All Topics Flashcards
(120 cards)
Non-contributory plans
The employees do not contribute to the plan
- Money Purchase Pension Plans
- ESOPs
- Profit Sharing Plans
Contributory plans
Employees are able contribute to the plan
- 401(k)s
- Thrift Plans
Maximum retirement benefit a participant in a Target-Benefit Plan can receive depends on
The value of the participant’s account at retirement
BD pension plans will have to increase funding costs associated with the plan if:
- Low turnover rate
- Early retirement
- Salary scale assumption
Target Benefit Plans
- Favors older participants
- Requires actuarial assumptions
- Maximum individual annual additions is the lesser of 100% of pay or $58,000
- Employer limit is 25% of covered compensation
- The only thing which actually determines the final retirement benefit in a target benefit plan is the account value at retirement.
Legal requirements apply to Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs)
- ESOPs must permit participants, age 55+ and who have at least 10 years of service, the opportunity to diversify their accounts
- Mandatory 20% withholding requirement does not apply to distributions of employer stock from an ESOP
- Deductions for interest payments are not limited for ESOP plans
- Deductions for repayment of principal is limited to 25% of covered compensation
Money Purchase Plan
Requires annual employer contributions equal to a formula determined by each participant’s salary
Defined Benefit Plan & Cash Balance Plan
Contributions are determined by:
- Age
- Salary
Profit Sharing plan
Doesn’t require annual contributions
SIMPLE IRA
- Employer contributions are determined by the amount of employee deferrals
- Maximum employer match = 3%
- 25% penalty on early distributions if withdrawn within the first two years
- Do not require 20% withholding because they are not qualified plans
Active participant
Employee who has benefited under one of the following plans through a contribution or accrued benefit during the year:
- Qualified plan
- Annuity plan
- Tax sheltered annuity (403(b) plan)
- Certain government plans (does not include 457 plans)
- SEPs
- SIMPLEs
Annual additions per participant to a DC Plan for the current year, maximum contribution is
The lesser of 100% of income or $58,000 (indexed).
What is the early withdrawal penalty for a SIMPLE IRA plan during the 2-year period beginning on the date the employee first participated in the SIMPLE plan
25%
457(b) Plan and 401(k) Plan
Contributions to a Section 457(b) plan do not count against the 401(k) plan limit. May contribute the maximum to each plan in the same year. Contribution limit to each plan is $19,500, therefore, he can contribute at total of $39,000 ($19,500 + $19,500).
Unit benefit (a.k.a. percentage-of-earnings-per-year-of-service) formula
- Rewards many years of service
Flat-percentage formula
- Work well, as long as the EE has ten years of service. The maximum benefits under IRC 415(b) are reduced for participation less than 10 years
Flat-amount formula
- Provide higher benefits for younger EEs compared to older EEs on comparative basis
New comparability formula
- Is a profit sharing plan
Possible disadvantage of a Simplified Employee Pension plan (SEP) for an employer
SEPs prohibit forfeitures
SEPs
- Exclusion: EEs can be excluded from plan up to 3 years or age 21, whichever is longer
- EE needs to earn only $650 to be included in the plan
- Max contribution into a SEP is 25% or $20,000 per EE
- Modification for owner would be: EE cont % / 1 + EE cont %
- Not QP
- DC Plan
Similarities between IRA and SEP
- Individual ownership of the account.
- All contributions into the account are fully owned by participant
- Subject to early withdrawal penalties and minimum distribution regulations
- All distributions from plan taxed as ordinary income
Defined Contribution Plan
Funding - 3% minimum to all eligible employees or less if less provided to the key employees.
- ER deductibility limit of 25% of covered payroll
- ER contributions must bear uniform resemblance to compensation and cannot discriminate in favor of highly compensated
- ER contributions are not subject to any payroll related taxes
- Can integrate with Social Security (sometimes called permissible disparity)
457 Plans
- Churches are not qualifying sponsors of 457 plans
- To avoid constructive receipt, agreement must be signed prior to the month the services are rendered and prior to receipt of the paycheck
- Distributions are permitted at termination or normal retirement age as stated in plan document
- Maximum elective deferral including catch-up: $39,000 for 2021, excluding catch-up: $19,500
- Deferrals are subject to SS & Medicare taxes at the later of: performance of services or employee becomes vested
- Periodic payments are treated as ordinary income
Payments under a “golden parachute”
- Are ordinary income
- Any amounts under the SS cap will be subject to OASDI tax
- All amounts are subject to Medicare tax
- Subject to additional 20% excise tax
- Non-qualified plans
- No lump sum treatment or IRA rollover options apply