Employer matching program

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In the United States, an employer matching program is an employer's potential payment to their 401(k) plan that depends on participating employees' contribution to the plan. [1]

Contents

Background

An employee's 401(k) plan is a retirement savings plan. The option of an employer matching program varies from company to company. It is not mandatory for a company to offer a contribution to their 401(k) plans. Contributions may benefit the company in various ways: as an employee benefit to attract and retain employees, as a business tax deduction, or as a safe harbor contribution to automatically pass certain annual testing of the plan required by the IRS and Department of Labor or to fulfill the plan's top-heavy provisions.[ citation needed ]

Many companies add to an employee's charity contribution. Through a corporate matching gift program, a company can double or even triple an employee's contribution toward a charity. This should not be confused with an employer matching program. [2]

"100% of the first 6%"

As of 2013, the most common matching program increased to 100% of the first 6%. [3] [4] The idea is that once the employee contributes 6% of their gross pay, [5] the employer's contributions cease until the following year. If the employee contributes less than 6% of their gross income, the employee foregoes additional compensation from the employer available to them had they contributed up to the 6% limit. For example, an employee whose annual gross pay is $50,000 contributes $3,000 (6% of gross pay) would receive a $3,000 employer contribution. If the employee contributed more than $3,000 the employee would not receive additional employer contributions. If the employee only contributed $2,000 (4% of gross pay), they would only receive a $2,000 employer contribution leaving $1,000 of potential employer contribution on the table.

Functions

In a 401(k) plan, the contributions are funded by the employee and are often matched by contributions from the employer. The contributions to an employee's [6] 401(k) plan account are made from the employee's salary before taxes (or in the case of Roth deferrals, after taxes). These funds grow tax-free until the employee can withdraw them; depending on the reason for withdrawal, the employee may be able to roll contributions and any investment gains into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), where they continue to grow tax-free except for any required minimum distributions from the IRA to the account holder. The funds may also be switched if one changes employers. An employer's matching program is situational and depends on if a workplace offers one. According to the Profit Sharing/401k Council of America, an industry trade group, about 78% of 401(k) plans include some kind of employer match for employee contributions. [5]

In an employer matching program, an employee will typically only receive a contribution from an employer if an employee makes a contribution of their own (e.g., an employer will only match contributions if the employee makes some contribution). Employer matches vary from company to company. The general contribution from an employer is usually 3% to 6% of an employee's pay. [7]

In a traditional retirement account, the amount one contributes is taken before taxes. On the other hand, a Roth retirement account allows employees to contribute after taxes, with the benefits being withdrawn tax-free in retirement. Usually, employers will specify a vesting period, which is the minimum amount of time an employee must work to claim the employer-matched contributions. [8]

Regardless of how or when an employee stops employment, the money that an employee invests in their 401(k) plan is retained by the employee. [9] The contributions made by an employer may or may not be retained based on the vesting program. To understand this better, a vested employee is one that has worked in a company for a specified amount of time. The employer determines the length of time required to become vested; this is usually a one- to five-year span. A vested employee then becomes eligible to retain all retirement contributions made by an employer. After an employee is fully vested, the employee is eligible to retain the entire amount contributed by their employer, even if they leave the company before retirement. Under federal law, an employer can take back all or part of the matching money they put into an employee's account if the worker fails to stay on the job for the vesting period.

Employer matching programs would not exist without 401(k) plans. The Revenue Act of 1978 included a provision that became Internal Revenue Code. Under this act the employees are not taxed on the portion of income they agree to receive as deferred compensation rather than direct cash payment. A 401(k) plan is a long-term money management plan. [10]

Nearly two-thirds of plans provide employer matching contributions today. The employer matching program is any potential additional payment to an employee's 401(k) plan. The employer is not responsible to contribute any specific amount to the employee; each agreement is situational according to the workplace. Since the start of the credit crisis and the 2008 recession, companies are either stopping matching programs or making the match available to employees based on whether or not the company makes money.[ citation needed ] In this stage of the economy, many companies are rethinking matching programs. If an employee is lucky enough to establish an employer contribution toward their 401(k) plan, this employer match (or free money) is the biggest benefit of a 401(k) plan given that the future of the economy is unpredictable.[ citation needed ]

Cons of 401(k) plan

These are all concerning issues in a 401(k) plan. Lawmakers failed to structure laws around financial institutions that support them, so that the 401(k) is a secure retirement.[ citation needed ]

Pros of 401(k) plan and employer matching program

The employer matching program and the tax deduction are great advantages to a 401(k) plan; these two alone keep many employees invested.[ citation needed ] Economically 401(k) plans are good because it incentivizes Americans to invest in anything they want and build their wealth with certain tax breaks.

For the year 2022 for 401(k) plans the contribution limit is $20,500. If an employee reached the age of 50 by the end of the calendar year, they could save an additional $6,500, for a total savings of $27,000. [11]

Related Research Articles

In the United States, a 401(k) plan is an employer-sponsored, defined-contribution, personal pension (savings) account, as defined in subsection 401(k) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Periodic employee contributions come directly out of their paychecks, and may be matched by the employer. This legal option is what makes 401(k) plans attractive to employees, and many employers offer this option to their (full-time) workers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pension</span> Retirement fund

A pension is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during the individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be:

An individual retirement account (IRA) in the United States is a form of pension provided by many financial institutions that provides tax advantages for retirement savings. It is a trust that holds investment assets purchased with a taxpayer's earned income for the taxpayer's eventual benefit in old age. An individual retirement account is a type of individual retirement arrangement as described in IRS Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs). Other arrangements include employer-established benefit trusts and individual retirement annuities, by which a taxpayer purchases an annuity contract or an endowment contract from a life insurance company.

A Roth IRA is an individual retirement account (IRA) under United States law that is generally not taxed upon distribution, provided certain conditions are met. The principal difference between Roth IRAs and most other tax-advantaged retirement plans is that rather than granting a tax reduction for contributions to the retirement plan, qualified withdrawals from the Roth IRA plan are tax-free, and growth in the account is tax-free.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001</span> The "EGTRRA"

The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 was a major piece of tax legislation passed by the 107th United States Congress and signed by President George W. Bush. It is also known by its abbreviation EGTRRA, and is often referred to as one of the two "Bush tax cuts".

In law, vesting is the point in time when the rights and interests arising from legal ownership of a property are acquired by some person. Vesting creates an immediately secured right of present or future deployment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest, or title to the present or future possession of a legal estate can be transferred to any other party, it is termed a vested interest.

The 457 plan is a type of nonqualified, tax advantaged deferred-compensation retirement plan that is available for governmental and certain nongovernmental employers in the United States. The employer provides the plan and the employee defers compensation into it on a pretax or after-tax (Roth) basis. For the most part, the plan operates similarly to a 401(k) or 403(b) plan with which most people in the US are familiar. The key difference is that unlike with a 401(k) plan, it has no 10% penalty for withdrawal before the age of 55. These 457 plans can also allow independent contractors to participate in the plan, where 401(k) and 403(b) plans cannot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Retirement plans in the United States</span>

A retirement plan is a financial arrangement designed to replace employment income upon retirement. These plans may be set up by employers, insurance companies, trade unions, the government, or other institutions. Congress has expressed a desire to encourage responsible retirement planning by granting favorable tax treatment to a wide variety of plans. Federal tax aspects of retirement plans in the United States are based on provisions of the Internal Revenue Code and the plans are regulated by the Department of Labor under the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

A Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees Individual Retirement Account, commonly known by the abbreviation "SIMPLE IRA", is a type of tax-deferred employer-provided retirement plan in the United States that allows employees to set aside money and invest it to grow for retirement. Specifically, it is a type of Individual Retirement Account (IRA) that is set up as an employer-provided plan. It is an employer sponsored plan, like better-known plans such as the 401(k) and 403(b), but offers simpler and less costly administration rules, as it is subject to ERISA and its associated regulations. Like a 401(k) plan, the SIMPLE IRA can be funded with pre-tax salary contributions, but those contributions are still subject to Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Unemployment Tax Act taxes. Contribution limits for SIMPLE plans are lower than for most other types of employer-provided retirement plans as compared to conventional defined contribution plans like Section 402(g), 401(k), 401(a), and 403(b) plans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thrift Savings Plan</span> Retirement plan for U.S. federal government employees and uniformed service members

The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a defined contribution plan for United States civil service employees and retirees as well as for members of the uniformed services. As of December 31, 2021, TSP has approximately 6.5 million participants, and more than $827.2 billion in assets under management; it is the largest defined contribution plan in the world. The TSP is administered by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, an independent agency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employee benefits</span> Non-wage compensation provided to employees in addition to normal wages or salaries

Employee benefits and benefits in kind include various types of non-wage compensation provided to employees in addition to their normal wages or salaries. Instances where an employee exchanges (cash) wages for some other form of benefit is generally referred to as a "salary packaging" or "salary exchange" arrangement. In most countries, most kinds of employee benefits are taxable to at least some degree. Examples of these benefits include: housing furnished or not, with or without free utilities; group insurance ; disability income protection; retirement benefits; daycare; tuition reimbursement; sick leave; vacation ; social security; profit sharing; employer student loan contributions; conveyancing; long service leave; domestic help (servants); and other specialized benefits.

The Roth 401(k) is a type of retirement savings plan. It was authorized by the United States Congress under the Internal Revenue Code, section 402A, and represents a unique combination of features of the Roth IRA and a traditional 401(k) plan. Since January 1, 2006, U.S. employers have been allowed to amend their 401(k) plan document to allow employees to elect Roth IRA type tax treatment for a portion or all of their retirement plan contributions. The same change in law allowed Roth IRA type contributions to 403(b) retirement plans. The Roth retirement plan provision was enacted as a provision of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA 2001).

Deferred compensation is an arrangement in which a portion of an employee's income is paid out at a later date after which the income was earned. Examples of deferred compensation include pensions, retirement plans, and employee stock options. The primary benefit of most deferred compensation is the deferral of tax to the date(s) at which the employee receives the income.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keogh plan</span> Type of pension plan in the U.S

Keogh plans are a type of retirement plan for self-employed people and small businesses in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defined contribution plan</span> Type of retirement plan

A defined contribution (DC) plan is a type of retirement plan in which the employer, employee or both make contributions on a regular basis. Individual accounts are set up for participants and benefits are based on the amounts credited to these accounts plus any investment earnings on the money in the account. In defined contribution plans, future benefits fluctuate on the basis of investment earnings. The most common type of defined contribution plan is a savings and thrift plan. Under this type of plan, the employee contributes a predetermined portion of his or her earnings to an individual account, all or part of which is matched by the employer.

For the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) tax or Social Security tax in the United States, the Social Security Wage Base (SSWB) is the maximum earned gross income or upper threshold on which a wage earner's Social Security tax may be imposed. The Social Security tax is one component of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act tax (FICA) and Self-employment tax, the other component being the Medicare tax. It is also the maximum amount of covered wages that are taken into account when average earnings are calculated in order to determine a worker's Social Security benefit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Public Employees Retirement System</span> U.S. public employee retirement and disability fund

The Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is the retirement and disability fund for public employees in the U.S. state of Oregon established in 1946. Employees of the state, school districts, and local governments are eligible for coverage. A health insurance plan for covered retirees was added to the program in 1987. The program is administered by a twelve-member board of trustees, appointed to three-year terms by the Governor subject to confirmation by the Senate, which also administers the Oregon Savings Growth Plan, a voluntary deferred compensation plan established in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defined benefit pension plan</span> Type of pension plan

Defined benefit (DB) pension plan is a type of pension plan in which an employer/sponsor promises a specified pension payment, lump-sum, or combination thereof on retirement that depends on an employee's earnings history, tenure of service and age, rather than depending directly on individual investment returns. Traditionally, many governmental and public entities, as well as a large number of corporations, provide defined benefit plans, sometimes as a means of compensating workers in lieu of increased pay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Employee compensation in the United States</span>

Employer compensation in the United States refers to the cash compensation and benefits that an employee receives in exchange for the service they perform for their employer. Approximately 93% of the working population in the United States are employees earning a salary or wage.

A Solo 401(k) (also known as a Self Employed 401(k) or Individual 401(k)) is a 401(k) qualified retirement plan for Americans that was designed specifically for employers with no full-time employees other than the business owner(s) and their spouse(s). The general 401(k) plan gives employees an incentive to save for retirement by allowing them to designate funds as 401(k) funds and thus not have to pay taxes on them until the employee reaches retirement age. In this plan, both the employee and his/her employer may make contributions to the plan. The Solo 401(k) is unique because it only covers the business owner(s) and their spouse(s), thus, not subjecting the 401(k) plan to the complex ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) rules, which sets minimum standards for employer pension plans with non-owner employees. Self-employed workers who qualify for the Solo 401(k) can receive the same tax benefits as in a general 401(k) plan, but without the employer being subject to the complexities of ERISA.

References

  1. ↑ Ann, Lee (March 21, 2002). "How 401(k) Plans Work". HowStuffWorks . Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Matching Gift Programs". doublethedonation.com. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Employers Boost 401(k) Match Contributions, Relax Eligibility". Shrm.org. November 5, 2013.
  4. ↑ "401(k) Employer Match". Consumer Reports .
  5. 1 2 "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 9, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ↑ "WordNet Search - 3.1". Wordnetweb.princeton.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Employer Matching Program: Free Money For Your Retirement | Retirement Planner". Moneyeconomics.com. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Vested Definition - What is Vested?". Investorglossary.com. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  9. ↑ Fetini, Alyssa (October 16, 2008). "A Brief History Of: The 401(k)". Time . Archived from the original on October 20, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 29, 2011. Retrieved May 4, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. ↑ "Retirement Topics - 401(k) and Profit-Sharing Plan Contribution Limits | Internal Revenue Service". www.irs.gov. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
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