FAQs

The loan service fee is 1.5% of the loan amount. This fee is usually added into the loan. The buyer pays closing costs, including the title insurance policy, recording fees, fire insurance policy, appraisal fees, legal fees, etc. These costs are paid directly to the agency or person providing the document or service.

As a standard practice, there are no balloon payments.  However, under certain circumstances, a balloon payment may be required.

CEP’s loan interest rates are based on a variety of underwriting criteria, including a ministry’s financial strength, the type of project, the time frame, etc.

Loan rates are adjustable with a 3-year review.  No fixed loan rates are offered at this time.

No.

If your ministry is simply refinancing an existing loan, the loan will be funded in its entirety at closing. If your loan is for construction or a remodel, the loan is funded progressively. This is a great benefit to the church, because monthly payments will only be charged on the amount borrowed at the time. Progressive funding also makes it easier to keep track of which projects have been completed and paid for and ensures the project will be completed within the loan amount.

If you request additional funding beyond your original request, you must submit a loan expansion request in writing and submit current financials. The loan committee will review your request, and, if approved, funds will be added to the current loan balance.

Church officers are required to sign all loan documents, but they are not required to sign as co-signers guaranteeing the loan.

Yes!

Investment rates on new offerings are subject to change at any time.

Interest rates are determined by the terms of your investment, not by the dollar amount invested.

The Variable Access note provides penalty-free withdrawals (requires a 30-day written notice). Fixed-rate notes are set up with the intention that the funds will stay in the account until maturity. Currently, early withdrawals can be made from these notes with a 30-day written notice and will result in a six-month interest penalty.

Typically, yes, you can add to your note at any time. As we continually strive to offer the lowest possible loan rates to Assemblies of God churches, notes earning rates above our current investment offerings are occasionally closed to additions. If this applies to any of your notes, we will give you 30 days advance notice.

No.

Vision investments are not “secured.” Your investment is backed by mortgages on loans made to churches and CEP’s other assets. CEP maintains an excess in assets, currently over $10 million. Our investments cannot be covered under the FDIC insurance program because Church Extension Plan is a ministry, not a bank.

All investment dollars go to support the expansion of Assemblies of God churches and ministries through our loan program. Cash reserves are in bank, money market, and very conservative mutual fund accounts. The variety allows for balance when one part of the economy softens (the other part usually does the opposite).

Your beneficiaries will need to contact CEP and provide a certified death certificate. They will also need to inform CEP in writing whether they want to cash out the investment note(s) or hold it to maturity.

Yes. You will need to provide a copy of your trust agreement or complete a Certification of Trust Agreement form. CEP requires that we have one of these items before we can set up your investment note in the name of a trust.

Please review our current rate chart.

Traditional, Roth, Coverdell ESA, Spousal, and SEP.

Traditional IRA: Contributions to a Traditional IRA may be tax-deductible, and the interest earned is tax-deferred. Regular distributions from a Traditional IRA are taxable. You must begin taking distributions after the age of 73, but if you are still employed, you may continue to make contributions.

Roth IRA: Contributions to a Roth IRA are not tax-deductible, and the interest earned is tax-deferred. Regular distributions from a Roth IRA are not taxable. You are not required to take distributions by 73 and can continue to make contributions as long as you have earned income. Your Roth IRA has to be established for a minimum of five years before you can take tax-free distributions.

Yes! You can take penalty-free distributions from your Traditional IRA once you turn age 59 ½. For Roth IRAs, you can take distributions if you are 59 ½ and have had your account open for at least five years. Church Extension Plan does not assess any penalties for distributions from IRAs. However, there is a six-month interest penalty for transferring your IRA to another custodian before your term is up.

No. IRAs must be held in the name of an individual. If the person is married, the spouse usually is the primary beneficiary and the trust is the contingent beneficiary. If the person is not married, the trust can be the primary beneficiary.

A RMD is an amount of money the IRS requires you to take from a Traditional IRA account once you reach age 73. The dollar amount is determined by a calculation of your age and end balance of the previous year.

Current employees of Assemblies of God churches/ministries or a self-employed, licensed, or ordained minister of the Assemblies of God. If a person is a retired credentialed minister, they may transfer funds from another qualified retirement account to CEP’s 403(b) plan.

If you are not eligible for CEP’s 403(b) ministry retirement plan, you may be eligible for CEP’s Individual Retirement Account or Individual Investments.

There are a few different limits for the 403(b) retirement plan. The amount you can contribute from your paycheck is $23,000 per year or 100% of your taxable compensation, whichever is less. If you are age 50 or older, there is a catch-up amount of $7,500 you can contribute each year. There are other limits for employer contributions that are also based on your taxable compensation. Contact CEP for details on those limits.

Yes, retired ministers can potentially designate all or a portion of their withdrawals as housing allowance. (Housing Allowance form must be submitted to CEP prior to the withdrawal.)

There are several investment funds to choose from. One fund is the Vision fund offered through CEP. This is the fund used to provide loans to Assemblies of God churches and ministries. There are also several mutual fund choices offered through Envoy Financial. Contact CEP for a current list of available fund options.

403(b) statements are sent out monthly.

For accounts invested solely in the Vision Fund with a balance of $2,000 or more, there is a $5 monthly fee. For accounts invested in mutual funds offered through Envoy Advisory, Inc., there is a percentage-based fee of 0.0267% monthly (0.32% annually). Mutual Funds may also have additional underlying expenses. Refer to the fund prospectus for more information.

Yes, if your current plan allows for such transfers and you meet a triggering event as defined by the IRS.

Distributions are very restricted for 403(b) retirement plans. In order to take a distribution, you must meet a triggering event as defined by the IRS. The triggering events are as follows: attained age 59 ½, separated from service, retired, or death.

A 403(b) retirement plan is an employer-sponsored retirement plan and can only be funded through your employer. Your employer completes an Adoption Agreement that determines who is eligible to participate and what types of contributions will be made to the plan. It provides a way for you to save for retirement on a pre-tax basis, and your earnings are tax-deferred. You can make salary deferral contributions from your paycheck, and your employer can contribute on your behalf.

Yes. Just notify your payroll manager.

Yes. Just notify your payroll manager. You can resume at any time by contacting your payroll manager.

Yes, as long as your new employer is a participating employer. A participating employer has completed an Adoption Agreement with CEP.

The IRS assesses a 6% penalty on excess contributions each year. It is your and your employer’s responsibility to know what your contribution limits are. See IRS publication 571 for more information at irs.gov

Yes. You may change the allocation of funds at any time. Contact CEP for specific instructions.

There are mandatory tax withholding rules that apply to employer retirement plan distributions. If you are under age 59 ½, the IRS assesses a 10% early distribution penalty. Distributions that qualify to rollover to another retirement account have 20% federal taxes withheld. You may qualify to take a distribution as Housing Allowance if you meet certain criteria. The Housing Allowance declaration provides a waiver of the mandatory 20% tax withholding. However, you are responsible for reporting the distribution and the taxable amount on your tax return.