457(b) Plan/MA SMART Plan

You may voluntarily defer additional income into the 457(b) plan/MA SMART Plan through Empower Retirement up to the IRS limit of $23,500 if you are under 50 years of age, or $31,000 if you are 50 years or older. New for calendar year 2025, if you are aged 60-63, your limit is $34,750.

The 457(b)/MA SMART Plan also has a Roth option. With the Roth option, your contributions are made with after-tax dollars. Therefore, your contributions are non-taxable when distributed and earnings are also non-taxable, provided that the distribution occurs after age 59 1/2 years, or upon disability or death AND no earlier than 5 tax years after your first Roth 457(b) contribution. 

	Note: Once you click on the above '457(b) Plan Information' image please expand the '5.1  Elective Deferral Retirement Savings Plan' menu and scroll down the page till you see the '457(b) Plan Information'.

To access a 403(b) & 457(b) Comparison Chart, refer to the 403(b) or 457(b) section on the Benefit Summaries page of the website.

If you have questions, feel free to call the Benefits Department in the HR Service Center at 508-856-5260, option 1, option 1 for assistance.