Don't overlook these!
Updated for 2011
1) Employer Established:
A SEP is an employer-established plan; employees cannot set up their own SEP.
2) Written Arrangement:
A SEP is a written arrangement (a plan). It provides a simple, tax favored way for you to provide for your own retirement and to help employees save for theirs.
3) Self-Employed Persons:
If you're self-employed, you can set up a SEP-IRA for yourself (and employees) and make tax deductible contributions towards your own retirement.
Contributions to a SEP-IRA and earnings are tax-deferred until distributed.
4) IRA-Based:
SEPs are IRA-Based plans, and therefore, are simpler and less expensive to set up and administer than the more complex qualified plans (e.g., 401(k) plans).
5) Control:
A SEP-IRA is owned and controlled by the employee.
6) Reporting Requirements:
There are no annual reporting requirements for a SEP.
7) Vesting:
Contributions by the employer for plan participants are immediately 100% vested for each plan participant (the money belongs to them).
8) Corporations:
Corporations can also use SEPs.
9) Form W-2 reporting for SEP-IRA contributions:
SEP-IRA contributions are NOT included in an employee's gross compensation on Form W-2 (e.g., wages, salary, bonuses, tips, commissions).
SEP-IRA contributions are NOT subject to:
Note: Only an employer may establish a SEP plan and contribute to an employee's SEP-IRA (and the employer's own SEP-IRA).
An employee is not permitted to:
10) FUTA Tax:
SEP-IRA contributions are not subject to FUTA tax.
11) Additional are taxes imposed for the following:
SEP Plans: 18 Things to Know About SEP Plans-Continued (12-15)
Copyright © 2008-2012 Larry Villano. All rights reserved.