Our Concordia Retirement Savings Plan (CRSP) 403(b) Spring Enrollment campaign runs April 8-19. This campaign will show CRSP 403(b) eligible workers* the importance of saving for retirement.
Our Concordia Retirement Savings Plan (CRSP) 403(b) Spring Enrollment campaign runs April 8-19. This campaign will show CRSP 403(b) eligible workers* the importance of saving for retirement.
Included in the campaign will be:
A printed mailer.
Email reminders.
An invitation to a webinar “Saving for Retirement.”
Information on scheduling a one-on-one with a Financial Educator.
*Workers at ministries not offering the CRSP 403(b) will be excluded.
CRSP 403(b) administration reminder
You will need to update and send CRSP 403(b) elections and changes made by your workers during CRSP 403(b) Spring Enrollment to 90 Degree Benefits or your payroll partner if using Paychex or Paycor. If you have questions about processing contributions, contact 90 Degree Benefits at 800-486-7664, ext. 2556 or [email protected].
Interested in offering the CRSP 403(b) to your workers?Contact your Account Manager to learn more about the benefits of the CRSP 403(b) or about the option to offer the CRSP 403(b) to your part-time workers.
The CRSP 403(b) Spring Enrollment campaign starts Monday – encourage your workers to save!
Learn how to create a supportive wellness culture within your ministry
Building a culture of mental wellness in your ministry is becoming increasingly important. Mental health concerns such as burnout, anxiety and depression can impact worker productivity, engagement and overall well-being.
By creating a culture that promotes mental health awareness, you demonstrate a commitment to your workers’ well-being and a desire to support their mental health. This May, CPS is making it easier for workers to access the resources they need through an enhanced Employee Assistance Program and expanded mental health solutions.
Join CPS Health & Wellness Educator Kelly Menke May 7 at 12 p.m. CT for our “Promoting Mental Health Awareness in Your Workplace Culture” webinar. Kelly will cover:
Signs of stress.
Self-care and coping strategies.
Signs of a mental health challenge.
Helpful ways to respond and provide support.
New mental health resources available to CHP members in May.
Creating and maintaining an employee handbook can be difficult. But there’s an easier way! On April 17 at 12 p.m. CT, our HR Services partner, Mineral, will share an overview of their new “Smart Employee Handbook.” With this service, you can easily generate a federal and state compliant handbook. And when laws and regulations change, Mineral will alert you and provide the updated policies for your handbook. Register for the webinar to learn more about this exciting service, along with their other HR and compliance tools.
If your ministry participates in the Concordia Retirement Savings Plan (CRSP) 403(b), please note that Concordia Plans is voluntarily submitting the CRSP 403(b) to the IRS for review June 3. This review will confirm that the CRSP complies with required rules and meets the tax-code requirements for a 403(b) plan.
As part of this process, we will send your ministry a communication in early May with a link to a “Notice to Interested Persons” with instructions on how to share this with your workers who are enrolled or eligible for enrollment in the CRSP 403(b). The Notice must be shared between May 10-24. Thank you for your help!
Identify the right solutions for quality outcomes and optimize your ministry’s experiences.
Lend a hand, share information and alleviate stressors for you and your workers.
Keep a pulse on important worker-care concerns.
Our collective goal is healthy workers and thriving ministries. For nearly 60 years, LCMS ministries have trusted us to deliver high-quality benefits and services that support and honor those who serve … and we take that responsibility to heart. Our 2023 Serve Ministry Report highlights what we were able to do together last year and how we’re partnering in 2024 to meet your needs, improve your experiences and support your ministry and workers.
Venue – Check! Invitations – Sent! Meals – Planned! Speakers – ?
Our CPS Speakers Bureau can help!
As your dedicated LCMS ministry partner, we’re often asked to speak at your events, and we’re happy to share our expertise! A complimentary service to you, the CPS Speakers Bureau offers professional speakers for LCMS events to support church workers and ministries. Presentation topics available include leadership, human resources, worker wellness, communications and more!
Visit our CPS Speakers Bureau website for information about the presentations available and the speakers delivering these topics. Requesting a speaker is easy! Complete our online “Request a Speaker form” providing details about your event, the audience and the presentation you’re requesting. Please be sure to allow at least an hour in your agenda for the presentation.
If you don’t see the topic you’re looking for or have additional questions, email [email protected] – we look forward to helping you host a successful event!
Compensation Decision Support Tool refresh
In 2016 Concordia Plans launched the Compensation Decision Support Tool to assist with pastoral salary planning. By 2018, we expanded the list of available roles in the support tool and introduced the school tool for teacher and administrator roles. Fast forward to today, and the tool continues to expand its available roles and grow exponentially in utilization. Estimates have been run in all 35 LCMS districts, totaling more than 65,000!
The data used in the tool was recently evaluated and refreshed. Learn more on our webpageand check out the expanded FAQs. Questions or feedback? Contact [email protected].
Retirement Connection re-launched last fall – and it’s having a big impact! A comprehensive online tool, Retirement Connection helps workers better understand the pension benefits you’re providing by clearly showing the benefit amounts. Workers can:
See their Concordia Retirement Plan pension benefits.
View different types of benefits and savings they’re earning.
Enter outside retirement income sources for a more complete picture.
Model their retirement income to assist with planning.
Initiate their retirement benefits.
Access tools and resources for financial and retirement planning.
Retirees also can use Retirement Connection to see their pension payment history and update some of their benefit information such as tax withholdings or bank account information.
One of the greatest benefits you can provide your workers is the education to help them improve their financial wellness. When workers are confident in their personal finances, they will be able to focus on what really matters – their families, faith and service.
We’ve dedicated April 15-18 for confidential, free one-on-one sessions with our Educators. Register below for a 45-minute session (availability is open each day between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. CT).
Here are a few examples of how they can help:
Establish a budget.
Suggest repayment strategies to reduce debt.
Create an emergency fund for unforeseen expenses.
Review your insurance coverage.
Start, review or finalize your retirement plan.
Explain the free resources available to you, like the BeFine™ financial planning tool.
Members enrolled in the Concordia Health Plan are encouraged to participate in the Synod-wide fitness challenge (April 15 -May 20). Members can register for the challenge at PowerofVitality.comstarting April 8. All registered members who complete at least three of the activities included in the challenge and submit any required proof by the May 27 deadline, will receive an additional 150 Vitality Points.
Upcoming member communications
Here’s a snapshot of the emails we’ll send your workers this month (they may also receive additional communications from our vendors):
We're hosting a “Meet a Financial Educator Event” April 15-18, where members can schedule a Zoom or phone appointment to meet one-on-one with a Concordia Plans Financial Educator.
CRSP 403(b) Spring Enrollment
Eligible workers are encouraged to make CRSP 403(b) elections during the CRSP Spring Enrollment event to begin saving for retirement or to increase their savings amounts.
Quarterly Benefits Connector email
The “Benefits Connector” email newsletter updates members on what’s new and how to best use the comprehensive benefits available to them. This segmented email goes to members based on their plan enrollments and eligibilities.
Personal Statement of Benefits
email
We’re sending workers a reminder to log in to their Member Portal to review their updated PSOB to see reported compensation, pension and other benefits.
