Tax Treatment of Benefits
The IRS provides more favorable tax treatment of benefits classified as "qualified plans "
The details vary from one type of benefit to another.
In the case of retirement plans, the advantages include the ability for employees to immediately take a tax deduction for the funds they contribute to the plans, no immediate tax on employees for the amount the employer contributes, and tax-free earnings on the money in the retirement fund.
To obtain status as a qualified plan, a benefit plan must meet certain requirements. In the case of pensions, these involve vesting and nondiscrimination rules.
The nondiscrimination rules provide tax benefits to plans that do not discriminate in favor of the organization's "highly compensated employees."
To receive the benefits, the organization cannot set up a retirement plan that provides benefits exclusively to the organization's owners and top managers. The requirements encourage employers to provide important benefits such as pensions to a broad spectrum of employees.
Before offering pension plans and other benefits, organizations should have them reviewed by an expert who can advise on whether the benefits are qualified plans.