Below are the important features of the Additional Contributions Tax Sheltered Program (ACTS). This website is intended to be a summary of the plan provisions. In the event that a conflict exists between the information contained within and the plan document, the plan document provisions prevail.

Whether you participate in the New Jersey ABP or the State Defined Benefit Pension Plan, you can enjoy the benefits of setting aside additional pre-tax dollars for retirement. By participating in the Additional Contributions Tax Sheltered Program (ACTS), you can contribute to a 403(b) tax deferred annuity that will also help to reduce your taxable income. Participants can direct voluntary contributions among six authorized investment carriers. Each carrier provides a selection of investment choices to meet the needs and goals of retirement planning. The ACTS Program is separate from and in addition to your basic pension benefit, the Supplemental Annuity Collective Trust Fund and the Deferred Compensation Plan.

• Choice of and control over your investments
• Your ACTS contributions and any earnings are taxed only when you begin to take distributions, which could be in retirement when you may be in a lower tax bracket.
• Portability of your account to other eligible retirement plans.
• A variety of payout options at retirement
• Unlimited transfers between variable investment options, subject to Voya's policy on market timing and excessive trading
• No surrender/withdrawal charges (investment management fees and a 0.25% mortality and expense risk charge will apply)
• Availability of loans.

Please refer to the disclosure materials in the Enrollment Kit (available from your campus representative or Benefits/Human Resources department) and the Investment Performance section of this website for specific information regarding charges, expenses, fees, transfer restrictions, etc.

The ACTS Program is a 403(b) tax deferred annuity plan. Eligibility is limited to employees of county colleges, state universities and colleges, and eligible employees of The Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf. Through salary reduction agreements, employees can contribute on a tax-deferred basis.

The maximum annual contribution limit to the ACTS Program is set by IRS guidelines on a yearly basis. You may view the current limits here.

ACTS is a defined contribution plan intended for long-term investing. Any contributions made to the plan after December 31, 1988, and any earnings on your total account value accrued after that date, may only be withdrawn under the following circumstances:

• Attainment of age 59½ (withdrawals prior to age 59½ may be subject to an IRS 10% premature distribution penalty tax)
• Severance from employment
• Your death or disability
• Hardship (hardship withdrawals may be made from salary reduction contributions only)

Participants who had assets in a 403(b) tax deferred annuity before January 1, 1989 can take withdrawals from their account’s cash value as of December 31, 1988 without meeting the above requirements. However, the requirements apply to salary reduction contributions or any cash value increases made after December 31, 1988.

You should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the variable product and its underlying fund options carefully before investing. The prospectuses/prospectus summaries containing this and other information can be obtained by contacting your local representative. Please read the information carefully before investing.

Variable annuities are intended as long-term investments designed for retirement purposes. Withdrawals from an annuity may be subject to an early withdrawal fee and, if taken prior to age 59½, an IRS 10% premature distribution penalty tax will apply, unless an IRS exception applies. Money taken from the annuity will be taxed as ordinary income in the year the money is distributed. Account values fluctuate with market conditions, and when surrendered the principal may be worth more or less than its original amount invested. An annuity does not provide any additional tax deferral benefit, as tax deferral is provided by the plan. Annuities may be subject to additional fees and expenses to which other tax-qualified funding vehicles may not be subject. However, an annuity does provide other features and benefits, such as lifetime income payments and death benefits, which may be valuable to you.