Retirement Planning Flashcards
Basic Concepts of Social Security
Coverage - Nearly every worker is covered under OASDI. Employment catagories by social security include:
A Federal employees who have been continuosly employeed since before 1984.
B Some Americans working abroad
C Student nurses and students working for a college or college club
D Railroad employees
E A child, under age 18, who is employed by a parent in an unicorporated business.
F Ministers, members of religious orders and Christian Science practioners if they claim an exemption
G Members of tribal councils
Social Security
(reduction of benefits)
- Age 62 - FRA (full retirement age): benefits reduced $1 for every $2 earned over $17,040 (2018 threshold)
Social Security
(taxation)
- Must include muni bond income to calculate MAGI
- If income (MAGI) plus 1/2 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 maried filing jointly, then 85% of the total social security is included in income.
Types of Qualified Plans / ERISA
(vesting/admin costs / exempt form creditors / integrate iwth 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 corss tested)
Type 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 $220k (2018) Meet a specific retirement objective
- Company must have very stable cash flow
- Past service credits allowed
- Forfeitures MUST be applied to redce 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 $55k (2018)
Target Benefit - qualified plan
- Up to 25% employer deduction
- Fixed contributions - need stable cash flow
- Maximum annual contributions lesser of 100% of salary or $55k (2018)
- Favors older workers
Profit Sharing - qualified plan
- Up to 25% employer deduction
- Flexible contributions (must be recurring and substantial)
- Maximum annual contributions lesser of 100% of salary or $55k (2018)
- 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 participant to defer salary into the plan.
- Max $18,500 (2018) deferral for participants under 50 (subject to FICA)
- Additional $6,000 catch-up for age 50 and over (2018)
Section 415 annual additions limit
- Lesser of 100% of compensation or $55k (2018)
- Includes employer contributions, employee salary reductions, and plan forfeitures
Safe Harbor
Nondiscrimination
A safe harbor 401(k) plan automatically satisfies the nondiscrimination tests involving highly compensated employees {HCEs} with either an employer matching contribution or a nonelective contribution.
Safe Harbor
Match / Vesting
The statuary contribution using a match is $1/$1 on the first 3% employee deferral and $.50/$1 on the next 2% employee deferral. If the employer chooses to use the nonelective deferral method, the employer must contribute 3% of all eligible employee’s 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 contributions lesser of 100% of salary or $55k (2018)
- 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 $20,000. Stock is distrubed at retirement with a market value of $200,000. The NUA, $180,000 is not taxable until the employee sells the stock, but the $20,000 (the basis) is taxable now as ordinary income.
The $180,000 is always LTCG. If the client sells the stock for $230,000, the $30,000 of extra gain is either STCG or LTCG depending on the holding period after distributed at retirement.
Keogh Contribution
- Only for sole propreitor 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