funds Into Your Account
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You may roll in funds from another qualified retirement account into your Rice 403(b) account. You should set up your account directly with TIAA or Fidelity Investments and then initiate the paperwork with the respective provider.
- Loans and Hardship Withdrawals
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The 403(b) plan permits loans and hardship withdrawals in accordance with IRS regulations.
Loans are available from both TIAA and Fidelity. For more information regarding loans, please contact your recordkeeper, TIAA, or Fidelity.
For more information on the IRS hardship provisions, visit the Retirement Plans FAQs page on the IRS website.
It is wise to build a separate savings account for emergencies, as retirement plan funds are not easily accessible and should be used only in a dire emergency.
- Change of Beneficiary
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To change your TIAA beneficiary, please go to TIAA's website and complete the online beneficiary designation.
To change your Fidelity beneficiary, please go to Fidelity's website and complete the online beneficiary designation.
- Complimentary Retirement Planning Services
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Fidelity Investments:
To schedule a meeting with a Fidelity representative on campus, go to www.fidelity.com/atwork/reservations or call 1-800-642-7131.
To schedule an appointment with a member of the Texas Medical Center office of Fidelity Investments, call 800-418-6821 or 800-367-7516. You can also manage your account online at https://www.netbenefits.com/rice (click on "New User Registration" to create your account).
TIAA:
To make a one-on-one appointment with a TIAA representative to review your investments and/or plan for retirement, please go to https://www.tiaa.org/public/tcm/rice.
You can also contact the TIAA Houston office at 832-681-7400 (local) or 866-842-2951 (toll-free).
You can manage your account online at https://www.tiaa.org/public/index.html (click "Sign up for access" near the log-in link to create your account — you will need your contract number to enroll).
403(b) FAQs
- Is my Net ID the same as the one I use for NetBenefits?
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No. If it’s your first time accessing NetBenefits, you will need to register your account.
- How do I change my retirement contribution election or maximize my retirement contributions?
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You may change or terminate elections as often as every pay period, with changes taking effect in 1-2 pay periods. To do so, visit the NetBenefits website. This user guide may be helpful.
The Maximizer Tool can help you reach the IRS limit for the year. See the Maximizer Tool guide for step-by-step instructions on making this update.
To change your investment allocation, please contact the recordkeeper directly (see contact information above).
- How does my marital status affect my request for a hardship loan(s)?
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If you are married, the documentation provided by your specific retirement administrator will require your spouse's signature, and it must either be notarized or witnessed by a Benefits team member.
- I am a former employee; how do I access my retirement account?
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To access your TIAA account, please visit the TIAA website at https://www.tiaa.org/public/tcm/rice.
To access your Fidelity account, please visit the Fidelity website at https://www.fidelity.com/.