Once your client has established a TIAA-CREF Retirement Annuity contract, he or she will be able to remit after-tax
contributions for as long as the Retirement Annuity (RA) remains active. TIAA-CREF will issue an After-Tax Retirement
Annuity (ATRA) for the after-tax contributions. One contract will be issued per participant.
Contributions
A TIAA-CREF After-Tax Retirement Annuity can complement your client's pre-tax savings options by providing
tax-deferred growth potential with a contribution limit of $300,000 to the TIAA Traditional Account.
Allocation Choices
The After-Tax Retirement Annuity will have the same allocation choices available under the original Retirement
Annuity, except for the CREF Inflation-Linked Bond Account.*
Cashability and Tax Issues
Contributions made to the TIAA-CREF After-Tax Retirement Annuity are made on a post-tax basis; therefore taxes
apply only to the interest and earnings at the time of withdrawal. ATRA contracts are not subject to the
minimum distribution requirements at age 70½, however, withdrawals made prior to age 59½ may be subject to
a 10% early withdrawal tax penalty. Funds from the various CREF Accounts and the TIAA Real Estate Account can
be withdrawn as cash; the TIAA Traditional Account allows for cash withdrawals over a ten-year period.
No Transfer Fees
Funds can be transferred between the TIAA and CREF fixed and variable annuity accounts without paying taxes
or transfer fees. Certain transfers between TIAA Accounts and CREF Accounts and between TIAA Accounts and/or
CREF Accounts and external carriers are considered 1035 Exchanges and will require a 1035 Exchange form. Alternate
carriers may apply surrender charges.
No Withdrawal Charges
The TIAA-CREF After-Tax Retirement Annuity has no surrender or withdrawal charges. However, if the
withdrawal is made before age 59½, your client may have to pay a 10% federal tax penalty in addition to
regular income tax on the earnings.
Income Options
ATRA owners have a number of income options available, including:
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Lifetime Annuity Income** -- A series of regular payments continue
throughout your client's life. |
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Transfer Payout Annuity -- TIAA Traditional Account values are paid
out over a ten-year period. |
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Interest-Only Option -- TIAA Traditional Account payments of only
the interest that would otherwise be credited to the TIAA Traditional Account while the
principal remains intact. |
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Systematic Cash Withdrawals -- An option that allows your
client to specify the amount and the frequency of the payments they receive. |
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Cash Withdrawal -- A lump-sum payment of the entire account
balance or any amount of $1,000 or more. |
Death Benefits
Death benefits are paid to the named beneficiary(ies). The amount paid will be the amount in the ATRA at the
time of death.
The following options are available to an individual beneficiary of an ATRA contract:
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Lump Sum |
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Fixed-Period Annuity for 2-30 years, not to exceed the life
expectancy of the beneficiary |
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Life Annuity** |
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Savings & Investment Plan (The begin date for distributions under this option will depend on
the beneficiary type. If a surviving spouse is the sole beneficiary distributions do not have to begin
until the surviving spouse attains age 90. If a non-spouse individual beneficiary or a surviving spouse
who is not the sole beneficiary are named distributions must begin within one calendar year of the original
participant's death.) |
The following options are available to a Trust Beneficiary of an ATRA contract:
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Lump Sum |
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Fixed-Period Annuity for 2-5 years |
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