Retirement Savings and Income Planning Flashcards
Features of Qualified Plans
- ER contributions are deductible
- EE contributions are deductible (except Thrift and Roth)
- ER contributions are never subject to payroll tax
- EE contributions are subject to payroll tax (except FSA)
- Earnings within the trust are tax deferred until distribution
- ERISA non-alienation of benefits (IRAs are protected under federal bankruptcy law, but not ERISA)
- NUA (no age requirement, taxation of cost basis is ordinary, taxation of NUA is LTCG - must be lump sum)
Highly Compensated
Either an owner >5% or compensation greater than $150,000.
Exception if compensation is greater than $150,000 and in the top 20% of employees ranked by salary (must be elected).
*>5% owner includes family attribution
Key Employees
> 5% owner
Officer with compensation > $215,000
1% owner with compensation > $150,000
Coverage Tests
All qualified plans must comply with one of three coverage tests - all concerned with the number of NHC employees who are covered.
1. General rule - plan must cover 70% NHC
2. Ratio percentage test - NHC% / HC% >= 70%
3. Average benefits percentage test - NHC AB% / HC AB% >= 70%
Additional coverage test for defined benefit plans only: 50/40 rule - must cover the lesser of 50 employees or 40% of nonexcludable employees.
Plan Selection
Age based profit sharing and DB plans - good for older owners
DB plans - allow for higher annual funding, generally benefit higher paid employees
DP plans and cash balance plans - require actuaries and have higher administrative costs
401k plans - allow for higher funding over SEP or PSP
SEPs and Qualified plans - can be set up after year end
PBGC
All DB plans are subject to PBGC except firms with fewer than 25 employees - if covered and under 25 employees, would not be deductible.
Pension plans pay yearly insurance premiums.
Profit Sharing Plans
Plan establishment by Dec. 31
Contribution by due date of tax return plus extensions
Generally cash contributions
Deductible contribution limit is 25% of covered comp
Valuation unnecessary
Eligibility is 21 and 1 year of service or 2 years if 100% vested (same as other qualified plans)
Allocation method of % of compensation or formula based on age/service of classification
Vesting of 3 year cliff or 2-6 year graduated
Provides portfolio diversification
No voting rights
Generally cash distributions
In service withdrawals after two years
Loans not usually allowed
Distributions fully taxable as ordinary income
Stock Bonus Plans
Plan establishment by Dec. 31
Contribution by due date of tax return plus extensions
Generally stock contributions
Deductible contribution limit is 25% of covered comp
Valuation generally annually
Eligibility is 21 and 1 year of service or 2 years with 100% vesting (same as other qualified plans)
Allocation method based on % of compensation or formula based on age/service of classification
3 year cliff or 2-6 year graduated vesting schedules
No portfolio diversification
Employee has voting rights
Generally stock distributions
In service withdrawals may be allowed after 2 years
Loans not usually allowed
Lump sum distributions will qualify for NUA tax treatment, otherwise taxed as ordinary income
*Similar to profit sharing
401k Hardship Distributions
- Must have immediate and heavy financial need and other funds are not available
- Amount available: total elective deferrals, QNECs, QMACs, and earnings on these contributions, less previous distributions
- Subject to ordinary income and possibly 10% penalty
- Can be for medical, residence, funeral, tuition, eviction, etc.
Multiple Plan Limitation
If an employer maintains both a defined benefit and a defined contribution plan, the maximum deductible amount is the GREATER of:
- 25% of the employer’s covered compensation, or
- The required minimum funding standard of the defined benefit plan
If multiple qualified plans, $22,500 (plus catch up) is a shared limit.
If a deferred compensation plan, can always contribute $22,500 limit.
Safe Harbor 401k Plans
Not required to pass ADP or ACP tests or top heavy rules.
Employer must provide one of the following:
1. 3% nonelective contribution to all eligible employees
2. matching contribution - 100% up to 3% and 50% from 3-5% (aka 100% up to 4%)
Employer contributions are 100% vested at all times.
SEPs
Can be established and funded as late as the due date of the return plus extensions.
Simplicity and ease of establishment.
Eligibility - 21 and earned $750 in 3 out of the last 5 years.
Contributions are discretionary and flexible.
Contribution limit is the LESSER of: 25% of covered comp. or $66,000. Max contribution includes the $66,000 PLUS IRA contribution of $6,500 (plus catch up).
No vesting since held in IRAs.
Can be integrated with social security income.
SIMPLE IRAs
Companies with 100 employees or fewer, each with $5k of compensation in preceding year. Mostly employee funded.
No other plans permitted.
Eligibility - $5k for previous 2 years and expected $5k in current year.
Uses IRAs as funding vehicle.
Limit EE $15,500, $3,500 catch up.
ER match $ for $ up to 3% or 2% NE.
Maximum match = $15,500.
*Early distribution - 25% penalty within two years from the period when the individual first participated.
*Primary difference of SIMPLE IRA and SIMPLE 401k is the loan provision in the 401k.
403b Plans
Typically employer deferrals only.
Limits are the same as 401k, including catch up.
ERISA plans must comply with ACP test (not ADP).
Additional catch up potential of $15,000:
- Limited to health, education, and religious employees.
- Limited to prior unused deferrals.
- Must have been employed for 15 years.
Only allowable investments are mutual funds and annuities.
Max contribution for 2023 is $33,000 (deferral + catch up + 15 year catch up)
Keogh Plans
Someone is self employed - entity must be sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC taxed as SP or partnership.
*No Keogh plans for corporations (do not have any self employed individuals).
Use earned income for the self employed.
Retirement plan contribution is based on self employment earnings.
Does not impact w-2 employees.
Restricted Stock
An employer provided plan designed to increase retention and compensate employees with a non-cash outflow.
Plan pays executives with shares of the employer’s stock.
Stock is restricted typically with a vesting schedule.
Restricted stock is taxable as ordinary income in the year it vests. Income = FMV on date of vesting minus any exercise price.
IRC Section 83b Election of Restricted Stock
Employee election to include value of stock in taxable income at date of grant rather than at date of vesting or when restrictions are lifted.
Any gain in value over the grant date is capital gain rather than w-2 income. *Effectively converts w-2 income into future capital gain.
If employee does not vest, or otherwise loses rights, no tax-deductible loss.
Employee’s holding period for stock received will be the date the amount was included in the employee’s gross income.
Election must be filed with the IRS no later than 30 days after the stock transferred.
Nondiscrimination testing for 401k plans
Benefits must be provided to a certain percentage of rank-and-file employees.
Negative elections are deemed to be an employee deferral unless the employee elects out.
ADP test and ACP test.
ADP Test (Actual Deferral Percentage Test)
Limits the employee elective deferrals for the HC based on the elective deferrals of the NHC.
AKA: HC employees are limited to what they can do based on what the NHCs are doing.
Looks at traditional and roth 401k contributions.
Failing the ADP Test
Corrective distributions: decreases ADP of HC - return portion of of contributions plus any earnings attributed.
Qualified non-elective contributions (QNEC): increases ADP of NHC, 100% vested, made to all eligible employees.
Qualified matching contributions (QMC): increases ADP of NHC, 100% vested, made only to employees who elected to defer in the current year.
ACP Test (Actual Contribution Percentage)
Like ADP, but utilizing employee after tax contributions (thrift and roth), and employer matching contributions.
Uses same scale as ADP and same corrective procedures.
Qualified Federal Disaster exception to 10% early withdrawal penalty
Must be a qualified individual with their principal place of residence in the disaster area and sustained economic loss due to disaster.
$22,000 aggregate over lifetime, included in gross income pro ratably over 3 years.
Repayment to a tax preferred retirement account within 3 years.
Retroactive for disasters on or after January 26, 2021.
72t Distributions
10% penalty exception for distributions from qualified plans.
Must be:
- substantially equal periodic payments
- made at least annually
- for the longer of 5 years or until 59.5
- for the life expectancy of the participant or joint lives of the participant and his designated beneficiary
- after separation of service
Methods of calculation: RMD method, fixed amortization method, fixed annuitization method
Important Numbers
- Covered Compensation
- Defined Benefit Maximum Limit
- Defined Contribution Maximum Limit
- 401k, SARSEP, 457, 403b, Employee Deferral Limit
- Highly Compensated Employee
- Key Employee
- Social Security Wage Base
- Covered Compensation: $330,000
- Defined Benefit Maximum Limit: $265,000
- Defined Contribution Maximum Limit: $66,000
- 401k, SARSEP, 457, 403b, Employee Deferral Limit: $22,500
- Highly Compensated Employee: $150,000
- Key Employee Officer: $215,000
- Key Employee 1% Ownership: $150,000
- Social Security Wage Base: $160,200
Standard eligibility requirements for qualified plans
An employee is eligible after 1 year of service (at least 1,000 hours) and age 21.
Part-time employees are now eligible to participate if they have completed at least 500 hours each year for 3 consecutive years and at least age 21 (SECURE act).
Standard exception to the specialty eligibility rules for qualified plans
As an exception, a qualified retirement plan may require that an employee complete 2 years of service to be eligible.
If elected by the employer, plan participants are 100% vested once eligible - NOT eligible for 401ks.
Top Heavy Defined Benefit Plan
More than 60% of the total accrued benefits of the plan are for the benefit of key employees.
Funding must be at least 2% x years of service x compensation factor.
Plan participants’ benefits must vest at least as quick as 2-6 year graduated or 3 year cliff schedules.
Top Heavy Defined Contribution Plan
More than 60% of the total account balances of the plan are for the benefit of key employees.
Funding is a 3% minimum to all eligible employees or less if less provided to the key employees.
Participants’ benefits must vest at least as quick as a 2-6 year graduated or 3 year cliff schedules.