A retirement plan exclusively for Housing Authorities

Frequently Asked Questions

Will there be a contact person readily available to respond to routine questions?

Plan representatives are available Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. EST at 888-801-3534.

May I take money out of the retirement plan while I am still actively employed by the housing authority?

You may withdraw any voluntary money you contributed. You can also access funds If your agency adopted the loan program or the age 59 ½ withdrawal provision.

How often can accumulated fund balances be transferred among the different funds?

Daily, provided that the stock market is open, and, the change is made prior to 4:00 PM, Eastern Time. The only limitation that may apply is for those Fund Managers who impose Market-Timing Restrictions. When a transfer is initiated, any transaction restrictions will be displayed in order to either accept the terms and process the transfer or reject the terms and cancel the transaction.

Can employees make voluntary contributions to the Plan?

Yes, a participant may make after-tax contributions to the Plan, subject to the following maximum IRS individual limit: For calendar year 2020, the total of all contributions made to the Plan each year either by you, or by your employer on your behalf, cannot in total exceed whichever is smaller: $57,000 or 100% of your annual salary. (The limit may be increased or decreased by the IRS after 2020.)

Are interest, gains or losses credited daily?

Yes.

How can employees access their account information?

Primarily through the Web Site at www.hart-retire.com or by calling into the automated phone system at 888-801-3534.

Can employees roll over amounts from other retirement plans?

Yes. The Plan can accept rollover contributions from another plan in which you have participated if that other plan is a qualified plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 401(a) or 401(k), a tax-sheltered annuity plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 403(b) or an eligible deferred compensation plan under Internal Revenue Code Section 457(b).

How long does it take to receive a distribution after it is requested?

Since distributions are processed after final plan contributions and loan payments are received by the Plan from the agency, the participant will typically receive the distribution at the end of the month following the month in which his/her termination date occurs. Once final contributions are received by the Plan, distributions are processed every business day, and the checks are mailed within two business days.