OCA Pension Office

The Orthodox Church in America Pension Plan was established in 1976 to provide a retirement income to clergy and full time workers of the Church. All American Councils have mandated participation in the Plan for all clergy and have appointed the Pension Board to supervise the administration of the Plan. The Board maintains this area of the OCA website to provide information and tools related to participation in the Plan.

Please note that while participation in the Plan has been mandated for clergy since 1976, a recent restatement of the Plan removed the reduction of benefit penalty for benefits accruing effective January 1, 2010. However, no benefit will accrue for those who fail to participate. Please review the Plan Booklet below to learn more about how you can begin accruing benefits today. The Plan’s administrator and bookkeeper are available for any questions you might have. As always, the Board reminds all clergy to seek professional tax advice.

The Pension Board has proudly been providing monthly benefits to retirees, widows, and beneficiaries for over 40 years. This is a very valuable benefit for those eligible to participate.

In an effort to provide appropriate financial support for retiring clergy and full-time Church workers participating in the Orthodox Church in America’s Pension Plan, members of the Pension Board oversee the plan’s administration and disbursement of benefits. The Pension Board is elected by the All-American Council to oversee the administration of the Pension Plan of the Orthodox Church in America.