How do I check when my 403(b) balance will be 100% vested in Transamerica?

Question

I have a 403(b) plan in Transamerica with a balance that hasn't 100% vested yet. How do I check how long it will take for my balance to be fully vested in a Transamerica 403(b) account?

Answer 1

Talk to your employer's Human Resources department. Ask about their 403(b)'s "vesting schedule." From there you can figure out what dollars vest when based on when you started contributing to the program, etc.

The terms of such things are set by the employer as part of their benefits policy. Companies whose HR departments are on their game will have this information in the Employee Handbook or Benefits Guide.

Answer 2

The employer decides what vesting schedule they want to use, as long at it meets the minimum schedule defined by the law.

There are usually a few places to look:

• HR should have this information. You may have to go to your corporate website to find the right person/office. Many companies put this document right on the corporate intranet or some other document storage system they have. Some companies have places where you can find the documents that explain all the various benefit programs and their related forms.
• It might be on the Transamerica website. If you dig around your account after you log in you should be able to find documents related to your specific corporate program.
• You might have this information. This is usually in the documents they give new employees. It also may be mentioned during open season. Even though those documents focus on the health insurance benefits some employees put updates related to all the corporate benefits into that annual package.

Note: the percentage vested generally doesn't change after your last day of work. Some employers allow an employee to return after a short gap and keep them on the original vesting schedule. The documents should also explain this part.