Retirement Flashcards
What is the Basic Retirement Need Calculation?
- Inflate the annual need in today’s dollars to the first year of retirement.
- Determine what lump sum is needed at the beginning of retirement to fund their expected years of retirement, using the annual amount from step 1 as the Payment and the inflation-adjusted return as the interest rate. USE BEGIN MODE FOR THIS CALCULATION!!
How do you calculate a reduced SS benefit when someone collects before FRA?
(number of months early) x (1/180) x FRA benefit
If you collect before FRA and work, what is the most you can earn?
$17,640. They will deduct $1 from your benefit for every $2 over that amount that you earn.
During the year you reach FRA, what is the most you can earn?
$46,920. They will deduct $1 from your benefit for every $3 over that amount that you earn until the month you reach FRA.
What are the thresholds for taxation of SS benefits?
50% if provisional income over $25k or $32k MFJ
85% if provisional income over $34k or $44k MFJ
True or False?
To calculate maximum annual contribution to a money purchase plan, only use the first $280k of compensation, even if the % of the entire contribution would be under $56k.
True
What is the difference between a stock bonus plan and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)?
A stock bonus plan MAY invest plan assets in employer stock; whereas an ESOP MUST invest plan assets primarily in employer stock. They are both variations of profit-sharing plans.
Cross-testing a defined contribution plan usually benefits older employer Highly Compensated Employees. Optimally, the average of the NHCE’s ages should be about 15 years younger than the average of the HCE’s ages. What is the cross-test?
Contributions for NHCEs must be the lesser of at least 1/3 of the percentage of eligible compensation ($280k) contributed to HCE, or 5% of the NHCE’s compensation.
What is the Section 415 limit?
The maximum limit on the annual benefit that a defined benefit can provide. For a benefit beginning at age 65, that maximum is the lesser of $225,000 or 100% of the participant’s compensation averaged over his/her three highest earning consecutive years. Can retire at 62 with no decrease in benefits.
What is a 412(i) plan?
A defined benefit plan funded entirely with insurance products such as life insurance and annuities. The plan return would typically be lower than those of other DB plans. (May be referred to as a 412(e)(3) insurance contract plan.)
What are the two coverage tests for qualified plans?
- Ratio percentage test - Plan must cover NHCE that is at least 70% of HCEs that are covered. It not, then:
- The average benefits for NCHEs must be at least 70% of those for HCEs.
What is the additional participation requirement for defined benefit plans (in addition to the two coverage tests for qualified plans)?
A defined benefit plan must benefit at least the lesser of (1) 50 employees or (2) the greater of (a) 40% of all employees or (b) two employees (or if there is only one employee, that employee).
What do we need to know about ADP/ACT testing??
ADP is the Deferral Percentage Test. ACP is the Contribution Percentage Test. For either remember:
0% to 2% for NHCE is times 2 for HCE. 2% to 8% for NHCE is plus 2 for HCE.
When is a qualified plan considered top heavy?
If more than 60% of its aggregate accrued benefits or account balances are allocated to key employees.
What do common control rules apply to?
Contribution maximums and non-discrimination testing
What is the contribution calculation for a Defined Benefit Plan that integrates with SS?
base % + permitted disparity % = excess %
Permitted Disparity = lesser of the base% or 26.25% (flat)
What is the contribution calculation for a Defined Contribution Plan that integrates with SS?
base % + permitted disparity % = excess%
Permitted Disparity = lesser of the base% or 5.7%
What types of plans can be integrated with Social Security?
Target benefit pension plan money purchase plan profit-sharing plan stock bonus plan SEP
Why is SS integration used?
To allow highly compensated employees to maximize the company contributions ($56,000) and minimize the non-highly compensated contributions
When dealing with Qualified Plans, what should you be careful of?
Age and service eligibility requirements
Coverage requirements (Ratio percentage and average benefit tests)
Minimum participation (for defined benefit plans only)
Permitted Vesting Schedules
Attribution Rules
ADP/ACP Testing
Controlled Groups
Integration with Social Security / Disparity Limits (for defined benefit plans only)
What is a qualified plan that covers sole proprietorships and partnerships?
A Keogh plan
What is the shortcut for calculating the contribution to a qualified plan for a self-employed person (a Keogh plan)(since we need to use net earnings and not compensation/wages)? The same calculation is used to calculate a self-employed SEP contribution.
- Schedule C Net Income
- Multiply by 12.12% for a 15% contribution or
- Multiply by 18.59% for a 25% contribution
What is the minimum benefit for non-key employees in a top-heavy Defined Benefit plan?
The benefit must be at least 2% of compensation multiplied by the number of employee’s years of service in which the plan is top-heavy up to a maximum of ten years. (Note B is the second (2%) letter of the alphabet.)
What is the minimum benefit for non-key employees in a top-heavy Defined Contribution plan?
The minimum employer contribution must be no less than 3% of each non-key employee’s compensation. (Note C is the third (3%) letter of the alphabet.)
What is the maximum allowable loan from a qualified plan (or TSA/403(b))?
The lesser of 50% of the participant’s vested plan benefit or $50,000.
How soon does a loan from a qualified plan need to be repaid?
Over a period not exceeding five years unless the loan is used to acquire the participant’s principal residence or the employee takes a leave of absence (for less than a year).
Can an employee deduct interest paid on a qualified plan loan ?
Only if the loan is used to acquire the participant’s primary residence and the loan is secured by the primary residence.
Will participation in a 457 governmental or nongovernmental plan be considered participation in a another plan that could make your IRA contribution nondeductible?
No
True or False?
A non-spouse beneficiary of a qualified plan can convert that to an inherited Roth IRA, but if the same beneficiary inherits an IRA they cannot convert it to an inherited Roth IRA.
True
True or False? Roth 401(k) plans require minimum withdrawals when the account holder reaches the required beginning date.
True
What are ABLE accounts?
Tax advantaged accounts for the disabled.
- Individuals can contribute $15k annually.
- Distributions, used for qualified disability expenses are not included in gross income if the beneficiary became disabled before age 26.
- The ABLE account is exempt from the $2,000 limit on personal assets for Medicaid and SSI.
What are annual SEP contributions limited to?
The lesser of 25% of compensation ($280k maximum) or $56K.
What are the SEP eligibility rules?
A SEP must cover all employees who are at least 21 years old and who have worked for the employer during 3 out o the preceding 5 calendar years.
Part-time employment counts in determining years of service.
If someone earns less than $600, a contribution does not need to be made that year.