What Is a Church Plan?

If your organization is associated with a church and is exempt from tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3), 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.

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 expenses.

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.  

Rostered Ministers & Church Staff

For over 200 years, the Lutheran Church has supported the well-being of faith leaders and their families. Portico is committed to continuing this legacy of providing comprehensive benefits to the rostered ministers and lay employees of the ELCA’s congregations, synods, and churchwide organization.

Supporting the physical, emotional, and financial well-being of those who lead — from seminary to retirement — has much to do with creating and maintaining vital ministries.  When our leaders are healthy, our churches are stronger.

Social Ministry Organizations

Social ministries serve a critical role in the community, directly delivering care to those in need. Maintaining the well-being of those who serve is an important part of Portico’s mission to support church-affiliated ministries and their staff.  

As a nonprofit ministry of the ELCA, Portico Benefit Services can serve organizations associated with the ELCA or one of its full communion partners. The services these organizations provide are as diverse as the needs of the people and communities they serve in the senior care, youth, and family service sectors.

Colleges & Universities

​​ELCA​​ ​colleges and universities​​ ​educate​​ ​tomorrow’s leaders​.​​ ​Portico provides flexible and comprehensive benefits to support ​the ​needs​ of​​ faculty members, coaches, leaders, facilities staff, and those who work for colleges and universities of the ELCA or are affiliated with a full communion partner denomination.

Endowment fund investment management

Endowment assets are crucial to the vitality of your institution and to support teaching, research, and the mission. Our investment expertise and the economies of scale from our combined asset size can bring strength to your endowment investments, including options to invest in social purpose funds that align with ELCA social teachings and policies.