Exam 13: Retirement Savings and Deferred Compensation

Taxpayers who participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan are not allowed to deduct contributions to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) under any circumstances.

Georgeanne has been employed by SEC Corp. for the last 2½ years. Georgeanne participates in SEC's 401(k) plan. During her employment, Georgeanne has contributed $6,000 to her 401(k) account. SEC has contributed $3,000 to Georgeanne's 401(k) account (it matched 50 cents of every dollar contributed). SEC uses a three-year cliff vesting schedule. If Georgeanne were to quit her job with SEC, what would be her vested benefit in her 401(k) account (assume the account balance is $9,000)?

An employer may contribute to an employee's traditional 401(k) account but the employer may not contribute to an employee's Roth 401(k) account.

In 2014, Ryan contributes 10 percent of his $75,000 annual salary to a Roth 401(k) account sponsored by his employer, XYZ. XYZ offers a dollar-for-dollar match up to 10 percent of the employee's salary. The employer contributions are placed in a traditional 401(k) account on the employee's behalf. Ryan expects to earn an 8-percent before-tax rate of return on contributions to his Roth and traditional 401(k) accounts. Assuming Ryan leaves the funds in the accounts until he retires in 25 years, what are his after-tax accumulations in the Roth 401(k) and in the traditional 401(k) accounts if his marginal tax rate at retirement is 30 percent? If Ryan's marginal tax rate in 2014 is 35 percent will he earn a higher after tax rate of return from the Roth 401(k) or the traditional 401(k)? Explain.

Kathy is 60 years of age and self-employed. During the year she reported $400,000 of revenues and $100,000 of expenses relating to her self-employment activities. If Kathy has no other retirement accounts in her name, what is the maximum amount she can contribute this year to a simplified employee pension (SEP) IRA?

Ryan, age 48, received an $8,000 distribution from his traditional IRA to pay for medical expenses. Ryan has made only deductible contributions to the IRA and his marginal tax rate is 28 percent. What amount of taxes and early distribution penalties will Ryan be required to pay on the distribution?

Individual 401(k) plans generally have higher contribution limits than SEP IRAs.

Gordon is a 52-year-old self-employed contractor (no employees). During 2014, his Schedule C net income was $88,000. What is the maximum amount that Gordon can contribute to (1) a SEP IRA and (2) an individual 401(k)? (Round your answers to the nearest whole number).

Kathy is 60 years of age and self-employed. During the year she reported $100,000 of revenues and $40,000 of expenses relating to her self-employment activities. If Kathy has no other retirement accounts in her name, what is the maximum amount she can contribute to an individual 401(k)?

Which of the following statements regarding vesting in a defined benefit plan is correct?

Employers may choose whom they allow to participate and whom they do not allow to participate in their nonqualified deferred compensation plans.

Which of the following statements is true regarding taxpayers receiving distributions from traditional defined contribution plans?

In general, which of the following statements regarding self-employed retirement accounts is true?

Retired taxpayers over 59½ years of age at the end of the year must receive minimum distributions from defined contribution plans or they are subject to a penalty.

Tyson (48 years old) owns a traditional IRA with a current balance of $50,000. The balance consists of $30,000 of deductible contributions and $20,000 of account earnings. Tyson's marginal tax rate is 25%. Convinced that his marginal tax rate will increase in the future, Tyson receives a distribution of the entire $50,000 balance of his traditional IRA. He retains $12,500 to pay tax on the distribution and he contributes $37,500 to a Roth IRA. What amount of income tax and penalty must Tyson pay on this series of transactions?

From a tax perspective, participating in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan is an effective tax planning strategy when the employee anticipates that her marginal tax rate will be higher when she receives the deferred compensation than when she defers the compensation.

Dean has earned $70,000 annually for the past 4½ years working as an architect for MWC. Under MWC's defined benefit plan (which uses a 5-year cliff vesting schedule) employees earn a benefit equal to 3.5% of the average of their three highest annual salaries for every full year of service with MWC. What is Dean's vested benefit (or annual benefit he has earned so far)?

Tyson (48 years old) owns a traditional IRA with a current balance of $50,000. The balance consists of $30,000 of deductible contributions and $20,000 of account earnings. Convinced that his marginal tax rate will increase in the future, Tyson receives a distribution of the entire $50,000 balance of his traditional IRA and he immediately contributes the $50,000 to a Roth IRA. Assuming his marginal tax rate is 25%, what amount of penalty, if any, must Tyson pay on the distribution from the traditional IRA?

Amy is single. During 2014, she determined her adjusted gross income was $12,000. During the year, Amy also contributed $2,500 to a Roth IRA. What is the maximum saver's credit she may claim for the year?

Which of the following statements comparing qualified defined contribution plans and nonqualified deferred compensation plans is false?