FAQ

Portico Benefit Services pools together more than 18,000 health plan participants and negotiates health benefits for all of them as one collective group.

At Portico, we’ve seen the positive results of this collective power.

Our 403(b)(9) retirement plans are church plans, which are employee benefit plans established and maintained for the employees of a church or church-associated organization.

Church plans are not subject to ERISA or DOL regulations, saving time, money, and effort. Clergy can benefit from significant tax savings when taking distributions from the plan by claiming the clergy housing allowance exclusion, only available through church plans — not banks, investment firms, or fraternal organizations.

Church plans also benefit from the large pool of assets we manage, giving us access to industry-leading investment managers and Fidelity recordkeeping services, often not available to smaller plans.

Learn more about our approach to financial health and investments.

Portico offers a holistic approach to benefits with a focus on financial, emotional, and physical wellness. We curate cost-effective benefit solutions that support total wellness for those who serve, including: Retirement Plans, Health Plan Benefits, Life and Disability Plan Benefits.

For congregations, we offer a bundled benefit package that includes health, retirement, disability, and life insurance. This bundled package protects members from a variety of financial risks and serves them throughout their lifetime.

Portico offers an experienced team to guide your employees as they enroll in their benefits. We meet members in their preferred channel whether it’s online, by phone, or even in person. Our team is here to simplify the member experience by taking the guesswork out of using their benefits. Our support includes:

• Portico Care Coordinators by Quantum Health to help employees navigate the often-complex health care system
• Condition-specific programs and coaching with personalized support for members’ wellness journey
• Financial planners and online tools that help guide members toward greater financial confidence

The Portico team will work in tandem with your HR administrator to provide extensive experience and support in onboarding, implementation, benefits education, member enrollment, and payroll integration.

We can provide this one-stop benefits administration experience (access to multiple vendors through our health plan) while you focus on your ministry. Learn more about the other ways we can serve as an extension of your team.

If your organization is associated with a church and is exempt from tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501, you may be eligible to participate in a church plan, which is an employee benefit plan established and maintained for the employees of a church or church-associated organization. This could include congregations, skilled nursing facilities, schools, camps, colleges and universities, or social ministry organizations.

Portico Benefit Services can serve any organization associated with the ELCA or one of its full communion partners. As a nonprofit ministry of the ELCA, we were established to serve church-affiliated ministries like yours.

Church plans are not subject to reporting and disclosure requirements required in Title I of ERISA, including an annual Form 5500 filing requirement, and are not subject to an annual audit requirement – saving you costs.

Determination of eligibility to participate in a church plan is dependent on each organization’s unique facts and circumstances. Set up a call and we can help determine your eligibility. Learn more about church plan status.