EXAM #1 – Quizzes (CH. 1, 3-6) Flashcards
(123 cards)
The are primarily four parties interested in retirement plans and employee benefits: employees, employers, institutions (and their professionals), and the government. Which of the following is not considered an Interested Institution?
A. Debt Relief and Consolidation Agencies
B. Banks
C. Mutual Funds
D. Insurance Companies
A. Debt Relief and Consolidation Agencies
TRUE OR FALSE:
Since the 1980’s the number of Defined Benefit Plans has risen, and since the 1970’s the number of Defined Contribution plans has fallen. This is likely attributed to the higher cost, longevity risk, and potential funding shortfalls associated with defined contribution plans.
FALSE
Which vesting schedule provides an employee full rights to the plan assets immediately upon the passage of a certain number of years of service, usually three years?
A. Graduated Vesting Schedule
B. Accelerated Vesting Schedule
C. Cliff Vesting Schedule
D. Lump Sum Vesting Schedule
C. Cliff Vesting Schedule
TRUE OR FALSE:
Additional qualified plan annual contributions, above and beyond the standard contribution limits available to all eligible participants, are allowed for individuals aged 50 or over.
TRUE
Which of the following is not true of qualified plans?
A. Costs of operating the plan are considered to be one of the disadvantages.
B. Lump-sum distributions may qualify for special taxation.
C. Qualified plans offer tax benefits to both the employer and the employee.
D. Ownership is permitted for the account owner and up to one joint owner.
D. Ownership is permitted for the account owner and up to one joint owner.
TRUE OR FALSE:
Under the rules of the General Safe Harbor Coverage Test, an employer consists of 70 non-highly compensated (NHC) employees and 80 highly compensated employees. Of the 70 NHC employees, 50 are nonexcludable. 35 of the nonexcludable, NHC employees benefit from the company retirement plan. Does this plan pass the General Safe Harbor Coverage Test? Select True for “Yes, it passes.” Select False for “No, it does not pass.
TRUE
The maximum employee compensation that may be considered for contributions to qualified plans or the accrual of benefits to a qualified plan is known as:
A. Maximum Allowable Compensation
B. Covered Compensation Limit
C. Considerable Contribution Limit
D. Excludable Compensation
B. Covered Compensation Limit
TRUE OR FALSE:
If a qualified, defined benefit plan is considered top-heavy, the plan must use accelerated vesting schedules rather than the standard vesting schedule.
TRUE
Who assumes investment risk in a Defined Contribution plan?
A. Employer
B. Insurance Companies
C. Employee
D. Banks
C. Employee
According to the Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) Movement, an alternative to the traditional concept of retirement, one is considered financially independent when:
A. They no longer have outstanding debt.
B. Their accumulated savings equal twenty-five times their estimated annual expenses.
C. They attain their Normal Retirement Age (NRA) as defined by the Social Security Administration.
D. Their estimated annual expenses equal twenty-five times their accumulated savings
D. Their estimated annual expenses equal twenty-five times their accumulated savings
Which of the following is NOT true about qualified pension plans?
A. They have an annual funding requirement.
B. Investment in employer securities is unlimited, meaning up to 100% of plan assets.
C. Life insurance within pension plans is allowed but limited.
D. All of the above are true about qualified pension plans.
B. Investment in employer securities is unlimited, meaning up to 100% of plan assets.
TRUE OR FALSE:
Actuaries are required for all pension plans.
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE:
One main differentiator between defined benefit and defined contribution plans is that the former, defined benefit plans, place investment risk on the employer.
TRUE
Each of the following actuarial assumptions are directly related to pension plan cost, and expected increases in these assumptions increase plan cost EXCEPT:
A. Wages
B. Inflation
C. Expected Mortality
D. Life Expectancy
C. Expected Mortality
Which of the following plans are covered by the Pension Benefits Guarantee Corporation?
A. Defined benefit and target benefit pension plans
B. Cash balance and target benefit pension plans
C. Money purchase and defined benefit pension plans
D. Defined benefit and cash balance pension plans
D. Definied benefit and cash balance pension plans
TRUE OR FALSE:
Defined contribution pension plans may only reduce use participant forfeitures to reduce plan cost.
FALSE
ABC Tutoring is establishing a defined benefit pension plan this year. Alice, age 35, is a Lead Tutor for ABC Tutoring and has worked for the company for 10 years. Alice plans on retiring in 30 years and has no intent to leave ABC Tutoring before retirement. Is ABC Tutoring able to give Alice credit for her prior years of service, yes or no? If yes, how many years of service credits would Alice have at her target retirement age?
A. Yes, defined benefit pension plans may give credit for prior service when first establishing the plan. Alice would have 40 years of service credits.
B. No, defined benefit pension plans may not give credit for prior service when first establishing the plan.
C. Yes, defined benefit pension plans may give credit for prior service when first establishing the plan. Alice would have 30 years of service credits.
D. Yes, defined benefit pension plans may give credit for prior service when first establishing the plan. Alice would have 35 years of service credits.
A. Yes, defined benefit pension plans may give credit for prior service when first establishing the plan. Alice would have 40 years of service credits.
TRUE OR FALSE:
Defined benefit and cash balance pension plans may use either the excess or offset methods of Social Security integration while target benefit and money purchase pension plans may only use the excess method.
TRUE
Defined benefit pension plan formulas include which of the following?
I. Flat amount formula
II. Lifetime credit formula
III. Unit credit formula
IV. Variable percentage formula
A. I and IV only
B. I and III only
C. I, II, and III only
D. None of the above
B. I and III only
A defined benefit pension plan formula is as follows: 3% x Years of Service x Average of Highest Five Years of Salary. This is known as a:
A. Flat percentage formula
B. Flat amount formula
C. Salary based formula
D. Unit Credit Formula
D. Unit Credit Formula
TRUE OR FALSE:
Contributions to qualifying retirement plans follow the IRC matching principle of the inclusion of income and the deduction of the expense at the time.
FALSE
TRUE OR FALSE:
The employer and employee are each responsible for their share of payroll taxes on the employee’s compensation.
TRUE
TRUE OR FALSE:
Distributions from a qualified retirement plan are generally taxable as ordinary income.
TRUE
TRUE OR FALSE:
ERISA protects qualified plan assets from all creditors.
FALSE