401(k) And Qualified Plans: Conclusion

Filed Under ยป , , , ,
By Denise Appleby

A qualified plan is established by an employer to provide retirement benefits for employees and their beneficiaries. Qualified plans can come in a few different flavors. Let's recap:

  • A qualified plan may be a defined-benefit plan or a defined-contribution plan.
  • Retirement benefits are based on compensation, years of service and age.
  • Varieties of qualified plans include profit-sharing or stock-bonus plans, money-purchase pension plans, 401(k) plans, age-weighted plans and employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs).
  • Any business, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations and government entities may adopt a qualified plan.
  • A qualified plan may be funded with employer contributions and employee contributions.
  • Employee compensation in excess of the compensation cap may not be considered for the purposes of making plan contributions.
  • An employer may contribute up to 25% of compensation to each eligible employee's account provided the contribution does not exceed $49,000.
  • Distributions before an employee reaches the age of 59.5 are taxed an additional 10%, unless the employee qualifies for an exception.


by

Denise Appleby

Denise Appleby
Denise Appleby is founder and owner of Appleby Retirement Consulting,which provides technical consultation, content, coaching, writing, editing and training services on related topics.


With more than 14 years of experience in the IRA and defined-contribution plans fields, Appleby has held several senior retirement-plan related positions with Pershing LLC, which included vice president of plans products and services, retirement plans manager, trainer, training manager, compliance consultant, technical help desk manager and writer.
Sponsored Links
Related Tutorials
Bank Rates
Product Today Last Wk
$10K MMA 0.50% 0.51%
MMA 0.45% 0.46%
6 Month CD 0.46% 0.47%
1 Year CD 0.70% 0.75%
5 Year CD 1.46% 1.46%
1 Year Jumbo CD 0.66% 0.67%
Rate data provided by Bankrate
Product Today Last Wk
$30K HELOC 4.59% 4.60%
$30K Home Equity Loan 5.74% 5.77%
$50K Home Equity Loan 5.45% 5.50%
$50K HELOC 4.24% 4.24%
$100K Home Equity Loan 5.41% 5.46%
$100K HELOC 4.13% 4.13%
Rate data provided by Bankrate
Product Today Last Wk
30 Year Fixed 3.80% 3.80%
15 Year Fixed 3.09% 3.11%
1 Year ARM 3.54% 3.53%
30 Year Fixed Jumbo 4.38% 4.38%
5/1 ARM 2.65% 2.69%
3/1 ARM 2.69% 2.69%
Rate data provided by Bankrate
Product Today Last Wk
60 Month Used Car Loan 4.51% 4.51%
48 Month Used Car Loan 4.35% 4.35%
48 Month New Car Loan 3.24% 3.24%
36 Month Used Car Loan 4.34% 4.36%
36 Month New Car Loan 3.11% 3.13%
60 Month New Car Loan 3.35% 3.34%
Rate data provided by Bankrate
Partner Links