Your retirement plan is getting simpler — and better

Saving for your future is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family. The Stanford Contributory Retirement Plan (SCRP) is available to help you achieve your financial goals. We’re making improvements to simplify the plan and reduce barriers so that everyone at Stanford can maximize their retirement savings with confidence.

What’s changing at a glance — effective July 1, 2026

1.  The current employee contribution options will consolidate into three choices:
   • Pre-tax — contributions made before income taxes are applied, reducing your taxable income.
   • Roth — contributions made with After-tax dollars; qualified withdrawals in retirement are tax-free.
   • After-tax — contributions made with After-tax dollars, similar to the Roth, except that earnings are typically taxed when you withdraw.
   • There will no longer be a distinction between the Contributory Retirement Account (CRA) and the Tax-Deferred Account (TDA).

   2.  For benefits-eligible employees, all contribution types will be eligible for the university match once you’ve met the service requirement of one year.

   3.  If you are age 59 ½ and actively employed at Stanford, you will have access to all of your employee contributions as an in-service withdrawal.

Understanding the changes in more detail

Please see below for a summary of how these changes may affect you, beginning with your first paycheck in July.

If you are: 

• Currently contributing to TDA Pre-tax and/or CRA Pre-tax:
  • TDA Pre-tax and CRA Pre-tax contributions will automatically be combined into one Pre-tax percentage. For example, if you are contributing 5% TDA Pre-tax and 4% CRA Pre-tax, your new percentage will be 9% Pre-tax. You’ll see this change reflected in your Fidelity and TIAA accounts in mid-June. However, if you wish, you will be able to change your contribution elections at any time.
  • All employee Pre-tax contributions are now eligible for an in-plan Roth conversion through Fidelity.
  • Additionally, with the launch of Sequoia, our new HR and Payroll system, Pre-tax deductions will be taken before any After-tax deductions. To make sure you still have enough money for other important deductions, we are capping retirement Pre-tax contributions at 75% of your eligible pay instead of 100%. This change will help ensure that all necessary deductions are taken from your paycheck each pay period and you will still be able to reach maximum contribution limits by the end of the year.
• Currently receiving matching contributions from the university:
  • The university matching formula will now include all employee contribution types, meaning your Pre-tax, After-tax, and Roth contributions will be eligible for university matching contributions under the plan’s matching contribution formula.
• A new, benefits-eligible employee in your one-year waiting period for university matching contributions, and:
  • You are already contributing to the SCRP:
    • Your current elections will continue. University matching contributions will begin automatically once you become eligible, regardless of your contribution type. You may also elect to make After-tax contributions beginning in July 2026.
  • You are not yet contributing to the SCRP:
    • If your date of hire was between Jan. 1 and Sept. 1, 2025, there will be no change to the timing of your auto-enrollment. You will be automatically enrolled to contribute 4% Pre-tax on your one-year anniversary date unless you opt out.
    • If your date of hire was after Sept. 1, 2025, your 4% Pre-tax auto-enrollment will be updated to begin in September 2026, unless you opt out.
    • Contributions will be eligible for university matching once you reach your one-year anniversary. You may also elect to make After-tax contributions beginning in July 2026.
• Non-benefits-eligible:
  • In addition to Pre-tax and Roth contributions, After-tax contributions will be available, allowing additional After-tax contributions beyond the IRS limits for Pre-tax and Roth contributions.
• Age 59 ½ and actively employed at Stanford:
  • All employee contributions are available for an in-service withdrawal with no restrictions.

What’s next

If you wish to update your elections, please log in to Fidelity NetBenefits or call Fidelity at 888-793-8733 to speak with a representative.