Participant Frequently Asked Questions

Call Customer Service Center at 800.348.2272 or click on Program Enroll & Participant Login in the top navigation bar of this website and follow the instructions for requesting a password reminder. Your password will be mailed first class within 3 business days to your address of record.

You may change your address in the My Profile, Personal Information section of this website, or mail the “Participant Data Change Form” to notify the Program of an address change. This form can be obtained through the Plan Details, Forms section of this website.

The Customer Service Center is an automated telephone system that lets you perform most account transactions over the phone. When you call the information line at 800.348.2272, you’re asked to enter your Social Security number and password. Then a recorded voice guides you through the menus, and you make your selections by pressing the appropriate keys on your telephone keypad. (If you are using a rotary phone, you will be connected automatically to the Customer Service Center during regular business hours.)

Step 1: From a touch-tone telephone, dial 800.348.2272.

Step 2: Enter your Social Security number using the telephone keypad numbers.

Step 3: Enter your password.

Step 4: From the Main Menu, select an appropriate number to perform the function you want.

At any time during your call, you can press:

9 — from any point to exit Customer Service
0 — from the main menu to reach Customer Service
** — from any point beyond the Main Menu to return to the Main Menu.

If you need help with any plan transaction, you can call 800.348.2272 and press “0” on your telephone keypad any time to reach a Customer Service Associate. Customer Service Associates are trained individuals who are knowledgeable about the provisions of the Plan.

Transactions completed before 4:00 PM Eastern Time are effective the same business day. Transactions completed at or after 4:00 PM Eastern time are effective the next business day.

Yes, transactions can be canceled any time before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day.

• Check account balances
• Check fund performance and daily unit values
• Change the investment election of future contributions
• Transfer balances among investment options
• Model/request a loan
• Change password
• Request administrative forms

• You will be asked if you wish to redo a transaction before accepting it.
• Passwords, statements and checks are mailed to Address of Record ONLY.
• You have the ability to cancel or change transactions made that day prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
• You will receive a confirmation number for each transaction. Have pen and paper ready to record it.
• If you do not have your password, you will not be able to access your participant information. You may, however, request a password reminder, which will be mailed to your address of record.

The Program provides personalized investment advice in one of two ways:

Choice A — Professional Management — One-on-One Service

Through the Customer Service Center at 800.348.2272, you can speak with a licensed and trained Voya Retirement Advisors (“VRA”) Investment Advisor Representative. They are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time, exclusive of stock market holidays. VRA Investment Advisor Representatives will provide you with recommendations and manage your account. A VRA Investment Advisor Representative can also make any agreed-upon changes to your account.

Additional fees will apply for those participants who elect this service. Call us for more details.

Choice B — Online Advice— Self-Service

You can access the VRA retirement planning software online at no additional cost. Based on information you input, you’ll receive a personalized Forecast which details your chances of reaching your retirement goal along with recommendations on your investment strategy.

To access the self-service Online Advice, simply click on the ”Get Investment Advice” link under the “More Resources” section after logging on to your account.

^{Advisory Services provided by Voya Retirement Advisors, LLC (“VRA”). VRA is a member of the Voya Financial (“Voya”) family of companies. For more information, please read the Voya Retirement Advisors Disclosure Statement, Advisory Services Agreement and the Program’s Fact Sheet. These documents may be viewed online by accessing the advisory services link(s) through the Program’s website at abaretirement.com after logging in. You may also request these from a VRA Investment Advisor Representative by calling the Program’s information line at 800.348.2272. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. (“FEA”) acts as a sub advisor for VRA. FEA is a federally registered investment advisor. Neither VRA nor FEA provides tax or legal advice. If you need tax advice, consult your accountant, or if you need legal advice, consult your lawyer. Future results are not guaranteed by VRA, FEA or any other party, and past performance is no guarantee of future results. Edelman Financial Engines® is a registered trademark of Edelman Financial Engines, LLC. All other marks are the exclusive property of their respective owners. FEA and Edelman Financial Engines, L.L.C. are not members of the Voya family of companies. ©2023 Edelman Financial Engines, LLC. Used with permission.}

You may call the Customer Service Center at 800.348.2272 to obtain historical unit values and fund performance information or refer to the Investments & Research section of this website.

The Program now allows you to automatically download your retirement plan account balance to Quicken®. See the ”My Message” section for the link to the instructions.

The Personal Choice Retirement Account (“PCRA”) is a brokerage option that offers you the ability to self-direct a portion of your account through Schwab.

Access the ABA’s Program’s main website, then click on ‘Forms’ to obtain a PCRA application. After you’ve faxed your application to Schwab, you’ll receive a welcome kit from Schwab with your brokerage account number.

Once your account is open, you may transfer money from your core investment funds into your brokerage account by calling Customer Service or logging on to your account at Schwab.com.

Click “Log In,” and select the Schwab.com option. You’ll be brought to the Customer Center Login page.

• If you’re a new user, select the First Time Users link. You’ll be guided through the process of setting up online access.
• If you’re already a Schwab client, use your current user ID and password to log in.

^{Schwab Personal Choice Retirement Account® (“PCRA”) is offered through Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”), a registered broker-dealer that also provides other brokerage and custody services to its customers. © 2023 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (Member SIPC). All rights reserved.}

The Plan Administrator submits all contributions either through the online Sponsor Web portal or by mailing a Contribution and Loan Repayment Remittance Form accompanied by a check made payable to “ABA Retirement Funds Program.”

A firm can submit contributions as often as necessary. However, please be aware that in a 401(k) plan, any salary deferrals that are withheld from a participant’s paycheck must be submitted to the Program no later than seven days after the end of the calendar month in which they were withheld.

If your employer has adopted a 401(k) plan and you have met the required eligibility criteria, you may make salary deferral contributions. You have a choice as to whether you want to make pre-tax 401(k) contributions or Roth 401(k) contributions, which are made on an after-tax basis. You can visit the Contribution Options Guide, to learn more about pre-tax and Roth contributions. You should consult with your accountant or financial planner as to which type of contribution would be best for you.

Checks will be mailed to your address of record two business days after the request is processed.

The Program allows you to have a maximum of five outstanding loans at one time. However, please see your Plan Administrator for additional restrictions in your Plan. Please note that if you no longer work for the plan sponsor, you may not request a new loan from your account.

Your loan payoff amount is available by calling the Customer Service Center at 800.348.2272 or by logging on to your account.

The firm submits all loan repayments, since loan payments are made by payroll deduction. The loan payments can be sent with the contributions or separately. If the firm does not submit contributions and loan repayments online, they should use the Loan Repayment Remittance Form. If paying more than one loan, the loans should be itemized separately as indicated on the form.

The firm has the discretion to decide if a terminated participant can continue to repay an existing loan, or if the loan must be paid in full upon the participant’s termination. If continued repayments are allowed, loan payments can be sent directly to the Program with a check payable to ABA Retirement Funds Program as long as they are accompanied by the Loan Repayment Remittance Form. Loan payments should be made in the exact payment amount expected, in the exact frequency expected (e.g., semi-monthly). Loans can be reamortized to a different payment frequency, such as monthly, with a Loan Reamortization Request Form.

The loan amount will be considered a taxable withdrawal. You’ll owe income taxes on the money, and if you’re under retirement age, an additional 10% early withdrawal penalty may be assessed.

Due to qualified plan restrictions, you can only withdraw your account balance if you meet a reason for distribution. Some of the reasons for distribution are:

• Termination from employment;
• Incurring a disability;
• Attaining retirement age or retiring from active employment;
• Death;
• Plan Termination.

There are additional restrictions on withdrawing Roth 401(k) contributions. If you have any questions about those restrictions, please call the Customer Service Center at 800.348.2272.

SECURE 2.0 increased the required minimum distribution age further to 73 starting on January 1, 2023 – and increases the age further to 75 starting on January 1, 2033. If you are retired or you are a 5% or more owner of the firm at any time in the year you attain age 73 (75 in 2033), withdrawals must start by April 1 after the calendar year in which you reach age 73 (75 in 2033). Each year, the Program sends an information package containing calculation worksheets and distribution forms to all participants who attain age 73 (75 in 2033) or older in that calendar year.

^{*This information only applies to those plans that have adopted the ABA Retirement Funds Plan Document. If your plan is individually designed, please refer to your employer for this information.}

Since your assets are part of a qualified plan, certain administrative procedures must be followed. You must complete, sign and submit the “Distribution Request Form,” which can be obtained by downloading a copy from this website. Even if you are rolling over the assets to another qualified plan or an IRA, this form must be completed. Obtain all required signatures (you, your spouse if you are married and if spousal consent is required for your plan, and your former employer) and submit it to the Program for processing. A check will be issued within three business days from the receipt of the completed, signed form.

If some of your assets are in a PCRA, and you want to roll over the assets in kind, you must still complete a Distribution Request Form (not only for the assets in the core investment options, but also to satisfy qualified plan rules). Once you have submitted the completed, signed Distribution Request Form to the Program, you may have your receiving broker contact Schwab to begin the in-kind transfer process.

^{* This information only applies if your plan has adopted the ABA Retirement Funds Plan Document. If your plan is individually designed, please refer to your employer for this information.}

A participant receives a confirmation notice each time a transaction is processed within his or her account.

Quarterly statements are issued to all participants 10 business days after the close of each calendar year quarter.

Quarterly statements are mailed no later than 10 business days after the end of the quarter.

The Overview section of this website allows you to customize a statement for any time period within the prior 24 months. Please be aware, however, that if you have a “pop-up blocker” on your PC, it will prohibit the statement window from appearing.

Yes, the Program issues the SPD to full service plans for distribution to plan participants. A full service plan is one in which the law firm has adopted the plan document offered through the Program.