About

A 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan is a voluntary retirement plan offered by the City of Tacoma, created to allow you to put aside money from each paycheck toward retirement. Contributions are made to the account in your name via payroll deduction for the exclusive benefit of you and your beneficiaries. The value of the account is based on your contributions made and the investment performance over time.

A deferred compensation plan can help bridge the gap between what you have in your pension and Social Security, and how much you'll need in retirement. Depending on what plan you choose, your contributions may be pre-tax or post-tax.  

Pre-tax contributions you make reduce your taxable income for the year. These contributions and all associated earnings are then not subject to Federal tax until you withdraw them. You also may be able to make after-tax Roth contributions which allow for potentially tax-free earnings. 

The annual contribution limit for the Traditional 457 (pre-tax) and Roth 457 (post-tax) combined must adhere to the annual maximum limits.

Investing

You control how your account is invested, choosing from a wide range of options available through the City’s plans.

Withdrawals

Click Here for more information on legislation regarding the CARES Act and SECURE Act and the provisions they provide.

You can make withdrawals from your account when you leave employment with the City and have the ability to take payments as needed or request scheduled automatic payments. You maintain control over your investments and continue to benefit from tax deferral even after you leave.

During employment, subject to the City’s plan and IRS rules, you may also be able to make withdrawals after age 70½ or due to an unforeseeable emergency. A loan option is also available.

Withdrawals are generally taxable but, unlike other retirement accounts, the 10% penalty tax does not apply to distributions prior to age 59½ (the penalty tax may apply to distributions of assets that were transferred to the 457 plan from other types of retirement accounts).

Beneficiaries

You designate directly with your Deferred Compensation vendor, a beneficiary, or beneficiaries, to receive any remaining assets upon your death. Designating beneficiaries can help ensure your assets are paid per your wishes, avoid the potential costs and delays of probate, and allow non-spouse beneficiaries to receive additional tax benefits.

 

Limits and Options

Options	Traditional 457	Roth 457
Pre-tax contributions	Yes	No
Available to all City employees	Yes	Yes
2020 annual contribution limits   If contributing to the Traditional 457 and the Roth 457, annual contribution limit is for both plans combined.   Contributions are payroll deducted from every pay period.	Regular Deferral $19,500   Age 50 Catch-Up $26,000   Pre-Retirement Catch-Up $39,000	Regular Deferral $19,500   Age 50 Catch-Up $26,000   Pre-Retirement Catch-Up $39,000
Matching from the City	Yes Only for Police & Fire	No
Borrowing from your balance	Yes Specific IRS rules apply	No
Tax on post-separation distributions	Yes At the Federal level of 20%	No

Please refer to the plan documents for detailed information or contact the plan representatives listed below.

City Deferred Compensation Rules, Policies and information

Deferred Compensation Plan Document
Deferred Compensation Bylaws
Deferred Compensation Limits 2020 - (Excludes Commissioned Police & Fire)
Deferred Compensation Limits 2020 - Local 6 Only
Deferred Compensation Limits 2020 - Local 26 Only
Deferred Compensation Limits 2020 - Local 31 Only​
Deferred Compensation Limits 2020 - PPSMA Only

 

Employee Self-Service - ESS

Employees are encouraged to make contribution deferral decreases by using ESS which is accessible on any computer connected to the City Network. These changes will take affect immediately.

 

Deferred Comp increases require a paper form which can be found on the benefit forms web page.  All increases will take affect the beginning of the first of the month after we receive the change form.

Employee Self-Service Tutorial

Enrollment and other forms can be found on the benefits forms web page.

If you have any question contact Diane Peterson at (253) 591-5440.

ICMA-RC Visits - Appointments are Recommended

 

ICMA-RC Also visits these others locations by appointment throughout the year, contact the representative for scheduling.

• Center for Urban Waters
• Cowlitz Fish Hatchery
• Cushman Dam
• Green River Headworks
• Municipal Court
• Public Works Fleet Shop
• Public Works Sign Shop
• Tacoma Dome/Convention Center
• Tacoma Public Library
• Tacoma Water
• TV Tacoma
• Wynoochee Dam

Vendor Contacts

ICMA-RC
ICMA-RC is available to all City Employees

ICMA-RC Website

Scott Berry
sberry@icmarc.org
(866) 838-2102

ICMA-RC Get to know your 457​
ICMA-RC Transition Resources

ICMA-RC Online Scheduling for City of Tacoma Employees

Nationwide Retirement Solutions

Available to Local 31 employees only

Nationwide Retirement Solutions website

Mike Ferguson (509) 385-7825

Customer Service 1-877-677-3678

m.ferguson@nationwide.com

Nationwide Roth 457 Investment Guide
Nationwide Learning Center
Nationwide Frontline Plan

Deferred Compensation Board Meetings

Deferred Compensation Meeting Schedule 

May 2020 minutes
April 2020 special meeting minutes
Special Meeting Notice April 2020
February 2020 minutes
December 2019 minutes
October 2019 minutes
May 2019 Minutes
February 2019 Minutes
December 2018 Minutes
September 2018 Special Meeting Minutes
August 2018 Minutes

The City of Tacoma currently offers two dental plans, Delta Dental of Washington, and Willamette Dental.

 

Delta Dental Summary 2020

Delta Dental Summary 2020- Local 6 Only 

Delta Dental of Washington Plan Document  

Delta Dental Privacy Policy
Delta Customer Service 1-800-554-1907  Website

 

Willamette Dental Summary 2020
Willamette Dental Plan Document
Willamette Dental Privacy Policy
Willamette Customer Service 1-855-433-6825 Website

The City of Tacoma provides you with an employer-paid Long Term Disability (LTD) Insurance benefit in the event you become disabled. The LTD benefit provides replacement of some of your income in the event you are not able to work.

In addition to the basic Long Term Disability (LTD) insurance, the City of Tacoma offers access to voluntary employee-paid Supplemental Short and Long Term Disability benefits at group rates for you in the event you become disabled. The Short Term Disability benefit provides replacement of some of your income in the immediate future and can help bridge the gap to LTD. The Supplemental Long Term Disability insurance can provide additional LTD income and can shorten the waiting period for LTD benefit payments to begin. Standard Insurance Long Term Disability Certificate
City Paid-Long Term Disability at a Glance
Optional Long Term Disability at a Glance
Standard Insurance Privacy Notice

About Short Term Disability
Short Term Disability Pregnancy FAQ
Metlife Privacy Notice-Short Term Disability

Through MetLife, all employees and retirees of the City of Tacoma are provided access to a website that is maintained by SmartLegalForms, Inc., a national provider of up-to-date and state compliant estate documents. This important life planning service allows employees, retirees, and/or their spouse to answer a state specific questionnaire to generate a will, living will, power of attorney or HIPAA authorization form. Documents can be saved online and revised at a later time. In addition, reference materials are available to assist in answering any questions. Note that the service does not include any attorney services or legal advice. This is a secure and viable alternative if you are unable to have an attorney prepare these documents.

 

To access this service go to: willscenter.com. Customer support is available at 888-861-1089, Monday - Friday and Saturdays.

The City of Tacoma provides employees a Section 125 Flexible Benefits Spending Plan, which allows for employees to save money on their health and dependent care expenses.  Employees save by setting aside an amount of money per year before taxes are taken out into an account to pay for out-of-pocket health and dependent care expenses.

 

Under the Section 125 Flexible Benefits Spending Plan there are two plan components: Health Flexible Spending Account (Health FSA) and a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (Dependent Care FSA) that is for out-of-pocket day care expenses for a child or adult dependent that cannot care for themselves.

 

Please read this document relating to the 2020 COVID-19 response and allowable changes.
 

Flexible Spending Overview

Flexible Spending Summary Plan Document

The City of Tacoma provides you two forms of employer-paid Life Insurance benefits for you and your designated beneficiaries in the event of your death. You can be secure with the knowledge that your family will be taken care of should you die unexpectedly.

In addition to the basic life and AD&D insurance policies, the City of Tacoma offers access to voluntary employee-paid Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance benefits at group rates, for you and your family members. Life Insurance Certificate
Life Insurance and AD&D Quick Reference

Standard Life Insurance Services Toolkit
Standard Insurance Privacy Notice

 

Travelers Assistance

Travel Assistance helps you cope with emergencies when you travel more than 100 miles from home or internationally for trips of up to 180 days.  Travel assistance can also help you with non-emergencies, such as currency exchange information, inoculation requirements for foreign countries, passport and visa information.  As a participant in the City’s basic life insurance coverage form The Standard, you and your dependent family members are automatically covered.

We encourage you to print and take copies of the flyer with you.

Travel Assistance
Travel Assistance Information & Features

The City of Tacoma currently has two medical carriers, Regence BlueShield and Kaiser Permanente. Employees have the choice at the time of hire or during open enrollment periods to enroll in the Regence BlueShield PPO or High Deductible Plans, or the Kaiser Permanente HMO Plans.

The Kaiser website offers links to general information about the Cooperative, including its health plans, provider and facility directories, newsroom and more. For members, Kaiser offers password-protected access to your medical record, health care provider selection and messaging, an online medical center with information on more than 5,000 health topics, discussion groups, appointment booking, prescription refills, and more.

 

Kaiser Permanente Plan Summary 2020

Kaiser Permanente Plan Book 2020

 

Kaiser Customer Service (888) 901-4636 or website.

The Regence website is designed to help advise Regence members on health care options, lifestyle options, navigate them through the health care system and reward those who make healthier choices. With the  Regence website, members can find all their health-related resources in one place.

 

Regence PPO

Regence Plan Summary 2020

Regence Plan Summary 2020 - Local 6 Only

 

Regence Plan Book 2020

Regence Plan Book 2020 - Local 6 Only

Regence Pharmacy Information - Specialty & Mail Order
Regence Specialty Pharmacy Information

Regence High Deductible Plan information

Regence Plan Summary High Deductible Plan 2020

Regence Plan Summary High Deductible Plan 2020 - Local 6 Only

Regence provides healthcare benefits while you are traveling away from home, within the US or abroad

 

 

For employees who select Regence as their Medical provider, the City of Tacoma provides vision benefits through the Vision Service Plan (VSP). Their phone number is 1-800-877-7195.

To access those providers specific to our plans, be sure to login to the VSP.com website before searching for providers.  Visiting one of these designated providers will help ensure you are getting the maximum benefit available.

Vision Service Plan Certificate
Vision Service Plan (VSP) Summary
Vision Service Plan (VSP) Summary Local 6 ONLY
VSP Privacy Policy

 

For employees who select Kaiser Permanente (Formerly Group Health) as their Medical provider, vision benefits are provided through their Kaiser Permanente Medical Plan.

 

Kaiser Permanente Eye Care Customer Service can be reached by calling (800) 664-9225 or visiting their website.

The City of Tacoma values the health and well-being of our employees. To help promote good health and well-being, we offer the Tacoma Employee Wellness Program – Growing With Better Health – as a fun and engaging resource. This program launched January 1, 2015. The primary focus in the first year was the RedBrick Health Portal which is an online tool that helps employees to develop healthier habits, and in turn, leads to positive behavior changes. Beginning in 2016, there were several new fun and helpful resources/activities added to our wellness program to complement Redbrick and what employees are already doing to live a healthy lifestyle.

Whether you're already living a healthy lifestyle or are just beginning to make some changes, the Tacoma Employee Wellness Program can help empower you to reach your health and wellness goals and earn incentives such as reduced health insurance premiums.

 

For more information on our Employee Wellness Program and quick access to your Redbrick Account, visit the Wellness Website or contact the City's Wellness Coordinator, Shannon Carmody at (253) 591-5200 or wellness@cityoftacoma.org.