Employer-sponsored retirement plans, the 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), and the federal Thrift Savings Plan, are payroll-deducted, tax-advantaged accounts that let you invest part of every paycheck, often alongside a matching contribution from your employer. They sit at the center of most Americans' retirement savings because the tax break, the employer match, and decades of compounding work together in a way no ordinary savings account can replicate. The single costliest mistake most workers make is contributing less than their plan's match threshold; that isn't "saving less," it's declining a guaranteed, immediate return that no market investment can match. Beyond the free money, the details that actually move outcomes are quieter ones: vesting schedules determine how much of that match you truly own, fund-menu fees compound against you exactly like your gains compound for you, and what you do with the account the moment you change jobs is often the difference between a six-figure retirement balance and a trail of forgotten $1,500 accounts.
What This Cheat Sheet Covers
This topic spans 14 focused tables and 102 indexed concepts. Below is a complete table-by-table outline of this topic, spanning foundational concepts through advanced details.
A jump-to index of every table row in this cheat sheet.
An interactive map of every table and concept in this topic.
Table 1: Core Employer Retirement Plan Types
Which plan you're offered depends entirely on who employs you, not your job title or income. All four share the same basic shape, a payroll deferral growing tax-advantaged, but eligibility, matching mechanics, and withdrawal flexibility diverge in ways that matter.
| Plan | Example | Description |
|---|---|---|
Elective deferral limit: $24,500 in 2026 | Offered mainly by for-profit companies; funded by payroll-deducted employee deferrals, often with an employer match. | |
Public school, university, hospital, or 501(c)(3) nonprofit employer | Shares the same core deferral limits as a 401(k) but offered by public education and tax-exempt organizations; can add a unique 15-years-of-service catch-up. | |
State or local government employee | Offered by state and local government employers; uniquely allows penalty-free withdrawals at any age once you separate from service. |