Inicio de sesión a Principal Financial Group—Cuenta personal en línea

Inicie Sesión al sistema de pago en línea—Solo para uso de tesoreros/personal de finanzas

FIRST-TIME USERS INFO

WPF utilizes the services of Stewardship Technology Inc for making contributions to a participant’s account on a regular basis – our Online Payment System or OPS.

To get your NEW  OPS account started, email or call our office with the following information:
-Ministry Name
-Denomination
-Federal Tax ID
-Address/City/State/Zip
-Phone Number
-Email Address
We will register your account and notify you by email when it’s ready for you to complete the process.

When your account is ready, click on the “Online Payment System Login Returning Users” button on our website. This will take you to the Stewardship Technology site. Bookmark this page for future login. Click on “Create An Account” and follow the screens to complete your username and password setup, along with your employee and bank account information.

Once the initial setup is complete, the system will process your contributions and you will receive a confirmation email when the transaction has completed.

If you later add a new employee to your account, please remember that an enrollment form MUST be completed and mailed or faxed to WPF or downloaded in the OPS before the contribution can be processed to the new employee’s account. If he/she is already a member, please DO NOT send us another enrollment form.

To enroll, please download Enrollment Forms (includes Beneficiary Form) under Forms on this site. Forms are also available in Spanish.

Usuarios por Primera vez

WPF utiliza los servicios de Stewardship Technology Inc para realizar contribuciones a la cuenta de un participante de forma regular: nuestro Sistema de pago en línea o por sus siglas OPS.

Para iniciar su NUEVA cuenta de OPS, envíe un correo electrónico o llame a nuestra oficina con la siguiente información:

-Nombre del Ministerio

-ID de impuestos federales (Federal Tax ID)

-Dirección

-Número de teléfono

-Dirección de correo electrónico

Registraremos su cuenta y le notificaremos por correo electrónico cuando esté listo para que complete el proceso.

Cuando su cuenta esté lista, haga clic en el botón “Usuarios que regresan al inicio de sesióm al Sistema de pago en línea” en nuestro sitio web. Esto lo llevará al sitio de Stewardship Technology. Marque esta página para poder iniciar una futura sesión. Haga clic en “Create an Account” (Crear una cuenta) y siga las pantallas para completar la configuración de su nombre de usuario y contraseña, junto con la información de su empleado y cuenta bancaria.

Una vez que se complete la configuración inicial, el sistema procesará sus contribuciones y recibirá un correo electrónico de confirmación cuando la transacción se haya completado.

Si luego agrega un nuevo empleado a su cuenta, recuerde que DEBE completar un formulario de inscripción y enviarlo por correo o fax a WPF o descargarlo en el OPS antes de que la contribución pueda procesarse en la cuenta del nuevo empleado. Si ya es miembro, NO nos envíe otro formulario de inscripción.

Para inscribirse, descargue los Formularios de inscripción (incluye el Formulario de beneficiario) en Formularios en este sitio.

EMAIL
wpf@wesleyan.org

PHONE
Toll-Free:  800.595.4131
Office:  317.774.3954
Fax:  317.774.3955

ADDRESS
13300 Olio Rd Ste 340
Fishers IN  46037

OFFICE HOURS
Monday – Thursday
8:30am – 4:30pm

STATEMENTS/FORMS
-Year-End Statement Mailed in Feb
-All Statements in Online Accounts
-1099-R Mailed by Jan 31
-T-4 Mailed by Feb 28
-RMD Letter/Forms Mailed Oct

YEAR-END PROCESSING
-RMD PAPERWORK due Dec 1
-WITHDRAWALS into office by Dec 15
-CONTRIBUTIONS received by Dec 30 to count for current year
-PFG Year-End Blackout Jan 1-15

 

KEEPING YOU INFORMED

OPS Transition Notification

SPECIAL NOTIFICATION
FOR CHURCH, DISTRICT, AND OPS TREASURERS/FINANCIAL PERSONNEL

6 JUNE 2023

As stated in our May Monthly Email, our platform provider, Stewardship Technology, has informed us they will no longer be supporting our Online Payment System (OPS) platform which includes ACH processing, effective June 30, 2023. Beginning July 3, 2023, we will transition to a different platform with Northwest Plan Services (NWPS). Here is what you need to know:

  1. The new platform with NWPS will be live on July 3, 2023.
  2. Most data (i.e., historical transactions, employee information, contribution amounts, and bank information) will migrate to the new platform.
  3. The new platform will require all users to register and select a new password. Your username will be your email address. (Please create a safe place to record and keep your password and username for future use or new personnel.)

In addition, ministries that are set up on recurring contribution schedules will have their contributions processed on the same schedule and date.

We regret the inconvenience this brings and have worked hard to minimize any additional work required of you. You will hear from us again the last week of June, before we go live, with more information and resources, along with invitations to the new system. Until then, if you have any questions, please feel free to email or call our office.

Serving HIM for your benefit,

CINDY LINDER
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Wesleyan Pension Fund’s
Retirement Planning Services Team

The Retirement Planning Services Team has extensive experience in conducting financial planning and retirement consulting services. This assistance is offered on a FEE-WAIVED basis for all Wesleyan Pension Fund participants as an additional perk to your benefits.

If you would like to schedule a consultation with an Advisor, please see the contact information flyer. You can reach out to the Retirement Planning Services Team via phone or email and they will be glad to set up a session with you.  (See flyer below.)

We encourage you to take advantage of this tremendous value being provided for you and your family!

Wesleyan Pension Fund and the Retirement Planning Services Team are excited to bring this additional assistance in charting your financial course for the future!

Wesleyan Pension Fund Retirement Services Team

ELIGIBILITY FOR WITHDRAWING FUNDS:  Must be age 62 or over (if under age 62, please see the “Early Access to Funds” tab).

I’M ELIGIBLE—HOW DO I ACCESS MY FUNDS?

There are three options for accessing your funds:

  1. Partial Withdrawal – removes any portion of funds. (A rollover option is also available.)*
  2. Extended Payment – an automatic, scheduled payment of your choice distributed monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.*
  3. Lump-Sum Distribution – removes all the funds and closes the account.  (A rollover option is also available.)*

If you are a minister, all your funds are 100% housing allowance, which means the taxes are not withheld when you withdraw your funds. If you use your funds for items not pertaining to home/property, you can fill that amount in the “taxable income” box when you receive your 1099-R for your tax preparation. There is an example of the 1099-R under “Forms” on this website.

To access your funds, you need:

  • A form for one of the above withdrawals (Partial Withdrawal—Extended Payment—Lump Sum) – forms are downloadable from this website or WPF office can mail or email you forms.
  • The W-4P form (for ministers only) (1st page only) with the box checked for no withholding of Federal taxes.  (Your State may also have a W-4P form.)
  • The Direct Deposit form with voided check (if available) – for funds to be deposited in a checking or savings account.
  • A spouse signature witnessed by someone other than you (18+ years of age).  This can be done before completing the form for confidentiality.
  • A signature of the witness (does not have to be a notary).
  • A copy of the spouse’s driver’s license or other official document showing the signature (unless spouse is also a WPF participant, as we would have her/his signature on file).

WPF forms are available on this website or they can be sent to you.

*Principal Financial Group (PFG) charges a transaction fee of $50 for each partial and for the lump sum. The Extended Payment’s fee is pro-rated so it is one $50 fee charged throughout the year.

When placing a withdrawal, if you’d like to receive the entire amount you wrote on the form, place “NET” after the amount so the taxes (if you’re having taxes withheld) are taken out of the remaining funds in the account and not out of the amount you wish to receive (see example).

Example:
Requested:  $5000 NET = $5000 received
Requested:  $5000 = $3800 received  ($1000 Fed Tax, $200 NC State Tax)

Email or call WPF if you have questions or need forms sent to you.  We are happy to assist!

WITHDRAWING FUNDS BEFORE AGE 62:

  1. Must no longer be employed by the hiring employer who contributed to your pension account.
  2. Must not be potential for employment in another organization willing to make employer contributions to your pension account.
  3. Non-ministerial members may take employer-contributed funds after a five-year waiting period from separation of employment.
  4. Ministers may take employer-contributed funds after registering a job/credential termination date with their District Office and the District Administration recording that date in TWCHub*—this triggers a five-year waiting period before funds can be accessed.
  5. Employee Payroll Salary Reduction (Elect Deferral)—same as above but with a one-year waiting period after employment separation.

*DISTRICT REPORTING:  Under Credential Record—Status Reason, example:  “Withdrawn 8/23/2022.”  (Date Required)

NON-WESLEYAN CLERGY

Early withdrawal of funds requires a job/credential termination date verified by the body that granted the ordination/licensing and after WPF receives written confirmation of that date from the credentialing body. The five-year wait begins from that termination date.

 

The Defined Contribution Plan—IRS 403(b)(9) is for the purpose of assisting employees to have enough funds set aside for their retirement years.  It is not provided for loans or hardships of any kind. 

You can now wait until age 72
to take a Required Minimum DIStribution

The Secure Act increased the required minimum distribution (RMD) age from 70-1/2 to 72, marking the first change to the RMD age since first becoming law in 1986. The age increase will only apply to anyone born on or after July 1, 1949.


Major Court Victory for the Ministers’ Housing Allowance 

Thousands of pastors and churches across America scored a major victory in the latest court challenge to the ministers’ housing allowance.

In its highly anticipated opinion on March 15, 2019 the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously reversed a lower federal district court, which had ruled in late 2017 against the longstanding housing allowance for ministers. Instead, the appeals court likened the ministers’ housing allowance to other similar benefits in the tax code for work-related housing, finding the provision permissible under the First Amendment and well-established legal precedent.

ECFA has actively defended the housing allowance, including supporting an amicus brief that was cited by the appeals court judges in their favorable decision in this case. President Dan Busby commented on the court victory, “This decision is a win not just for the ministers’ housing allowance but for the ‘more than 2,600 federal and state tax laws that provide religious exemptions’ cited by the Seventh Circuit, some of which date back to the early 1800s.”

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), the group which brought this challenge to the housing allowance, did not indicate their intention to appeal the decision in an early press release reacting to the case.

FAQ Tips Sheet

The Tips Sheet addresses:

  • When can I access my funds?
  • What if I leave my job?
  • Why am I not seeing the total contribution in my PFG online account?
  • Can I give personally to my pension?
  • Isn’t 4-47487 my account number?
  • What about forms and payments?
  • Online Payment System (OPS)
  • TWCHub Usage

-FORMS:  Available for download on our website under “FORMS” or we can email or mail them. We do not recommend emailing completed forms to WPF as email is not secure. Our contact information is available on the forms.

-ONLINE PAYMENTS:  All District Offices should now be on the Online Payment System (OPS) as an example for their churches and to help answer questions their local church treasurers might have.

All Ministries must be on the OPS by December 1!

TWCHub USAGE:  We use The Wesleyan Church Hub to check ministerial credential status, to find local church leaders and email addresses. Please help us by keeping the Hub continually updated.

ENROLLING AN EMPLOYEE IN WESLEYAN PENSION FUND:

-ALL employees are eligible to participate in WPF – both clergy and laity staff.

-Give Enrollment Forms to employee (on website under “Forms”). If there is an agreement between the employer and employee to also have a voluntary, salary-reduction (employee contribution), you will need to sign the form in Section C. Fax or mail completed forms to WPF. If a new employee is already a member of WPF, please do not have him/her complete another enrollment form, just give us any updated information.  Forms can be uploaded to the Online Payment System (OPS).

-The WPF Summary Plan Description is a document you should suggest to your new employees for an understanding of the Plan policies. It is available in several places on our website.

-Begin Contributions. Enrollments are not processed until a contribution from the ministry is received by WPF. NOTE:  2022 is the FINAL year for manual contributions.  You must be registered for an OPS account by December 1.

-WPF recommends contributing an amount equal to 12% of the employee’s gross salary. Salary is equal to cash salary plus housing. If the employee is provided a parsonage, the value used should be the taxable year-end amount. A portion of the employer contribution totaling 1% of the gross salary is used to purchase disability and life insurance for the employee and for such other purposes as the Board of Pensions may determine. The rest is invested in the Plan account.

OTHER TIPS:

Exit Interviews. Remind the outgoing employee about their pension funds. They will need to keep WPF informed of contact information changes. Lay personnel can access their employee (EE) funds one year after job termination date and in five years for employer (ER) funds. They will no longer have the insurance benefits in the Plan. Clergy members can only access their funds if they file their credentials with the General Secretary’s office of The Wesleyan Church World Headquarters and then it’s five years from the date of the vault receipt. ALL participants may access their funds at the age of 62. *Also see “Employee Job Termination.”

Employee Job Termination. When an employee leaves their job and processes a Lump Sum Distribution for the balance of their funds, which closes their account, they are committing to not returning to a job that would require a future enrollment in WPF. If they plan to seek a position in another ministry where WPF is utilized, they must leave their funds intact.

Employer (ER) and Employee (EE) Funds. When adding employees to your Online Payment System account, be sure to mark the correct option for posting. ER funds are contributions paid by the ministry. (Insurance premiums are paid from these funds.) EE funds are contributions made from voluntary, salary-reduced funds of the employee. If the funds are not posted correctly, it can affect the employee’s insurance coverage.

Year-End Contributions. All Employer (ER) and Employee (EE) contributions are due to WPF by the middle of December to have them credited to their accounts in the current year. We post the exact dates on our website under “Year-End Processing.”

Year-End at Principal Financial Group (PFG). The first two-three weeks in January are blackout dates for Principal while they process year-end. Contributions to accounts and withdrawals from accounts are put on hold during that time. The Annual Statements are usually sent by the end of February. If you want your contributions to show up in the current year’s statements, those must be sent in by the middle of December. If your employees need to withdraw funds and want them before the end of January, they need to have their forms in by the second week of December.  (See “Year-End Processing on our website for exact dates.)

-For information on Voluntary, Salary-Reduction (EE contributions), contribution limits and housing allowance for ministers see the “Plan Benefits and Information” section on this website.

 

The National Securities Markets Improvement Act (the “Act”) signed into law on October 11, 1996, exempts church plans from federal and state securities laws, except for anti-fraud provisions.  In order to qualify for the exemption, church plans must satisfy eligibility requirements under section 414(e) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and the assets of church plans must be used exclusively for the benefit of plan participants and beneficiaries.  Church plans continue to be subject to the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations regarding eligibility, governance, and operations of such plans.

The following notice is provided in accordance with the Act:

The Wesleyan Pension Fund Inc or any company or account maintained to manage or hold assets of the Plan and interests in such Plan, companies, or accounts (including any funds maintained by Wesleyan Pension Fund Inc) are not subject to registration, regulation or reporting under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Title 15 of the United States Code, or State securities laws.  Therefore, plan participants and beneficiaries will not be afforded the protections of those provisions.

 

FORMS

Pension team

 

Dr Craig Dunn

Chief Executive Officer

Mrs Debra Levite

Director of Operations

Rev Jim Weinmann

Assistant Director
of Operations

Mrs Cindy Linder

Executive Assistant

INVESTMENTS

Wesleyan Pension Fund, in conjunction with Morgan Stanley, is committed to developing retirement plan options designed for each participant’s needs. These Target Date Retirement Portfolio options are constructed to assist you with complex retirement decisions by automatically adjusting your investment allocation according to your targeted retirement age.

To begin, simply select the Target Date Retirement Portfolio that most closely matches your projected retirement date. Over time your portfolio allocations will automatically shift from being more equity-oriented to more fixed-income oriented thereby becoming more conservative to protect your capital as your retirement date approaches.

PLAN BENEFITS & INFORMATION

The Plan is a church retirement income account program described in section 403(b)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code. The Internal Revenue Code permits denominations and churches to set up retirement plans designed to provide current tax savings on plan contributions and plan earnings to be paid in the form of pension benefits during retirement. The Plan provides tax savings, while at the same time providing you with investment vehicles through which your retirement funds can grow.

For enrollment forms, please download Enrollment Form (includes Beneficiary Form) under FORMS on this site.

For more details, please see the WPF Summary Plan Description at the top of the web-page under “Keeping You Informed” or in the “Resource” section at the bottom of the web-page.

Employer Contributions – Your ministry employer is strongly encouraged to contribute an amount equal to 12% of your gross salary. Salary is equal to cash salary plus housing. If your employer provides a parsonage, the value used should be the taxable year-end amount. A portion of the employer contribution totaling 1% of your gross salary is used by WPF to purchase disability and death protection for you and for such other purposes as the WPF board may from time to time determine. The rest is invested in your account in the Plan.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limits how much you and your employer can contribute to your Plan annually.

Salary Reduction Contributions (Elective Deferral Limit) – These are contributions made by you by means of payroll salary reduction. This type of contribution allows you to contribute a certain portion of your compensation to the Plan on a pre-tax basis. This type of contribution reduces your current taxable income by the amount of your contribution, saving you current tax dollars. Non-ordained/licensed employees must pay Social Security taxes on their salary reduction contributions.

2023 Total Contribution Limit

For 2023, the limit is the lesser of:

  • 100% of your compensation
  • $66,000 (Total Employer-ER & Employee-EE Contributions) ($36,000 ER)

2023 Elective Deferral Contribution Limits

  1. EE Salary Reduction of $22,500
  2. Over 50 Catch-up of $7,500
  • It is possible to contribute up to $30,000 in 2023 if you are eligible for both items #1 and #2.
  • If your elective deferrals exceed the limit, the excess amount must be returned to you and included in your gross income.

If you are an active or retired minister, a portion or all of your annual pension may be designated as available for housing allowance, pursuant to Internal Revenue Service Ruling 75-22. However, the amount actually excludable as housing allowance cannot exceed the lowest of these factors:

  • The fair rental value of the furnished home plus the cost of utilities, furnishings and maintenance; or
  • The actual expenses of operating a home; or
  • The amount designated by WPF as a housing allowance.

-Any excess over the lowest of these factors is reportable as additional income for income tax purposes.

-The Board of Pensions has authorized the designation up to 100% of retirement benefits as a housing allowance paid as part of a retired minister’s compensation for past years of service.

-As a retired minister, pension distributions are NOT subject to SECA tax.

-To report such a designation, WPF recommends you use a self-prepared schedule and keep it for your records.  (See 1099-R form explanation in the “Forms” section above.)

-To review the latest housing allowance information, please see the Minister’s Tax & Financial Guide, available for download in our Resources section below.

The WPF 403(b) Defined Contribution Plan allows for any member to begin drawing from their retirement account at the age of 62. If you are eligible, you may either withdraw the funds monthly or receive funds through a partial distribution. All ordained/licensed members in our plan may be eligible to use the funds for housing allowance. Please see the Housing Allowance Chapter in the resource below or call our office for further details.

The Extended Payment Form is to be completed for a monthly (or quarterly, semi-annually or annual) benefit. You have the option to have the benefit funds directly deposited into a checking or savings account.

The W-4P Form is a Federal tax form where you can indicate if you want to withhold tax or not.

These forms may be mailed or faxed to our office for processing.  Once received and processed to Principal Financial Group, please allow 7-10 business days to receive your funds.

Please call our office if you have further questions.

The Extended Payment and W-4P Forms are available for download.  See FORMS on this site.

GROUP INSURANCE BENEFITS

Wesleyan Pension Fund members who are participating in the plan with employer contributions are provided life insurance coverage upon the first contribution and long-term disability insurance coverage after one year of consecutive contributions. As long as employer contributions are made on your behalf, this benefit will be provided through the UNUM Life Insurance Company.

WPF assumes contributions to the Plan it receives on your behalf are based on 12% of your salary and uses this salary figure for both death and disability benefit purposes. For example, if your employer contributes $2100 to the Plan on your behalf, WPF will calculate your total salary to be $17,500 ($17,500 x 12% = $2100) and your death and disability benefits will be based on this amount of $17,500, regardless of what your actual salary is. Therefore, in order for you to receive the maximum death or disability benefits available, it’s important that your employer’s contributions to the Plan be based on your actual cash salary and, in the case of clergy, any additional housing and utilities.

The formula for determining the life insurance benefit for individuals age 30 and younger is 4.0 times your salary, determined as described in the preceding paragraph. The salary multiple drops 0.1 for each year of age past 30, leveling out at 1.0 times compensation at age 60 to 70. Coverage is .5 times at age 70 and over for active participants. See insurance links below. This benefit is only available before retirement. Once you retire or terminate employment, you will no longer be covered under the WPF group insurance plan. The maximum amount of life insurance benefit is $550,000.

The amount of disability benefits equals 60% of your salary, determined as described under the Group Life Insurance tab. The maximum amount of disability benefits to which you are entitled is $10,000 per month. Your disability coverage is coordinated with any Social Security and/or Workers Compensation benefits you receive.

In order to receive disability benefits, you must be an active participant in the Plan. You are considered an active participant if contributions have been made to the Plan on your behalf by your employer during the previous 12 months. You will also be required to provide proof of your disability. Once approved by UNUM Insurance Company, your benefits will commence following a six-month waiting period and continue for as long as you are disabled up to age 69.

WPF Group Long-Term Disability booklets provided by UNUM are available for plan members to download for further details of this coverage. You may also select a document below to learn more about the assistance programs provided by UNUM in addition to your Life and Disability coverage.

There is no specific age when LTD is no longer available, however, there are limitations to how long you can remain on Long-Term Disability. For instance, at age 65 it is a maximum duration of 36 months. Click on the booklet below for more details.  The Maximum Period of Payment Chart begins at the bottom of page one.

 

 

 

Celebrating every time a disciple makes a disciple and the church multiplies itself until there is a transforming presence in every zip code.