Mo. Code Regs. Ann. tit. 16, § 50-20.120
PURPOSE: This rule is intended as good faith compliance with the provisions of section 457(b) of the Code and is to be construed in accordance with such provisions and guidance issued thereunder.
(1) The following words and terms, when used in this section, have the meaning set forth below:
(12) of the Code, Compensation shall include any differential wage payment (within the meaning of section 3401(h)(2) of the Code) made by the Employer to an individual who does not currently perform services for the Employer by reason of qualified military service (within the meaning of section 414(u)(5) of the Code) to the extent those payments do not exceed the amounts the individual would have received if the individual had continued to perform services for the Employer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Includible Compensation shall only include amounts paid during an Employee’s employment, except as provided in the remainder of this subsection. To the extent that the following amounts are otherwise included in the definition of Includible Compensation and are paid no later than the date which is two and one-half (2½) months after termination of employment or, if later, the end of the limitation year in which such termination occurs. Such amounts paid after an Employee’s termination of employment shall be deemed compensation: i) regular pay, including compensation for services during regular working hours, overtime, shift differential, commissions, bonuses, or other similar payments, and ii) payment for unused accrued sick, vacation, or other leave, but only if the Employee would have been able to use the leave if employment had continued. The exclusion described in this paragraph with respect to post-employment payments shall not apply to payments to an individual who does not currently perform services for the Employer by reason of qualified military service, to the extent such payments do not exceed the Includible Compensation such individual would have received from the Employer if he or she had continued to perform services for the Employer;
(2) Participation and contributions shall be in accordance with the following:
(A) Election Required for Participation.
by executing an election to defer a portion of his or her Compensation (and have that amount contributed as an Annual Deferral on his or her behalf) and filing it in accordance with such other applicable Plan terms. This participation election shall be made on the deferral agreement provided by the Administrator under which the Employee agrees to be bound by all the terms and conditions of the Plan. The participation election shall also include designation of investment funds and a designation of Beneficiary. Any such election shall remain in effect until a new election is filed.
or her Compensation to the Plan, a Participant may irrevocably designate all or a portion of the pre-tax deferrals the Participant is otherwise eligible to make under paragraph (2)(A)1. and the other provisions of the Plan as Roth deferrals. If a Participant makes such an election, such Roth deferrals shall be includible in the Participant’s income at the time the Participant would have received that amount in cash if the Participant had not elected to make Roth deferrals. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Roth deferrals will be treated as other (pre-tax) Annual Deferrals for all purposes under the Plan;
(E) Amendment of Annual Deferrals Election. Subject to other provisions of the Plan, a Participant may at any time revise his or her participation election, including a change of the amount of his or her Annual Deferrals, his or her investment direction, and his or her designated Beneficiary. A Participant may also designate the Annual Deferrals made on his or her behalf as Roth deferrals or revoke any such designation. A change in the amount of the Annual Deferrals shall take effect—
(2)(E)2., not earlier than the first day of the first pay period beginning in the next calendar year quarter following the receipt of the properly completed Deferral Agreement by the Employer; or
lowing receipt of the properly completed Deferral Agreement by the Employer, as soon as administratively practicable, provided that the agreement is made before applicable Compensation is currently available to the Employee. A change in the investment direction shall take effect as of the date provided by the Administrator on a uniform basis for all Employees. A change in the Beneficiary designation shall take effect when the election is accepted by the Administrator;
(3) Limitations on amounts deferred shall be in accordance with the following:
(B) Age Fifty (50) Catch-up Annual Deferral Contributions.
the end of the calendar year is permitted to elect an additional amount of Annual Deferrals, up to the maximum age fifty (50) catch-up “applicable dollar amount” for the year or, effective January 1, 2025, in the case of a Participant who would attain at least age sixty (60), but not age sixty-four (64) prior to the close of the taxable year, the “adjusted dollar amount.” The maximum applicable dollar amount or adjusted dollar amount of the age fifty (50) catch-up Annual Deferrals for a year is as follows: For the following years:
2025 or thereafter
Adjusted for cost-of-living after 2006 to the extent provided under the Code.
For the following years: 2025 or thereafter Adjusted for cost-of-living after 2025 to the extent provided under the Code.
to and makes a separate election to make age fifty (50) catch-up Annual Deferrals for a year and whose wages (as defined in Code section 3121(a)) for the preceding calendar year exceeded one hundred forty-five thousand dollars ($145,000) (as adjusted for cost-of-living to the extent provided under the Code) shall be deemed to make an election to have the age fifty (50) catch-up Annual Deferrals for the applicable year contributed as Roth deferrals in accordance with Code section 414(v)(7). A participant subject to the deemed election provided for in this paragraph shall be permitted to make an affirmative, prospective election to make age fifty (50) catch-up Annual Deferrals for a year on a pre-tax basis to the extent of any Roth deferrals made to the Plan during the applicable year or to otherwise revise or revoke the Participant’s election subject to the other provisions of the Plan and Code section 414(v)(7).
(C) Special Section 457 Catch-up Limitation. If the applicable year is one of a Participant’s last three (3) calendar years ending before the year in which the Participant attains Normal Retirement Age and the amount determined under this subsection (3)(C) exceeds the amount computed under subsections (3)(A) and (3)(B), then the Annual Deferral limit under this section (3) shall be the lesser of—
Applicable Dollar Amount for such year; or
2. The sum of—
(3)(A) limit for the current year plus each prior calendar year beginning after December 31, 2001, during which the Participant was an Employee under the Plan, minus (B) the aggregate amount of Compensation that the Participant deferred under the Plan during such years, plus—
to in section 457(b)(2) of the Code for each prior calendar year beginning after December 31, 1978, and before January 1, 2002, during which the Participant was an Employee (determined without regard to subsections (3)(B) and (3)(C)), minus (B) the aggregate contributions to Pre-2002 Coordination Plans for such years. However, in no event can the deferred amount be more than the Participant’s Compensation for the year;
(D) Special Rules. For purposes of this section (3), the following additional rules shall apply:
If the Participant is or has been a participant in one (1) or more other eligible plans within the meaning of section The maximum age 50 catch-up applicable dollar amount is: $6,500 $6,500 $7,500 $7,500 $7,500
The maximum age 50 catch-up adjusted dollar amount is: $11,250 457(b) of the Code, then this Plan and all such other plans shall be considered as one (1) plan for purposes of applying the foregoing limitations of this section (3). For this purpose, the Administrator shall take into account any other such eligible plan maintained by the Employer and shall also take into account any other such eligible plan for which the Administrator receives from the Participant sufficient information concerning his or her participation in such other plan;
year shall be taken into account only if i) the Participant was eligible to participate in the Plan during all or a portion of the year and ii) Compensation deferred, if any, under the Plan during the year was subject to the Basic Annual Limitation described in subsection (3)(A) or any other plan ceiling required by section 457(b) of the Code;
subparagraph (3)(C)2.B. “contributions to Pre-2002 Coordination Plans” means any employer contribution, salary reduction, or elective contribution under any other eligible Code section 457(b) plan, or a salary reduction or elective contribution under any Code section 401(k) qualified cash or deferred arrangement, Code section 402(h)(1)(B) simplified employee pension (SARSEP), Code section 403(b) annuity contract, and Code section 408(p) simple retirement account, or under any plan for which a deduction is allowed because of a contribution to an organization described in section 501(c)(18) of the Code, including plans, arrangements, or accounts maintained by the Employer or any employer for whom the Participant performed services. However, the contributions for any calendar year are only taken into account for purposes of subparagraph (3) (C)2.B. to the extent that the total of such contributions does not exceed the aggregate limit referred to in section 457(b)(2) of the Code for that year;
(3)(A), (3)(B), and (3)(C), an individual is treated as not having deferred compensation under a plan for a prior taxable year to the extent Excess Deferrals under the plan are distributed, as described in subsection (3)(E). To the extent that the combined deferrals for pre-2002 years exceeded the maximum deferral limitations, the amount is treated as an Excess Deferral for those prior years;
(4) Benefit distributions shall be in accordance with the following:
(C) Forms of Distribution. In an election to commence benefits under subsection (4)(B), a Participant may, subject to applicable law and the other provisions of the plan, elect to receive payment in accordance with one (1) of the following payment options, to the extent consistent with a reasonable and good faith interpretation of the requirements of section 401(a)(9) of the Code, subsection (4)(H) below, and not inconsistent with this section (4):
on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis) which extends no longer than the life expectancy of the Participant;
with the balance payable in installment payments for a period of years, as described in paragraph (4)(C)2., as long as such installment payments begin prior to the end of the calendar year following the year the partial lump-sum payment was made; and
or annual basis) for the lifetime of the Participant or for the lifetimes of the Participant and Beneficiary if permitted under sections 401(a)(9) or 457(d) of the Code. If the Participant fails to make a timely election of one (1) of the payment options described above, payment shall be made in a single sum.
(H) Latest Distribution Date. In no event shall any distribution under this section (4) begin later than the later of—
the Participant attains age seventy-three (73) (effective January 1, 2023, with respect to participants who attain age seventytwo (72) after December 31, 2022, and age seventy-three (73) before January 1, 2033, or such other applicable age described under Code section 401(a)(9)(C) and the Treasury regulations) (“RBD Applicable Age”); or
Participant retires or otherwise has a Severance from Employment. If distributions commence in the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the Participant attains the RBD Applicable Age (as defined in paragraph (4)(H)1. above) or the calendar year in which the Severance from Employment occurs, the distribution on the date that distribution commences must be equal to the annual installment payment for the year that the Participant has a Severance from Employment determined under subsection (4) (C) and an amount equal to the annual installment payment for the year after Severance from Employment determined under subsection (4)(C) must also be paid before the end of the calendar year of commencement. A Participant or Beneficiary who would have been required to receive required minimum distributions hereunder for 2009 but for the enactment of section 401(a)(9)(H) of the Code (2009 RMDs), and who would have satisfied that requirement by receiving distributions that are 1) equal to the 2009 RMDs or 2) one (1) or more payments in a series of substantially equal distributions (that include the 2009 RMDs) made at least annually and expected to last for the life (or life expectancy) of the Participant, the joint lives (or joint life expectancy) of the Participant and the Participant’s designated Beneficiary, or for a period of at least ten (10) years, will receive those distributions for 2009 unless the Participant or Beneficiary chooses not to receive such distributions. Participants and Beneficiaries described in this paragraph will be given the opportunity to elect to stop receiving the distributions described in this paragraph. Solely for purposes of applying the direct rollover provisions of the Plan, 2009 RMDs will be treated as eligible rollover distributions;
(I) Unforeseeable Emergency Distribution.
emergency before retirement or other Severance from the Employment, the Participant may elect to receive a lump sum distribution equal to the amount requested or, if less, the maximum amount determined by the Administrator to be permitted to be distributed under this subsection (4)(I).
emergency is defined as a severe financial hardship of the Participant resulting from: an illness or accident of the Participant, the Participant’s spouse, or the Participant’s dependent (as defined in section 152(a)); loss of the Participant’s property due to casualty (including the need to rebuild a home following damage to a home not otherwise covered by homeowner’s insurance, e.g., as a result of a natural disaster); the need to pay for the funeral expenses of the Participant’s spouse or dependent (as defined in section 152(a) of the Code); or other similar extraordinary circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Participant. For example, the imminent foreclosure of or eviction from the Participant’s primary residence may constitute an unforeseeable emergency. In addition, the need to pay for medical expenses, including nonrefundable deductibles, as well as for the cost of prescription drug medication, may constitute an unforeseeable emergency. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this subsection (4) (I), neither the purchase of a home nor the payment of college tuition is an unforeseeable emergency.
distribution on account of unforeseeable emergency may not be made to the extent that such emergency is or may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation from insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Participant’s assets, to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship, or by cessation of deferrals under the plan.
Distributions because of an unforeseeable emergency may not exceed the amount reasonably necessary to satisfy the emergency need (which may include any amounts necessary to pay any federal, state, or local income taxes or penalties reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution);
(J) Distributions for Certain Account Balances of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000) or Less. At the direction of the Administrator, a Participant’s total Account Balance shall be paid in a lump sum as soon as practical following the direction if—
dollars ($5,000) (or the dollar limit under section 411(a)(11) of the Code, if greater);
of the total amount payable to the Participant under this subsection (4)(J);
Participant during the two- (2-) year period ending immediately before the date of the distribution; and
(K) Rollover Distributions.
distribution may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the Administrator, to have all or any portion of the distribution paid directly to an eligible retirement plan specified by the Distributee in a direct rollover.
distribution means any distribution of all or any portion of a Participant’s Account Balance, determined in accordance with applicable law and the terms of the Plan, except that an eligible rollover distribution does not include—
period of ten (10) years or more;
result of an unforeseeable emergency; or
distribution under section 401(a)(9) of the Code. In addition, an eligible retirement plan means an individual retirement account described in section 408(a) of the Code, an individual retirement annuity described in section 408(b) of the Code, a qualified trust described in section 401(a) of the Code, an annuity plan described in section 403(a) or 403(b) of the Code, an eligible government plan described in section 457(b) of the Code, that accepts the eligible rollover distribution, or, effective January 1, 2008, a Roth IRA described under section 408A of the Code, to the extent permitted by applicable law. If any portion of an eligible rollover distribution is attributable to payments or distributions from a Participant’s Roth subaccount, an eligible retirement plan with respect to such portion shall include only another designated Roth account of the Participant (from whose account the payments or distributions were made) or a Roth IRA of such Participant.
deceased Participant. Effective January 1, 2007, a Participant’s designated non-spouse Beneficiary may be a Distributee but only with respect to an eligible retirement plan that is an individual retirement account described in Code section 408(a) or an individual retirement annuity described in Code section 408(b).
(5) Rollovers to the Plan and transfers shall be in accordance with the following:
(A) Eligible Rollover Contributions to the Plan.
receive an eligible rollover distribution from another eligible retirement plan may request to have all or a portion of the eligible rollover distribution paid to the Plan. The Administrator may require such documentation from the distributing plan as it deems necessary to effectuate the rollover in accordance with section 402 of the Code and to confirm that such plan is an eligible retirement plan within the meaning of section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Code.
distribution means any distribution of all or any portion of a Participant’s benefit under another eligible retirement plan, except that an eligible rollover distribution does not include a) any installment payment for a period of ten (10) years or more, b) any distribution made as a result of an unforeseeable emergency or other distribution which is made upon hardship of the employee, or c) for any other distribution, the portion, if any, of the distribution that is a required minimum distribution under section 401(a)(9) of the Code. In addition, an eligible retirement plan means an individual retirement account described in section 408(a) of the Code, an individual retirement annuity described in section 408(b) of the Code, a qualified trust described in section 401(a) of the Code, an annuity plan described in section 403(a) or 403(b) of the Code, or an eligible governmental plan described in section 457(b) of the Code, that accepts the eligible rollover distribution.
a separate account for any eligible rollover distribution paid to the Plan from any eligible retirement plan that is not an eligible governmental plan under section 457(b) of the Code. In addition, the Plan shall establish and maintain for the Participant a separate account for any eligible rollover distribution paid to the Plan from any eligible retirement plan that is an eligible governmental plan under section 457(b) of the Code;
(C) Plan-to-Plan Transfers from the Plan.
may permit a class of Participants and Beneficiaries to elect to have all or any portion of their Account Balance transferred to another eligible governmental plan within the meaning of section 457(b) of the Code and section 1.457-2(f) of the Income Tax Regulations. A transfer is permitted under this paragraph (5)(C)1. for a Participant only if the Participant has had a Severance from Employment with the Employer and is an employee of the entity that maintains the other eligible governmental plan. Further, a transfer is permitted under this paragraph (5)(C)1. only if the other eligible governmental plan provides for the acceptance of plan-to-plan transfers with respect to the Participants and Beneficiaries and for each Participant and Beneficiary to have an amount deferred under the other plan immediately after the transfer at least equal to the amount transferred.
use all or any portion of his or her Account Balance reflecting amounts deferred by such Participant in a direct trustee-totrustee transfer to a defined benefit governmental plan in accordance with the following. A transfer may be permitted under this paragraph (5)(C)2. for a Participant if the receiving plan is a defined benefit governmental plan within the meaning of section 414(d) of the Code, the receiving plan permits the purchase of permissive service credit within the meaning of section 415(n)(3)(A) of the Code, and the transfer qualifies as a trustee-to-trustee transfer to purchase permissive service credit within the meaning of section 457(e)(17) of the Code and section 1.457-10(b)(8) of the Income Tax Regulations. The Participant must use the election forms provided by the defined benefit governmental plan or such other forms as may be required by the Administrator that document the exact amount of transfer required to purchase the permissive service credits for such purpose.
(C), the Plan’s liability to pay benefits to the Participant or Beneficiary under this Plan shall be discharged to the extent of the amount so transferred for the Participant or Beneficiary. The Administrator may require such documentation from the receiving plan as it deems appropriate or necessary to comply with paragraphs (5)(C)1. and (5)(C)2. (for example, to confirm that the receiving plan is an eligible governmental plan, and to assure that the transfer is permitted under the receiving plan) or to effectuate the transfer pursuant to section 1.457-10(b) of the Income Tax Regulations.
(6) The Trust Funds shall be in accordance with the following:
AUTHORITY: section 50.1300, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed Nov. 10, 2005, effective May 30, 2006. Amended: Filed Dec. 22, 2008, effective July 30, 2009. Amended: Filed Jan. 25, 2010, effective July 30, 2010. Amended: Filed Sept. 5, 2012, effective March 30, 2013. Amended: Filed June 29, 2017, effective Dec. 30, 2017. Amended: Filed July 2, 2020, effective Jan. 30, 2021. Amended: Filed Sept. 27, 2023, effective April 30, 2024. Amended: Filed Oct. 15, 2025, effective April 30, 2026.
*Original authority: 50.1300, RSMo 1999.