Retirement Benefits

Whether you’re just starting out or looking ahead to retirement, the City of Bullhead City offers robust, flexible, and professionally managed retirement plans. With Mission Square Retirement, you get the tools, investment options, and support you need to feel confident about your future.

Retirement & Savings Plans

401(a) Retirement Plan

• City contributes 9.05%; you contribute 6.25% (pre-tax).

• Immediate vesting for employee contributions.

• City contributions vest per plan rules.

Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS)

• For sworn police officers.

• Contribution rates set by the State Legislature.

457 Deferred Compensation Plan

• Optional, tax-deferred savings plan with loan provisions.

• Contribute pre-tax (or Roth, if available).

• Flexible withdrawals after leaving employment.

Plan Types Available

Here are the main retirement plans and savings options you have access to:

Investment Options & Strategy

Mission Square offers a variety of investment options, so you can choose based on how aggressive or conservative you want to be. Some types of funds you can use include:

• Target-Date Funds – automatically adjust over time toward more conservative investments as you approach retirement. 

• Target-Risk / Model Portfolio Funds – set your risk level and let Mission Square balance for you.

• Stock & Bond Funds – for more hands-on investors: U.S. equity, international, bond/fixed-income, etc.

• Stable Value / Cash Management Funds – safer options for short-term needs or lower risk tolerance. 

Tools & Resources You’ll Want to Use

To help you make smart decisions, Mission Square provides several interactive tools and educational resources:

• Plan-Specific Portal / Account Dashboard – where you can log in to see your account, check your balance, update investments, adjust contributions, etc.

• Retirement Education Center – videos, articles, guidelines. Helpful if you want to understand things like “How much do I need to retire-comfortably?”, “What are Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs)?” etc. Retirement Education Center | MissionSquare

• Financial Wellness Center – tools, calculators, and personalized advice. Great for tracking progress or figuring out if you’re on target. 

• CFP® Professional Consultations – access to Certified Financial Planner professionals to help you with detailed retirement planning. 

How It Works — Key Features

• Tax Advantages: Contributions to 401(a) or 457(b) plans are usually on a pre-tax basis, lowering taxable income while your investments grow tax-deferred. Some plans may also offer Roth or after-tax contribution options. 

• Withdrawal Options: In many cases, once you leave employment or retire, you can withdraw or roll over funds. The 457(b) plan is also special because withdrawals generally don’t carry the 10% early withdrawal penalty that applies to other plans when you're under 59½. 

• Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs): Required by IRS rules once you reach a certain age. MissionSquare provides tools and guidance to help you stay compliant.

• Catch-Up Provisions: For employees over certain ages, there are options to contribute more (beyond standard limits) in certain plans. 

Where to Start — Step by Step

1. Log in to your Mission Square account
   Use the plan­specific portal (e.g. Bullhead City Non-Mgmt 401(a)) to see what funds are available, what your current contribution rate is, etc.                                                                                         CITY OF BULLHEAD CITY - 457 CITY OF BULLHEAD CITY NON-MGMT - 401A 

2. Review and adjust contributions
   Think about increasing contributions if possible—small increases now can make a big difference over time. Use calculators to estimate how much you’ll need.

3. Choose or adjust your investment allocation
   Are you closer to retirement? Maybe shift more into stable or target-date funds. Earlier in career? Maybe more equity growth.

4. Use the resources
   Check out webinars, articles, CFP consultations. Make sure you understand the tax implications, withdrawal rules, etc.

5. Monitor and revisit
   Retirement planning isn’t “set and forget.” Markets change, life changes—so revisit your plan periodically (yearly or when major life events occur).

Useful Links & Contacts

• Contact Us | MissionSquare — get help, schedule a meeting with a retirement specialist.