Retirement Planning Definitions Flashcards
ABLE ACCOUNT
ABLE accounts are designed to help people with disabilities and their families save and pay for disability-related expenses.
ACTIVE PARTICIPANT
Individuals who participate in a qualified plan under IRC 401(a)
ACTUAL CONTRIBUTION PERCENTAGE TEST (ACP)
A nondiscrimination test that limits the sum of employee after-tax contributions and employer matching contributions for the HC based on the sum of employee after-tax contributions and employer matching contributions for the NHC.
ACTUAL DEFERRAL PERCENTAGE TEST (ADP)
A nondiscrimination test that limits employee elective deferrals for the highly compensated employees (HC) based on the elective deferrals of non-highly compensated employees (NHC).
ACTUARY
An expert professional who makes quantitative calculations and assumptions about inflation
ADEQUATE CONSIDERATION STANDARD
Fair market value determined in good faith.
ADJUSTED BASIS (AB)
The portion of a distribution that is not subject to income tax.
ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME (AGI)
A tax return amount that includes an individual’s income less certain deductions
ADOPTION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
An employee-provided program that pays adoption expenses up to $14
AGE-BASED PROFIT SHARING PLAN
A qualified profit sharing plan that uses a combination of age and compensation as the basis for allocating the contribution to a participant’s account.
AIME (AVERAGE INDEXED MONTHLY EARNINGS)
A worker’s highest 35 years of earnings adjusted for inflation and averaged on a monthly basis.
ALIMONY
Support payments from one ex-spouse to the other.
ANNUITY CONTRACTS
An annuity contract must be purchased for the employee from an insurance company and may give a fixed benefit or a variable benefit depending on the performance of the investment.
ANNUITY METHOD
Determines how much a client needs to fund their retirement based on the assumption that the person will die exactly at the assumed life expectancy with a retirement account balance of zero.
ANTI-ALIENATION PROTECTION
An ERISA-afforded protection for qualified plans that prohibits any action that may cause a qualified plan’s assets to be assigned
ANY OCCUPATION
Type of disability insurance policy that provides benefits to a policy owner if he is unable to perform the duties of any occupation.
ARCHER MEDICAL SAVINGS ACCOUNT (MSA)
A medical savings account available for employers with 50 or less employees and self-employed individuals.
AVERAGE BENEFITS Percentage Test
One part of the average benefits coverage test that requires the average benefit percent of the non-highly compensated employees to be at least 70 percent of the average benefit percentage of the highly compensated employees.
AVERAGE BENEFITS TEST
A qualified plan coverage test that determines whether the plan adequately benefits the non-highly compensated employees.
BACK LOADING
A practice of delaying the accrual of benefits until late in someone’s career.
BACKDOOR ROTH
A technique whereby a high-income taxpayer contributes to a traditional IRA with the intent of converting those funds to a Roth IRA.
BARGAIN ELEMENT
Appreciation of employer stock above the exercise price.
BENEFIT PERIODS
Begins on the first day an individual receives services as a patient in a hospital or skilled nursing facility and ends after 60 consecutive days without further skilled care.
BLACK SCHOLES METHOD
An option valuation model.
BUSINESS PREMISES OF THE EMPLOYER
The employee’s place of employment.
BUY-SELL AGREEMENTS
Legal arrangements that require the sale of securities owned by one individual to another individual or entity upon a specified triggering event.
CAFETERIA PLAN
A written plan where the employee may choose to receive cash as compensation or
CAPITAL NEEDS ANALYSIS
The process of calculating the amount of investment capital needed at retirement to maintain the pre-retirement lifestyle.
CASH BALANCE PENSION PLAN
A defined benefit pension plan that shares many of the characteristics of defined contribution plans but provides specific defined benefits based on a mandatory contribution and earnings rate.
CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTION
A contribution that allows those nearing retirement to increase their deferral contributions to improve their financial situation for retirement.
CENTS PER MILE RULE
To determine the value of the personal use of an employer-provided automobile
CLIFF VESTING SCHEDULE
A vesting schedule that provides the participant’s full rights to the plan’s assets immediately upon the passage of a certain number of years.
COMBINED OMNIBUS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ACT OF 1986 (COBRA)
Requires an employer that employs 20 or more people in a typical business day and has a health insurance plan to continue to provide health insurance coverage under that health insurance plan to covered employees and qualified dependents.
COMMUTING RULE
To determine the value of the personal use of an employer-provided vehicle
CONDUIT IRAS
Accounts that hold rollover funds are often referred to as IRA rollover accounts or conduit IRAs.
CONSTRUCTIVE RECEIPT
An income tax concept that establishes when income is includible by a taxpayer and therefore subject to income tax.
Constructive Receipt
Income credited or available to the employee.
Contributions
Payments made to an IRA account.
Conversion
Changing a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.
Corrective Distribution
Distribution to satisfy ADP or ACP tests.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
Adjustments applied to Social Security benefits.
Covered Compensation Limit
Maximum compensation for qualified plan contributions.
Covered Employee
Employee benefiting from a qualified plan.
Credit for Prior Service
Recognition of service years before plan establishment.
Cross Purchase Life Insurance
Insurance for partners to buyout deceased interests.
Currently Insured Workers
Workers with six quarters of coverage in 13 quarters.
Custodial Accounts
Accounts maintained for participants by financial institutions.
Custodians
Entities holding an individual’s IRA.
DB(k) Retirement Plan
Combines defined benefit and 401(k) plans.
Deferred Compensation Arrangements
Future payment of executive compensation.
Defined Benefit Plan
Plan providing formula-based retirement benefits.
Defined Contribution Plan
Plan with contributory or noncontributory accounts.
De Minimis Fringe Benefit
Insignificant benefits making accounting impractical.
Department of Labor
Enforces rules for plan managers and benefits.
Dependent Care Assistance
Employer-paid care services for employees’ dependents.
Determination Letter
IRS request for retirement plan compliance confirmation.
Dilution
Reduction in stock value or voting power.
Direct Rollover
Account balance transferred directly to another trustee.
Disability Benefit
Social Security benefit for severe impairments.
Disability Insurance
Periodic payments for inability to work.
Disability Insurance Trust Fund
Fund paying disability benefits
Disability Overhead Insurance
Covers business expenses if owner becomes disabled.
Discretionary Contributions
Employer decides annual matching contribution amounts.
Disqualified Persons
Individuals owning significant stock in a company.
Disqualifying Disposition
Selling stock acquired via ISO before required periods.
Distress Termination
Plan termination due to employer financial difficulty.
Diversified Investment Portfolios
Investments spread across various asset classes.
Early Withdrawal Penalty
10% penalty for withdrawals before age 59½.
Earned Income
Compensation for services performed or self-employment.
Economic Benefit Doctrine
Taxation on unrestricted funds or property for employees.
Eligible Corporations
Non-public companies granting stock options to employees.
Employee Census
Matrix of employee information for plan selection.
Employee Elective Deferral Contributions
Pretax contributions to a qualified retirement plan.
EPCRS
IRS system for correcting plan disqualifications.
ERISA
Legislation protecting employee retirement assets.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Plan using employer contributions to buy company stock.
EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
A plan designed to benefit all or a large portion of an employer’s employees that gives employees an incentive to buy employer stock by allowing the employees to purchase the stock at a discounted price (up to a 15% discount) and receive favorable tax treatment for any gains if the stock meets certain holding period requirements.
EMPLOYER MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS
Employer-provided contributions to a qualified retirement plan
ENTITY INSURANCE
Insurance in which the entity purchases a life insurance policy on the life of each partner or shareholder that is used for buyouts triggered by death of a shareholder or partner.
EXCESS BENEFIT PLANS
A type of SERP that is designed solely to provide benefits in excess of the benefits available in qualified plans based on the limits under IRC §415.
ERISA ATTORNEY
An attorney who specializes in §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
FAIR MARKET VALUE
The price that a willing buyer would pay a willing seller
FAMILY BENEFIT
A Social Security benefit available to certain family members of workers eligible for retirement or disability benefits.
FICA (FEDERAL INSURANCE CONTRIBUTIONS ACT)
A law allowing Social Security taxes
FIDUCIARY
An individual that has a special relationship of trust
15-YEAR RULE
A special catch-up provision for 403(b) plan participants that have worked for the plan sponsor for 15 years. The catch-up allows them to defer up to an additional $15
50/40 COVERAGE TEST
A coverage test applicable only to a defined benefit pension plans that requires the plan to cover for every day during the plan year the lesser of 50 employees or 40% of all eligible employees.
FINAL 3-YEAR CATCH-UP PROVISION
A special catch-up provision for public and private 457(b) plans that allows an individual to defer an additional $19
501(c)(3) ORGANIZATIONS
Nonprofit tax-exempt organizations that are established under IRC.
FIXED AMORTIZATION METHOD
The substantially equal periodic payment is calculated over the participant’s life expectancy if single
FIXED ANNUITIZATION METHOD
The participant takes substantially equal periodic distributions of the account over a number of years determined by dividing the account balance by an annuity factor using a reasonable interest rate and mortality table.
FLAT AMOUNT FORMULA
A benefit formula of a defined benefit pension plan that provides each of its participants with an equal dollar benefit at retirement.
FLAT PERCENTAGE FORMULA
A benefit formula of a defined benefit pension plan that provides all plan participants with a benefit equal to a fixed percentage of the participant’s salary
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA)
A cafeteria plan under which employees can choose between receiving cash or deferring income tax-free to fund the cost of certain employee selected benefits. If the participant does not utilize the money in the account by the end of the year
FORFEITURES
The percentage or amount of a participant’s accrued benefit that was not vested to the employee at the employee’s termination from the plan sponsor. The forfeited amount stays in the plan and may be allocated to the other plan participants (defined contribution plan) or reduce future plan costs (defined contribution plan or defined benefit plan).
FORGONE REVENUE
The lost revenue or opportunity cost incurred by an employer for providing the fringe benefit to the employee.
FORM 5304-SIMPLE
The IRS form used to establish a SIMPLE IRA plan when the employees choose the financial institution.
FORM 5305-SIMPLE
The IRS form used to establish a SIMPLE IRA plan when the employer chooses the financial institution.
401(k) WRAP PLANS
A form of salary reduction plan that enable executives who are subject to salary deferral limitations due to the nondiscrimination rules to contribute higher amounts than otherwise permitted under a 401(k) plan.
457 PLAN
A nonqualified deferred compensation plan for employees of state and local government and tax-exempt entities.
457(b) PLANS
457(b) plans for governmental and tax-exempt organizations under 501(c) that allow employees to defer income taxation on savings for retirement into future years. Eligible plans are available to most of an employer’s employees.
457(f) PLANS
457(f) plans for employees of governmental entities and tax-exempt entities under 501(c)(3). Ineligible plans are only available to highly compensated and management employees.
FRINGE BENEFIT
A benefit
FULLY INSURED
A worker who has earned 40 quarters of coverage under the Social Security system.
FUTA (FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT TAX ACT)
A tax on an employee’s wages.
GRACE PERIOD
If an employer meets the 100-employee limitation in a given year
GRADUATED VESTING SCHEDULES
A vesting schedule that provides an employee with full rights to a certain percentage (less than 100%) of benefits after completing a number of years of service and provides the employees with an additional percentage for each additional years of service.
GRANT DATE
The date of issuance of a stock or option.
GROUP LONG-TERM DISABILITY POLICIES
Benefits typically begin after short-term disability and will often continue for a fixed period of time
GROUP SHORT-TERM DISABILITY POLICIES
Benefits generally begin after a short period of time
GROUP TERM LIFE INSURANCE
Pure insurance protection purchased as a group that pays a predetermined sum if the insured dies during a specified period of time (i.e.
HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTIONS
A distribution from a 401(k) plan because the employee has an immediate and heavy financial need and the withdrawal is necessary to satisfy the need. The distribution is taxable and subject to penalties to the extent the participant has other resources to have satisfied the financial need.
HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (HSAS)
A medical savings account
HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS (HMOS)
A form of managed care in which participants receive all of their care from participating providers. Physicians are employed by the HMO directly
HEALTH REIMBURSEMENT ARRANGEMENT (HRA)
A type of health insurance plan that reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses.
HIGHLY COMPENSATED EMPLOYEE
An employee who is either a more than 5 percent owner at any time during the plan year or preceding plan year
Special Election
An election to count only those employees whose compensation is in excess of $130
Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund
The trust fund that pays for services covered under the hospital insurance provisions of Medicare (Part A)
Hypothetical Account
The account statement that displays hypothetical allocations and hypothetical earnings