Resources and Support

The University recognizes the need to offer payroll advances to employees for financial security during extreme emergency situations, including financial hardship as a result of the government shutdown. If you would like to request an advance on your pay, the policy can be reviewed here. 

Employees enrolled in Georgetown’s Voluntary Contribution Retirement 403(b) Plan may access their funds through a hardship withdrawal or personal loan.

Personal Loan

If your account is managed by TIAA, loans must be at least $1,000 and can be no more than 50% of your TIAA VCRP accumulation up to a maximum of $50,000. Money borrowed can be used for any purpose and is not subject to taxes or penalties. You must repay the loan directly through the investment company. If you are interested in a loan, but your account is not with TIAA, you may transfer funds into TIAA. For more information regarding loans from the Voluntary Contribution Retirement Plan, contact the Benefits Office at benefitshelp@georgetown.edu.

Hardship Withdrawal
Rules pertaining to hardship withdrawals are enforced by the IRS and therefore we cannot make any exceptions to them. You must first take the maximum possible loan at TIAA before you can be considered for a hardship withdrawal.  This can include transferring funds from Vanguard and Fidelity to TIAA.  If after taking the maximum loan possible you still need more funds then you will need to provide proof of one of the six acceptable hardship reasons below:

●     to finance the purchase of a primary residence;

●     to avoid eviction/foreclosure;

●     educational expenses for you or your dependents;

●     out-of-pocket medical expenses for you or your dependents;

●     funeral expenses for your parent, spouse, children or dependents; or

●     to pay for expenses for the repair of damage to your residence, that would qualify for the casualty deduction

Hardship withdrawals are subject to federal and state income tax and early withdrawal penalties if used before retirement age.

For more information about personal loans or hardship withdrawals from the Voluntary Contribution Retirement Plan, please visit the Benefits website to make an appointment.

The Hoya Hub provides non-perishable food items for any members of the Georgetown community experiencing food insecurity. Located in the Leavey Center, it is accessible via punch code, which can be obtained by visiting foodpantry.georgetown.edu.

Services to faculty, AAPs, staff and family members for personal or work-related problems. All records and discussions are handled by qualified counselors on a confidential basis. The FSAP deals with a variety of work and personal issues, related to conflict resolution, health, emotional stress, grief, relationship violence, psychological problems, relationship and family problems, parenting and child care, aging relatives, substance abuse, legal problems, and financial concerns. For more information, visit hr.georgetown.edu/fsap or call (202) 687-2396.