$44.4M Symetra AME Church Retirement Fund Settlement, Are You a Plan Member Who Qualifies? No Claim Form Required

The Symetra AME Church Retirement Fund Settlement is an ERISA-related class action where eligible participants in the African Methodist Episcopal Church ministerial retirement annuity plan can receive a pro rata share of $44,400,000 — credited automatically to their retirement account after the court grants final approval at the August 19, 2026 hearing. Symetra Life Insurance Co. agreed to this deal to resolve claims that it helped facilitate the misappropriation of retirement funds belonging to roughly 4,500 AME Church pastors, bishops, elders, and employees.

Symetra AME Church Settlement — Key Facts at a Glance

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$44,400,000
Who Qualifies	Participants or beneficiaries in the AME Church ministerial retirement annuity plan entitled to benefits as of June 30, 2021
Payout Per Person	Pro rata — calculated by your June 30, 2021 account balance divided by the total of all class members’ balances, multiplied by the net settlement fund
Claim Form Required	No — payment is automatic
Proof Required	No
Payment Method	Credited directly to your retirement account — no checks issued
Settlement Status	Preliminarily Approved
Opt-Out Deadline	July 17, 2026
Fairness Hearing	August 19, 2026
Settlement Administrator	Verita Global
Official Website	amechurchretirementsettlement.com
Last Updated	May 21, 2026

Symetra Settlement Status and What Happens Next

• Judge S. Thomas Anderson gave preliminary approval to the $44.4 million settlement on April 17, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.
• The opt-out deadline is July 17, 2026. The fairness hearing is scheduled for August 19, 2026.
• Payments will be issued approximately seven days after the court resolves any appeals and grants final approval.

What Is the Symetra Lawsuit About? In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation, No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay

This case is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. The lawsuit centers on the collapse of the AME Church’s ministerial retirement annuity plan, which thousands of pastors and church employees had contributed to for decades expecting it to fund their retirement.

Plaintiffs alleged that Symetra was a co-conspirator with the Rev. Jerome Harris, then the director of the AME Church’s Department of Retirement Services, in the misappropriation of the retirement funds. Early in the litigation, plaintiffs said roughly $88.4 million was lost from the retirement funds. The AME Church attributed the losses to embezzlement by Harris, who headed the denomination’s Department of Retirement Services for 21 years before retiring in 2021. He died in May 2024 of a heart attack.

The lawsuit alleged breach of fiduciary duty, violations of the Tennessee Uniform Trust Code, negligence, conversion, fraudulent concealment, fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of contract, civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, and professional negligence. If you are exploring how this kind of misconduct affects retirement rights, our Capital One ERISA 401(k) Settlement guide explains how courts hold plan managers accountable under federal law.

The $44.4 million deal follows a $20 million settlement with the church and related entities and a $40 million deal with third-party administrator Newport Group Inc. Judge Anderson noted that the Symetra settlement brings the total recovery to approximately $106.2 million and called it “adequate and immediate relief to the class” given the risks and delays of going to trial.

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Are You Part of the AME Church Retirement Fund Class Action Symetra Settlement?

You do not need to file a class action settlement eligibility claim form — but you need to confirm you fall within the class definition to know whether a payment is coming your way.

You are automatically included if:

• You were a participant in the AME Church ministerial retirement annuity plan and had an account balance as of June 30, 2021
• You are a beneficiary of a participant who was entitled to benefits as of June 30, 2021
• You have not previously excluded yourself from an earlier round of settlements in this same case

You are likely NOT included if:

• You joined the AME Church retirement plan after June 30, 2021
• You had no account balance or benefit entitlement in the plan as of June 30, 2021
• You are a named defendant in the litigation or an immediate family member of a named defendant

The settlement is expected to benefit approximately 4,500 pastors and church employees. For context on how courts handle similar retirement fund compensation for damages cases, our Northwell Health ERISA Settlement breakdown walks through how automatic pro rata distributions work in practice.

How Much Will AME Church Plan Members Get from the Symetra Settlement?

The settlement fund totals $44,400,000. After deductions for taxes, settlement administration expenses, attorneys’ fees, and service awards to named plaintiffs, the administrator distributes the remainder on a pro rata basis.

The formula is straightforward:

Your share = (Your June 30, 2021 account balance ÷ Total of all class members’ June 30, 2021 balances) × Net settlement amount

Attorneys’ fees are set at $14,800,000. Attorney expenses and service awards to named plaintiffs are to be determined.

Before this settlement, affected participants had roughly 61.5% of their expected June 2021 account balances restored through prior settlements. This $44.4 million settlement pushes total recovery toward nearly full restoration of the losses. Symetra will credit funds directly to each class member’s retirement account — no checks will be issued.

How to Receive Your Symetra AME Church Settlement Payment

No claim form is required. Here is exactly what to do:

Step 1 — Confirm you were a participant or beneficiary in the AME Church ministerial retirement annuity plan with a balance as of June 30, 2021.

Step 2 — Do nothing if you want to stay in the class and receive your pro rata share automatically.

Step 3 — If you want to opt out and preserve your right to sue Symetra independently, mail a signed opt-out letter before July 17, 2026.

Step 4 — Your opt-out letter must include your name, phone number, current address, last four digits of your Social Security Number, and the following statement:

“I, [NAME], voluntarily choose not to participate in the settlement of the class action against Symetra and hereby waive any rights I may have to participate in the class settlement with Symetra in the federal court lawsuit entitled In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation, Case No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay.”

Step 5 — Mail to: In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation Settlement Administrator, c/o Verita Global, PO Box 301134, Los Angeles, CA 90030-1134.

Step 6 — Monitor amechurchretirementsettlement.com for final approval updates and your payment timeline.

Estimated time to complete (if opting out): 15 minutes.

AME Church Symetra Settlement — Important Deadlines

Milestone	Date
Preliminary Approval	April 17, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	July 17, 2026
Objection Deadline	TBD — not yet specified in available court documents; monitor amechurchretirementsettlement.com
Final Approval Hearing	August 19, 2026
Expected Payment Date	Approximately 7 days after final approval and resolution of any appeals
Claim Filing Deadline	Not applicable — no claim form required

Frequently Asked Questions — Symetra AME Church Retirement Settlement

Is there a class action lawsuit against Symetra related to the AME Church retirement fund?

Yes. The case is In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation, Case No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay, pending in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. Symetra agreed to pay $44,400,000 to resolve its role in the alleged mismanagement of the plan.

Do I need to file a claim to receive my AME Church retirement settlement payment?

No. The settlement administrator will automatically deposit funds into eligible class members’ retirement accounts after the court grants final approval. No action is required unless you want to opt out by the July 17, 2026 deadline.

How much will I get from the Symetra AME Church settlement?

Your payment depends on the size of your account balance as of June 30, 2021 compared to the total of all class members’ balances. The settlement administrator will calculate each person’s pro rata share after deducting attorneys’ fees of $14,800,000 and other costs from the $44,400,000 fund.

When will the AME Church Symetra settlement payout date arrive?

Payments will be issued approximately seven days after the court grants final approval and resolves any appeals. The final approval hearing is set for August 19, 2026, so the earliest realistic payment window is late August or fall 2026, assuming no appeals delay the process.

Do I need a lawyer to participate in this settlement?

No. Class members receive their payment automatically. If you believe you have a stronger individual consumer rights claim and want to opt out to pursue separate litigation, you should consult a class action lawsuit attorney before the July 17, 2026 opt-out deadline — that date is final.

Is this settlement legitimate?

Yes. Judge S. Thomas Anderson of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee granted preliminary approval on April 17, 2026. The settlement administrator is Verita Global, a nationally recognized administrator. Reach them at 833-419-3900 or [email protected].

What if I already received money from the earlier $60 million AME Church settlement?

The prior settlements restored approximately 61.5% of affected participants’ expected June 2021 account balances. This Symetra settlement is a separate, additional layer of recovery. If you were included in the earlier settlements, you are likely included here as well, and your account will receive another pro rata credit.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes?

Possibly. Because the payment is credited directly into your retirement account rather than paid as a cash check, the tax treatment depends on how distributions from your specific plan are handled. You should speak with a tax professional regarding your individual situation before withdrawing any funds credited from this settlement.

Sources & References

1. Official settlement website: amechurchretirementsettlement.com
2. Court docket: In re: AME Church Employee Retirement Fund Litigation, Case No. 1:22-md-03035-STA-jay, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee
3. Law360: Symetra Inks $44.4M Deal With AME Church Employees (April 14, 2026)
4. Religion News Service: AME Church Clergy Could Recover $44M More in Retirement Scandal Settlement (April 22, 2026)
5. Bloomberg Law: Symetra Will Pay $44 Million to Escape Church Pension Lawsuit (April 13, 2026)

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against official court records and the settlement administrator website — amechurchretirementsettlement.com — on May 21, 2026. Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.