Retirement Flashcards
Basic Concepts of Social Security
Coverage: Nearly every worker is covered under OASDI.
Employment categories not covered by Social Security include:
- Federal employees who have been continuously employed since before 1984.
- Some Americans working abroad
- Student nurses and students working for a college or college club
- Railroad Employees
- A child, under age 18, who is employed by a parent in an unincorporated business
- Ministers, members of religious orders and Christian Science practitioners if they claim an exemption
- Members of Tribal Councils
Social Security
(Reduction of Benefits)
Before FRA (Full Retirement Age): Benefits reduced $1 for every $2 earned over $22,320 (2024 threshhold)
Year in which you reach FRA (Full Retirement Age): Benefits reduced $1 for every $3 earned over $59,520 (2024 threshhold)
Social Security
(Taxation)
- Must include Muni Bond Income to calculate MAGI
- If income (MAGI) plus ½ of Social Security Benefits is:
- Above $25K for a single taxpayer, then 50% of the total Social Security is included in Income.
- Above $44k for MFJ, then 85% of the total Social Security is included in Income.
Types of Qualified Plans / ERISA
(Vesting /Admin Costs / Exempt from Creditors / Integrate with Social Security)
- Defined Benefit
- Cash Balance
- Money Purchase
- Target Benefit
- Profit Sharing
- Profit Sharing 401(k)
- Stock Bonus ESOP (NOT integrated with Social Security or cross-tested)
Types of Retirement Plans
(No Vesting / Limited Admin Costs)
- SEP
- SIMPLE
- SAR-SEP
- Thrift or Savings Plans
- 403(b)
Defined Benefit - Qualified Plan
- Favors older employee/owner (50+)
- Certain retirement benefit; Max $275K (2024)
- Meet a specific retirement objective
- Company must have very stable cash flow
- Past service credits allowed
- Forfeitures MUST be applied to reduce employer contributions
- PBGC Insured (along with Cash Balance Plan)
Money Purchase - Qualified Plan
- Up to 25% Employer Deduction
- Fixed Contributions
- Need stable cash flow
- Maximum Annual Contribution lesser of 100% of salary or $69K (2024)
Target Benefit - Qualified Plan
- Up to 25% Employer Deduction
- Fixed Contributions - need stable cash flow
- Maximum annual contribution lesser of 100% of salary or $69K (2024)
- Favors older workers
Profit Sharing - Qualified Plan
- Up to 25% Employer Deduction
- Flexible contributions (must be recurring and substantial)
- Maximum Annual Contribution lesser of 100% of salary or $69K (2024)
- Can have 401(k) provisions
- SIMPLE 401(k) exempt from creditors
Section 401(k) Plan
Qualified profit sharing or stock bonus plan that allows plan participants to defer salary into the plan.
- Max $23,000 (2024) deferral for participants under 50 (subject to FICA)
- Additional $7,500 catch-up for age 50 and over (2024)
Section 415 Annual Additions Limit
- Lesser of 100% of compensation or $69K (2024)
- Includes employer contributions, employee salary reductions and plan forfeitures
Safe Harbor Non-Discrimination
A Safe Harbor 401(k) plan automatically satisfies the non-discrimination tests involving highly compensated employees (HCEs) with either an employer matching contribution or a non-elective contribution.
Safe Harbor Match / Vesting
The statutory contribution using a match is $1/$1 on the first 3% employee deferral and $0.50/$1 on the next 2% employee deferral.
- If the employer chooses to use the non-elective deferral method, the employer must contribute 3% of all eligible employees’ compensation regardless of whether the employee is deferring or not.
- Employer contributions must be immediately vested.
Stock Bonus / ESOP - Qualified Plan
- Up to 25% employer deduction
- Flexible contributions
- Maximum Annual Contribution lesser of 100% of salary or $69K (2024)
- 100% of contribution can be invested in company stock
- ESOP cannot be integrated with Social Security or cross-tested
Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA)
NUA Example:
Stock is contributed to the retirement plan with a basis of $20k. The stock is distributed at retirement with a market value of $200k. The NUA, $180k, is not taxable until the employee sells the stock, but the $20k is taxable now as ordinary income.
The $180k is always LTCG. If the client sells the stock for $230k, the $30k of extra gain is either STCG or LTCG depending on the holding period after distributed at retirement.
Keogh Contribution
- Only for sole proprietor and partnerships
- Self-Employment Tax must be computed and a deduction of one-half of the Self-Employment Tax must be taken before determining the Keogh deduction.
Shortcut below takes into account Self-Employment Taxes:
- If contribution 15%: multiply by 12.12% of net earnings
- If contribution 25%: multiply by 18.59% of net earnings