Secure Your Future, Strengthen Your Ministry
Smart, sustainable, and ministry-focused retirement solutions you can trust
Empowering Your Financial Future: A Holistic Approach to Retirement
At Stoneford, we are a comprehensive financial services firm dedicated to helping individuals and organizations achieve their financial goals. We provide a holistic approach to retirement planning, creating practical solutions you can sustainably implement. Our commitment is to empower you, building a resilient financial plan that allows you to navigate market fluctuations and economic challenges with confidence and adaptability.
Our Retirement Solutions
We build relationships based on trust, honesty, and integrity. Our retirement solutions are designed to be both authentic and accessible, tailored to the unique circumstances of your organization and its valued employees. A 403(b)(9) is a retirement plan designed specifically for churches and church-related organizations. Unlike standard 403(b) plans, it's classified as a "church plan" under IRS rules and is exempt from many ERISA requirements. The most valuable feature for ordained ministers is the ability to claim housing allowance on retirement distributions — but only if assets remain in a qualified 403(b)(9) church plan.
A Streamlined Path to Retirement
For individuals who want a simple yet diversified approach to investing, our Lifecycle Funds are an ideal solution. These funds offer a diversified, age-appropriate investment portfolio that is professionally overseen. This strategy provides a resilient and sustainable path, allowing you to focus on your goals without needing to manage the day-to-day portfolio mix.
Building Your Own Strategy
For those who prefer a more active role in their financial future, our solutions and portfolios offer the flexibility to create a personalized investment strategy. We have engaged in a rigorous and disciplined review process to select a set of core funds that meet our high standards for integrity and performance, often with expense ratios below the industry average. This empowers you to build a portfolio that aligns perfectly with your specific needs and long-term vision. However, you can self-select your plans, and build your own portfolios.
A Resilient Income Strategy
Every retiree faces the challenge of ensuring their savings last a lifetime. To address this, we offer a specialized solution that can provide guaranteed income payments for the remainder of your life, or that of your surviving spouse. This sustainable option offers peace of mind and financial security when you need it most. We believe in accessible solutions, and our advisors are available to discuss the benefits of this strategy for your long-term financial health.
FAQs
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We are committed to responsible and sustainable investing practices. We strive to offer investment options that not only perform well but also align with principles of human flourishing and social good. We can collaborate with you to ensure our investment philosophy is in harmony with your organization's core values.
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All employees who receive W-2 taxable income from a group that is eligible for a church plan, deemed by the IRS. This can be churches, non-profits, universities and seminaries, private schools, or foundations. In addition to our church plan, our provider, Stoneford Advisors, also has other solutions that help meet the needs of your organization.
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Our services are designed to be accessible. You can access your account details 24/7 through our secure online portal. For personalized support, our team of experienced advisors is available during business hours to assist you with your account and provide authentic, jargon-free guidance
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Yes, you must have a 403(b)(9) in order to keep your retirement dollars, earned while a clergy, as housing allowance. Depending on the structure of your organization, there may be significant tax advantages available. For instance, certain non-profits and their employees may be eligible for unique benefits, such as a housing allowance in retirement. We provide expert counsel to ensure you are leveraging all available opportunities.
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We believe in making our services accessible to all. We provide access to planners, technology, education, and more to meet you where you are at. We are here to provide genuine, personalized advice to help you construct a sustainable plan to reach your goals.
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Stoneford Advisors: .65% on assets per year (no minimums)
PCS/Aspire: $35 per person per year, plus .20% per year
PERA, our TPA: $36 per person per year
Funds: We have a wide range, but our core portfolio is below .10%, while our total spread is between .04-.89%
Custodian: .04% to hold the assets
TOTAL: .89% on assets (Participants), $71 per person per year (Organization), Various Fund Fees (Participants)
Please note, that Nicene Network, and potentially your association/denomination, receive a donation of roughly 5%. This goes to supporting their mission. We review your eligibility for membership annually with those respective groups. For everyone using the benefits through Stoneford, your $99 membership fee to Nicene Network is discounted to zero for as long as you use those plans through Stoneford, through a grant.