Retirement Plans for Small Businesses - Raymond James · Retirement Plans for Small Businesses June...
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Nicholson Financial Services, Inc. David S. Nicholson Financial Advisor 89 Access Road Ste. C Norwood, MA 02062 781-255-1101 866-668-1101 [email protected] www.nicholsonfs.com Retirement Plans for Small Businesses June 15, 2020 If you are self-employed or own a small business and you haven't established a retirement savings plan, what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can help you and your employees save for the future. Tax advantages A retirement plan can have significant tax advantages: • Your contributions are deductible when made • Your contributions aren't taxed to an employee until distributed from the plan • Money in the retirement program grows tax deferred (or, in the case of Roth accounts, potentially tax free) Types of plans Retirement plans are usually either IRA-based (like SEPs and SIMPLE IRAs) or "qualified" [like 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, and defined benefit plans]. Qualified plans are generally more complicated and expensive to maintain than IRA-based plans because they have to comply with specific Internal Revenue Code and ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) requirements in order to qualify for their tax benefits. Also, qualified plan assets must be held either in trust or by an insurance company. With IRA-based plans, your employees own (i.e., "vest" in) your contributions immediately. With qualified plans, you can generally require that your employees work a certain numbers of years before they vest. Which plan is right for you? With a dizzying array of retirement plans to choose from, each with unique advantages and disadvantages, you'll need to clearly define your goals before attempting to choose a plan. For example, do you want: • To maximize the amount you can save for your own retirement? • A plan funded by employer contributions? By employee contributions? Both? • A plan that allows you and your employees to make pre-tax and/or Roth contributions? • The flexibility to skip employer contributions in some years? • A plan with lowest costs? Easiest administration? The answers to these questions can help guide you and your retirement professional to the plan (or combination of plans) most appropriate for you. SEPs A SEP allows you to set up an IRA (a "SEP-IRA") for yourself and each of your eligible employees. You contribute a uniform percentage of pay for each employee, although you don't have to make contributions every year, offering you some flexibility when business conditions vary. For 2020, your contributions for each employee are limited to the lesser of 25% of pay or $57,000 (up from $56,000 in 2019). Most employers, including those who are self-employed, can establish a SEP. SEPs have low start-up and operating costs and can be established using an easy two-page form. The plan must cover any employee aged 21 or older who has worked for you for three of the last five years and who earns $600 or more. SIMPLE IRA plan The SIMPLE IRA plan is available if you have 100 or fewer employees. Employees can elect to make pre-tax contributions in 2020 of up to $13,500 ($16,500 if age 50 or older; up from $13,000 and $16,000, respectively, in 2019). You must either match your employees' contributions dollar for dollar — up to 3% of each employee's compensation — or make a fixed contribution of 2% of compensation for each eligible employee. (The 3% match can be reduced to 1% in any two of five years.) Each employee who earned $5,000 or more in any two prior years, and who is expected to earn at least $5,000 in the current year, must be allowed to participate in the plan. In general, the amount of employee compensation that can be taken into account when determining employer and employee contributions is limited to $285,000 in 2020, up from $280,000 in 2019. Late in 2019, President Trump signed a spending package that included the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act. This Act included several incentives designed to encourage small employers to adopt retirement plans, including enhanced tax incentives. Page 1 of 2, see disclaimer on final page
Transcript of Retirement Plans for Small Businesses - Raymond James · Retirement Plans for Small Businesses June...
Nicholson Financial Services, Inc.David S. NicholsonFinancial Advisor89 Access RoadSte. CNorwood, MA 02062781-255-1101866-668-1101david@nicholsonfs.comwww.nicholsonfs.com
Retirement Plans for Small Businesses
June 15, 2020
If you are self-employed or own a small business andyou haven't established a retirement savings plan,what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can helpyou and your employees save for the future.
Tax advantagesA retirement plan can have significant taxadvantages:
• Your contributions are deductible when made• Your contributions aren't taxed to an employee
until distributed from the plan• Money in the retirement program grows tax
deferred (or, in the case of Roth accounts,potentially tax free)
Types of plansRetirement plans are usually either IRA-based (likeSEPs and SIMPLE IRAs) or "qualified" [like 401(k)s,profit-sharing plans, and defined benefit plans].Qualified plans are generally more complicated andexpensive to maintain than IRA-based plans becausethey have to comply with specific Internal RevenueCode and ERISA (the Employee Retirement IncomeSecurity Act of 1974) requirements in order to qualifyfor their tax benefits. Also, qualified plan assets mustbe held either in trust or by an insurance company.With IRA-based plans, your employees own (i.e.,"vest" in) your contributions immediately. Withqualified plans, you can generally require that youremployees work a certain numbers of years beforethey vest.
Which plan is right for you?With a dizzying array of retirement plans to choosefrom, each with unique advantages anddisadvantages, you'll need to clearly define your goalsbefore attempting to choose a plan. For example, doyou want:
• To maximize the amount you can save for yourown retirement?
• A plan funded by employer contributions? By
employee contributions? Both?• A plan that allows you and your employees to
make pre-tax and/or Roth contributions?• The flexibility to skip employer contributions in
some years?• A plan with lowest costs? Easiest administration?
The answers to these questions can help guide youand your retirement professional to the plan (orcombination of plans) most appropriate for you.
SEPsA SEP allows you to set up an IRA (a "SEP-IRA") foryourself and each of your eligible employees. Youcontribute a uniform percentage of pay for eachemployee, although you don't have to makecontributions every year, offering you some flexibilitywhen business conditions vary. For 2020, yourcontributions for each employee are limited to thelesser of 25% of pay or $57,000 (up from $56,000 in2019). Most employers, including those who areself-employed, can establish a SEP.
SEPs have low start-up and operating costs and canbe established using an easy two-page form. Theplan must cover any employee aged 21 or older whohas worked for you for three of the last five years andwho earns $600 or more.
SIMPLE IRA planThe SIMPLE IRA plan is available if you have 100 orfewer employees. Employees can elect to makepre-tax contributions in 2020 of up to $13,500($16,500 if age 50 or older; up from $13,000 and$16,000, respectively, in 2019). You must eithermatch your employees' contributions dollar for dollar —up to 3% of each employee's compensation — or makea fixed contribution of 2% of compensation for eacheligible employee. (The 3% match can be reduced to1% in any two of five years.) Each employee whoearned $5,000 or more in any two prior years, andwho is expected to earn at least $5,000 in the currentyear, must be allowed to participate in the plan.
In general, the amount ofemployee compensationthat can be taken intoaccount whendetermining employerand employeecontributions is limited to$285,000 in 2020, up from$280,000 in 2019.
Late in 2019, PresidentTrump signed a spendingpackage that includedthe Setting EveryCommunity Up forRetirement Enhancement(SECURE) Act. This Actincluded severalincentives designed toencourage smallemployers to adoptretirement plans,including enhanced taxincentives.
Page 1 of 2, see disclaimer on final page
Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2020
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC. Nicholson Financial Services, Inc. is not a registeredbroker/dealer, and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. Investment Advisory Services are offered through Raymond JamesFinancial Services Advisors, Inc.
This information, developed by an independent third party, has been obtained from sources considered to be reliable, but Raymond JamesFinancial Services, Inc. does not guarantee that the foregoing material is accurate or complete. This information is not a complete summary orstatement of all available data necessary for making an investment decision and does not constitute a recommendation. The informationcontained in this report does not purport to be a complete description of the securities, markets, or developments referred to in this material. Thisinformation is not intended as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security referred to herein. Investments mentioned may not be suitablefor all investors. The material is general in nature. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James Financial Services,Inc. does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should be discussed with the appropriate professional.
SIMPLE IRA plans are easy to set up. You fill out ashort form to establish a plan and ensure thatSIMPLE IRAs are set up for each employee. Afinancial institution can do much of the paperwork.Additionally, administrative costs are low.
Profit-sharing planTypically, only you, not your employees, contribute toa qualified profit-sharing plan. Your contributions arediscretionary — there's usually no set amount you needto contribute each year, and you have the flexibility tocontribute nothing at all in a given year if you sochoose (although your contributions must benondiscriminatory, and "substantial and recurring," foryour plan to remain qualified). The plan must containa formula for determining how your contributions areallocated among plan participants. A separateaccount is established for each participant that holdsyour contributions and any investment gains orlosses. Generally, each employee with a year ofservice is eligible to participate (although you canrequire two years of service if your contributions areimmediately vested). Contributions for any employeein 2020 can't exceed the lesser of $57,000 or 100% ofthe employee's compensation (up from $56,000 in2019).
401(k) planThe 401(k) plan (technically, a qualified profit-sharingplan with a cash or deferred feature) is a popularretirement savings vehicle for small businesses. Witha 401(k) plan, employees can make pre-tax and/orRoth contributions in 2020 of up to $19,500 of pay($26,000 if age 50 or older; up from $19,000 and$25,000, respectively, in 2019). These deferrals gointo a separate account for each employee and aren'ttaxed until distributed. Generally, each employee witha year of service must be allowed to contribute to theplan.
You can also make employer contributions to your401(k) plan — either matching contributions ordiscretionary profit-sharing contributions. Combinedemployer and employee contributions for anyemployee in 2020 can't exceed the lesser of $57,000(plus catch-up contributions of up to $6,500 if youremployee is age 50 or older; up from $56,000 and$6,000, respectively, in 2019) or 100% of theemployee's compensation. In general, each employeewith a year of service is eligible to receive employercontributions, but you can require two years of serviceif your contributions are immediately vested.
401(k) plans are required to perform somewhatcomplicated testing each year to make sure benefitsaren't disproportionately weighted toward higher paidemployees. However, you don't have to performdiscrimination testing if you adopt a "safe harbor"401(k) plan. With a safe harbor 401(k) plan, yougenerally have to either match your employees'contributions (100% of employee deferrals up to 3%of compensation, and 50% of deferrals between 3%and 5% of compensation), or make a fixedcontribution of 3% of compensation for all eligibleemployees, regardless of whether they contribute tothe plan. Your contributions must be fully vested.
Another way to avoid discrimination testing is byadopting a SIMPLE 401(k) plan. These plans aresimilar to SIMPLE IRAs, but can also allow loans andRoth contributions. Because they're still qualifiedplans (and therefore more complicated than SIMPLEIRAs), and allow less deferrals than traditional401(k)s, SIMPLE 401(k)s haven't become popular.
Defined benefit planA defined benefit plan is a qualified retirement planthat guarantees your employees a specified level ofbenefits at retirement (for example, an annual benefitequal to 30% of final average pay). As the namesuggests, it's the retirement benefit that's defined, notthe level of contributions to the plan. In 2020, adefined benefit plan can provide an annual benefit ofup to $230,000 (or 100% of pay if less), up from$225,000 in 2019. The services of an actuary aregenerally needed to determine the annualcontributions that you must make to the plan to fundthe promised benefit. Your contributions may varyfrom year to year, depending on the performance ofplan investments and other factors.
In general, defined benefit plans are too costly andtoo complex for most small businesses. However,because they can provide the largest benefit of anyretirement plan, and therefore allow the largestdeductible employer contribution, defined benefitplans can be attractive to businesses that have asmall group of highly compensated owners who areseeking to contribute as much money as possible ona tax-deferred basis.
As an employer, you have an important role to play inhelping America's workers save. Now is the time tolook into retirement plan programs for you and youremployees.
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