About the Sponsoring Organizations...

Santa Maria Charities, Inc.

Santa Maria Charities was formed in 1995 for purposes of providing charitable work in Franklin County, Ohio, and particularly the west side of Columbus.  It is a 501(c)(3) organization that accepts cash contributions for investments and distribution through charitable activities including, but not limited to, churches, social concerns, food pantries, mentally retarded programs, and other such charitable causes.  All donations made by Santa Maria Charities are made directly to other 501(c)(3) organizations.

 Santa Maria Charities is directed by a Board of Directors consisting of three (3) members who are unpaid volunteers.  With the exception of the accounting and legal fees generated by its operation, Santa Maria Charities does not pay any director and/or member any compensation whatsoever.  It does not have any paid employees.

 Santa Maria Charities accepts donations.  Some portion of the donation is tax deductible.  A letter from the charity will advise the donor the appropriate amount of tax deductibility at year’s end.  Some donations received are transferred to Santa Maria Enterprise I for purposes of employing persons for nonprofit organizations as well as creating and making available a pension fund which has a charitable remainderman.

Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc.

Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. was established under President George W. Bush’s Faith Based Initiative by Santa Maria Charities, Inc. to provide nonprofit organizations with volunteer employees.  Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. also provides the employees with a voluntary pension plan in which the employee can roll-over self-directed qualified accounts (401k, 403b, IRA, SEPP).  From this pension plan, the employee will receive a monthly income, and at their death, the charity named by the employee receives a residual benefit.

 The purposes of Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. is to extend the charitable works of Santa Maria Charities and to preserve the traditional family marriage.

Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. is directed by a Board of Directors consisting of three (3) members who are all unpaid volunteers.  Other than the legal and accounting fees that are generated by its operation, Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. does not pay any permanent employee a salary

What the Pension Plan Is

The pension plan is a defined benefit plan that has been designed by the law firms of Browning & Meyer Co., LPA and Jones, Troyan, Pappas and Perkins, LPA.  The pension plan complies with all Federal Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) laws and regulations.

The pension plan provides for a defined benefit to be paid to the  employee upon his or her retirement from active employment.  The employee selects the payment plan, which includes a choice between a single individual with beneficiaries, or a married individual with a surviving spouse as beneficiary and any other secondary beneficiaries (i.e. children).

All accounts require that 10% of the residual amount be donated to a named charity.  If a residual charity is not named, then 10% of the residual amount will be paid to the Catholic Social Concerns Department of the Diocese in which the employee resides.  The income thereafter is paid to the Catholic Social Concerns Department for purposes of promoting volunteer services from the community-at-large to non-profit corporations.



How it Works

To be eligible to become an employee, you must first be a donor to the Charity.  Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. employs the client to contract for 20 hours of service to be completed in 30 days.  This volunteer service must be completed at a non-profit organization.

Once the work has been completed, the employee receives a paycheck minus standard deductions based upon documents completed by the employee during the hiring process.  In addition to a paycheck, the employee becomes eligible for the Santa Maria Enterprise I, Inc. Defined Benefit Pension Plan by electing to participate.  If so, the employer makes a contribution to the Pension Plan for the employee.

Additionally, the employee is eligible to roll over any self-directed 401k, 403b, IRA, Roth IRA, and/or any other qualified monies into the pension.

In order to become eligible for the pension plan, the employee MUST enter into an employment contract and must complete the necessary hours of volunteer services.



Why You Should Participate

Funds retained in an IRA, 401(k) or other non-traditional retirement plan suffer from the risks referenced on the Home page.  Those risks include attacks by creditors, investment risks, and the risk of paying for healthcare.  To avoid these risks, enrollment in the SME Pension Plan is a viable alternative.

For more information, please contact us