2016 Publication 560 P560

User Manual: 560

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Publication 560

Contents

Retirement
Plans
for Small
Business

What's New

Cat. No. 46574N
Department
of the
Treasury
Internal
Revenue
Service

(SEP, SIMPLE, and
Qualified Plans)
For use in preparing

2016 Returns

.................. 1

Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Chapter 1. Definitions You Need
To Know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Chapter 2. Simplified Employee
Pensions (SEPs) . . . . . . .
Setting Up a SEP . . . . . . . .
How Much Can I Contribute? .
Deducting Contributions . . . .
Salary Reduction Simplified
Employee Pensions
(SARSEPs) . . . . . . . . .
Distributions (Withdrawals) . .
Additional Taxes . . . . . . . .
Reporting and Disclosure
Requirements . . . . . . . .

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Chapter 3. SIMPLE Plans . . . . . . . . . 8
SIMPLE IRA Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
SIMPLE 401(k) Plan . . . . . . . . . . 11
Chapter 4. Qualified Plans . . . . .
Kinds of Plans . . . . . . . . . .
Qualification Rules . . . . . . . .
Setting Up a Qualified Plan . . .
Minimum Funding Requirement
Contributions . . . . . . . . . . .
Employer Deduction . . . . . . .
Elective Deferrals (401(k) Plans)
Qualified Roth Contribution
Program . . . . . . . . . . . .
Distributions . . . . . . . . . . . .
Prohibited Transactions . . . . .
Reporting Requirements . . . .

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20
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Chapter 5. Table and Worksheets
for the Self-Employed . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter 6. How To Get Tax Help . . . . 25
Index

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Future Developments
For the latest information about developments
related to Publication 560, such as legislation
enacted after we release it, go to IRS.gov/
pub560.

What's New
Compensation limits for 2016 and 2017. For
2016, the maximum compensation used for fig­
uring contributions and benefits is $265,000.
This limit increases to $270,000 for 2017.

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Elective deferral limit for 2016 and 2017.
The limit on elective deferrals, other than
catch­up contributions, is $18,000 for 2016 and
2017. These limits apply for participants in
SARSEPs, 401(k) plans (excluding SIMPLE

plans), section 403(b) plans and section 457(b)
plans.
Defined contribution limit for 2016 and
2017. The limit on contributions, other than
catch­up contributions, for a participant in a de­
fined contribution plan is $53,000 for 2016 and
increases to $54,000 for 2017.
SIMPLE plan salary reduction contribution
limit for 2016 and 2017. The limit on salary
reduction contributions, other than catch­up
contributions, is $12,500 for 2016 and 2017.
Catch-up contribution limit for 2016 and
2017. A plan can permit participants who are
age 50 or over at the end of the calendar year to
make catch­up contributions in addition to elec­
tive deferrals and SIMPLE plan salary reduction
contributions. The catch­up contribution limita­
tion for defined contribution plans other than
SIMPLE plans is $6,000 for 2016 and 2017.
The catch­up contribution limitation for SIMPLE
plans is $3,000 for 2016 and 2017.
A participant's catch­up contributions for a
year can't exceed the lesser of the following
amounts.
The catch­up contribution limit.
The excess of the participant's compensa­
tion over the elective deferrals that are not
catch­up contributions.
See “Catch­up contributions” under Contribu­
tion Limits and Limit on Elective Deferrals in
chapters 3 and 4, respectively, for more infor­
mation.
Mid-year changes to safe harbor plans and
notices. Guidance has been issued regarding
permissible mid­year changes to safe harbor
401(k) and 401(m) plans and notices. For more
information, see Notice 2016–16, 2016­7 I.R.B.
318.
Tax relief for victims of Hurricane Matthew.
New rules provide for loans and hardship distri­
butions from certain retirements plans to victims
of Hurricane Matthew and members of their
families. To qualify for this relief, loans and
hardship withdrawals must be made by March
15, 2017. For more information, see
Announcement 2016–39, 2016­45 I.R.B. 720.
All section references are to the Internal
Revenue Code, unless otherwise stated.

Reminders
Credit for startup costs. You may be able to
claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and
necessary costs of starting a SEP, SIMPLE, or
qualified plan. The credit equals 50% of the
cost to set up and administer the plan and edu­
cate employees about the plan, up to a maxi­
mum of $500 per year for each of the first 3
years of the plan. You can choose to start
claiming the credit in the tax year before the tax
year in which the plan becomes effective.
You must have had 100 or fewer employees
who received at least $5,000 in compensation

Page 2

from you for the preceding year. At least one
participant must be a non­highly compensated
employee. The employees generally can't be
substantially the same employees for whom
contributions were made or benefits accrued
under a plan of any of the following employers
in the 3­tax­year period immediately before the
first year to which the credit applies.
1. You.
2. A member of a controlled group that in­
cludes you.
3. A predecessor of (1) or (2).
The credit is part of the general business
credit, which can be carried back or forward to
other tax years if it can't be used in the current
year. However, the part of the general business
credit attributable to the small employer pension
plan startup cost credit can't be carried back to
a tax year beginning before January 1, 2002.
You can't deduct the part of the startup costs
equal to the credit claimed for a tax year, but
you can choose not to claim the allowable credit
for a tax year.
To take the credit, use Form 8881, Credit for
Small Employer Pension Plan Startup Costs.
Retirement savings contributions credit.
Retirement plan participants (including self­em­
ployed individuals) who make contributions to
their plan may qualify for the retirement savings
contribution credit. The maximum contribution
eligible for the credit is $2,000. To take the
credit, use Form 8880, Credit for Qualified Re­
tirement Savings Contributions. For more infor­
mation on who is eligible for the credit, retire­
ment plan contributions eligible for the credit
and how to figure the credit, see Form 8880 and
its instructions or go to IRS.gov/Retirement­
Plans/Plan­Participant,­Employee/Retirement­
Savings­Contributions­Savers­Credit.
Photographs of missing children. The Inter­
nal Revenue Service is a proud partner with the
National Center for Missing & Exploited
Children® (NCMEC). Photographs of missing
children selected by the Center may appear in
this publication on pages that would otherwise
be blank. You can help bring these children
home by looking at the photographs and calling
1­800­THE­LOST (1­800­843­5678) if you rec­
ognize a child.

Introduction
This publication discusses retirement plans you
can set up and maintain for yourself and your
employees. In this publication, “you” refers to
the employer. See chapter 1 for the definition of
the term employer and the definitions of other
terms used in this publication. This publication
covers the following types of retirement plans.
SEP (simplified employee pension) plans.
SIMPLE (savings incentive match plan for
employees) plans.

Qualified plans (also called H.R. 10 plans
or Keogh plans when covering self­em­
ployed individuals), including 401(k) plans.
SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plans offer you
and your employees a tax­favored way to save
for retirement. You can deduct contributions
you make to the plan for your employees. If you
are a sole proprietor, you can deduct contribu­
tions you make to the plan for yourself. You can
also deduct trustees' fees if contributions to the
plan don't cover them. Earnings on the contribu­
tions are generally tax free until you or your em­
ployees receive distributions from the plan.
Under a 401(k) plan, employees can have
you contribute limited amounts of their be­
fore­tax (after­tax, in the case of a qualified
Roth contribution program) pay to the plan.
These amounts (and the earnings on them) are
generally tax free until your employees receive
distributions from the plan or, in the case of a
qualified distribution from a designated Roth ac­
count, completely tax free.
What this publication covers. This publica­
tion contains the information you need to under­
stand the following topics.
What type of plan to set up.
How to set up a plan.
How much you can contribute to a plan.
How much of your contribution is deducti­
ble.
How to treat certain distributions.
How to report information about the plan to
the IRS and your employees.
Basic features of SEP, SIMPLE, and quali­
fied plans. The key rules for SEP, SIMPLE,
and qualified plans are outlined in Table 1.
SEP plans. SEPs provide a simplified
method for you to make contributions to a retire­
ment plan for yourself and your employees. In­
stead of setting up a profit­sharing or money
purchase plan with a trust, you can adopt a SEP
agreement and make contributions directly to a
traditional individual retirement account or a tra­
ditional individual retirement annuity (SEP­IRA)
set up for yourself and each eligible employee.
SIMPLE plans. Generally, if you had 100 or
fewer employees who received at least $5,000
in compensation last year, you can set up a
SIMPLE IRA plan. Under a SIMPLE plan, em­
ployees can choose to make salary reduction
contributions rather than receiving these
amounts as part of their regular pay. In addition,
you will contribute matching or nonelective con­
tributions. The two types of SIMPLE plans are
the SIMPLE IRA plan and the SIMPLE 401(k)
plan.
Qualified plans. The qualified plan rules
are more complex than the SEP plan and SIM­
PLE plan rules. However, there are advantages
to qualified plans, such as increased flexibility in
designing plans and increased contribution and
deduction limits in some cases.

Publication 560 (2016)

Table 1. Key Retirement Plan Rules for 2016
Type
of
Plan

Last Date for Contribution

Maximum Contribution

SEP

Due date of employer's return
(including extensions).

Smaller of $53,000 or 25%
of participant's
compensation.2

SIMPLE
IRA
and
SIMPLE
401(k)

Salary reduction contributions: 30
Employee contribution:
days after the end of the month for
Salary reduction contribution
which the contributions are to be made.4 up to $12,500, $15,500 if
age 50 or over.
Matching or nonelective
contributions: Due date of employer's Employer contribution:
return (including extensions).
Either dollar­for­dollar
matching contributions, up to
3% of employee's
compensation,3 or fixed
nonelective contributions of
2% of compensation.2

Qualified
Elective deferral: Due date of
Plan:
employer's return (including
Defined
extensions).4
Contribution
Plan
Employer contribution:
Money Purchase or Profit­Sharing: Due
date of employer's return (including
extensions).

1

Employee contribution:
Elective deferral up to
$18,000, $24,000 if age 50
or over.

Maximum Deduction

When To Set Up Plan

25% of all participants'
compensation.2

Any time up to the due date of
employer's return (including
extensions).

Same as maximum
contribution.

Any time between 1/1 and
10/1 of the calendar year.

1

For a new employer coming
into existence after 10/1, as
soon as administratively
feasible.

25%1 of all participants'
compensation,2 plus
amount of elective
deferrals made.

By the end of the tax year.

Based on actuarial
assumptions and
computations.

By the end of the tax year.

Employer contribution:
Money Purchase: Smaller of
$53,000 or 100%1 of
participant's compensation.2
Profit­Sharing: Smaller of
$53,000 or 100%1 of
participant's compensation.2

Qualified
Plan:
Defined
Benefit Plan

Contributions generally must be paid in
quarterly installments, due 15 days
after the end of each quarter. See
Minimum Funding Requirement in
chapter 4.

Amount needed to provide
an annual benefit no larger
than the smaller of $210,000
or 100% of the participant's
average compensation for
his or her highest 3
consecutive calendar years.

Net earnings from self­employment must take the contribution into account. See Deduction Limit for Self­Employed Individuals in chapters 2 and 4.
Compensation is generally limited to $265,000 in 2016.
3
Under a SIMPLE 401(k) plan, compensation is generally limited to $265,000 in 2016.
4
Certain plans subject to Department of Labor rules may have an earlier due date for salary reduction contributions and elective deferrals.
1

2

What this publication doesn’t cover. Al­
though the purpose of this publication is to pro­
vide general information about retirement plans
you can set up for your employees, it doesn't
contain all the rules and exceptions that apply
to these plans. You may need professional help
and guidance.
Also, this publication doesn't cover all the
rules that may be of interest to employees. For
example, it doesn't cover the following topics.
The comprehensive IRA rules an em­
ployee needs to know. These rules are
covered in Publication 590­A, Contribu­
tions to Individual Retirement Arrange­
ments (IRAs), and Publication 590­B, Dis­
tributions from Individual Retirement
Arrangements (IRAs).
The comprehensive rules that apply to dis­
tributions from retirement plans. These
rules are covered in Publication 575, Pen­
sion and Annuity Income.

Publication 560 (2016)

The comprehensive rules that apply to
section 403(b) plans. These rules are cov­
ered in Publication 571, Tax­Sheltered An­
nuity Plans (403(b) Plans) For Employees
of Public Schools and Certain Tax­Exempt
Organizations.
Comments and suggestions. We welcome
your comments about this publication and your
suggestions for future editions.
You can send us comments from IRS.gov/
formspubs. Click on “More Information” and
then on “Give us feedback.”
Or you can write to:
Internal Revenue Service
Tax Forms and Publications
1111 Constitution Ave. NW, IR­6526
Washington, DC 20224

We respond to many letters by telephone.
Therefore, it would be helpful if you would in­
clude your daytime phone number, including
the area code, in your correspondence.
Although we can't respond individually to
each comment received, we do appreciate your
feedback and will consider your comments as
we revise our tax products.
Ordering forms and publications. Visit
IRS.gov/formspubs to download forms and
publications. Otherwise, you can go to IRS.gov/
orderforms to order current and prior­year forms
and instructions. Your order should arrive within
10 business days.
Tax questions. If you have a tax question
not answered by this publication, check
IRS.gov and How To Get Tax Help at the end of
this publication.

Page 3

personal services are self­employment earn­
ings for qualified plan purposes.

1.
Definitions
You Need To
Know
Certain terms used in this publication are de­
fined below. The same term used in another
publication may have a slightly different mean­
ing.
Annual additions. Annual additions are the to­
tal of all your contributions in a year, employee
contributions (not including rollovers), and for­
feitures allocated to a participant's account.
Annual benefits. Annual benefits are the ben­
efits to be paid yearly in the form of a straight
life annuity (with no extra benefits) under a plan
to which employees don't contribute and under
which no rollover contributions are made.
Business. A business is an activity in which a
profit motive is present and economic activity is
involved. Service as a newspaper carrier under
age 18 or as a public official isn’t a business.
Common-law employee. A common­law em­
ployee is any individual who, under common
law, would have the status of an employee. A
leased employee can also be a common­law
employee.
A common­law employee is a person who
performs services for an employer who has the
right to control and direct the results of the work
and the way in which it is done. For example,
the employer:
Provides the employee's tools, materials,
and workplace, and
Can fire the employee.
Common­law employees aren't self­em­
ployed and can't set up retirement plans for in­
come from their work, even if that income is
self­employment income for social security tax
purposes. For example, common­law employ­
ees who are ministers, members of religious or­
ders, full­time insurance salespeople, and U.S.
citizens employed in the United States by for­
eign governments can't set up retirement plans
for their earnings from those employments,
even though their earnings are treated as
self­employment income.
However, an individual may be a com­
mon­law employee and a self­employed person
as well. For example, an attorney can be a cor­
porate common­law employee during regular
working hours and also practice law in the eve­
ning as a self­employed person. In another ex­
ample, a minister employed by a congregation
for a salary is a common­law employee even
though the salary is treated as self­employment
income for social security tax purposes. How­
ever, fees reported on Schedule C (Form
1040), Profit or Loss From Business, for per­
forming marriages, baptisms, and other
Page 4

Chapter 1

Compensation. Compensation for plan alloca­
tions is the pay a participant received from you
for personal services for a year. You can gener­
ally define compensation as including all the fol­
lowing payments.
1. Wages and salaries.
2. Fees for professional services.
3. Other amounts received (cash or non­
cash) for personal services actually ren­
dered by an employee, including, but not
limited to, the following items.
a. Commissions and tips.
b. Fringe benefits.
c. Bonuses.
For a self­employed individual, compensa­
tion means the earned income, discussed later,
of that individual.
Compensation generally includes amounts
deferred at the employee's election in the fol­
lowing employee benefit plans.
Section 401(k) plans.
Section 403(b) plans.
SIMPLE IRA plans.
SARSEPs.
Section 457 deferred compensation plans.
Section 125 cafeteria plans.
However, an employer can choose to ex­
clude elective deferrals under the above plans
from the definition of compensation. The limit
on elective deferrals is discussed in chapter 2
under Salary Reduction Simplified Employee
Pension (SARSEP) and in chapter 4.
Other options. In figuring the compensa­
tion of a participant, you can treat any of the fol­
lowing amounts as the employee's compensa­
tion.
The employee's wages as defined for in­
come tax withholding purposes.
The employee's wages you report in box 1
of Form W­2, Wage and Tax Statement.
The employee's social security wages (in­
cluding elective deferrals).
Compensation generally can't include either
of the following items.
Nontaxable reimbursements or other ex­
pense allowances.
Deferred compensation (other than elec­
tive deferrals).

from a business in which your services materi­
ally helped to produce the income.
You can also have earned income from
property your personal efforts helped create,
such as royalties from your books or inventions.
Earned income includes net earnings from sell­
ing or otherwise disposing of the property, but it
doesn't include capital gains. It includes income
from licensing the use of property other than
goodwill.
Earned income includes amounts received
for services by self­employed members of rec­
ognized religious sects opposed to social se­
curity benefits who are exempt from self­em­
ployment tax.
If you have more than one business, but
only one has a retirement plan, only the earned
income from that business is considered for that
plan.
Employer. An employer is generally any per­
son for whom an individual performs or did per­
form any service, of whatever nature, as an em­
ployee. A sole proprietor is treated as his or her
own employer for retirement plan purposes.
However, a partner isn't an employer for retire­
ment plan purposes. Instead, the partnership is
treated as the employer of each partner.
Highly compensated employee. A highly
compensated employee is an individual who:
Owned more than 5% of the interest in
your business at any time during the year
or the preceding year, regardless of how
much compensation that person earned or
received, or
For the preceding year, received compen­
sation from you of more than $120,000 (if
the preceding year is 2015, 2016 or 2017)
and, if you so choose, was in the top 20%
of employees when ranked by compensa­
tion.
Leased employee. A leased employee who
isn't your common­law employee must gener­
ally be treated as your employee for retirement
plan purposes if he or she does all the follow­
ing.
Provides services to you under an agree­
ment between you and a leasing organiza­
tion.
Has performed services for you (or for you
and related persons) substantially full time
for at least 1 year.
Performs services under your primary di­
rection or control.

SIMPLE plans. A special definition of compen­
sation applies for SIMPLE plans. See chapter 3.

Exception. A leased employee isn't treated
as your employee if all the following conditions
are met.

Contribution. A contribution is an amount you
pay into a plan for all those participating in the
plan, including self­employed individuals. Limits
apply to how much, under the contribution for­
mula of the plan, can be contributed each year
for a participant.

1. Leased employees aren't more than 20%
of your non­highly compensated work
force.

Deduction. A deduction is the plan contribu­
tions you can subtract from gross income on
your federal income tax return. Limits apply to
the amount deductible.
Earned income. Earned income is net earn­
ings from self­employment, discussed later,

Definitions You Need To Know

2. The employee is covered under the leas­
ing organization's qualified pension plan.
3. The leasing organization's plan is a money
purchase pension plan that has all the fol­
lowing provisions.
a. Immediate participation. (This require­
ment doesn't apply to any individual
whose compensation from the leasing
organization in each plan year during

the 4­year period ending with the plan
year is less than $1,000.)
b. Full and immediate vesting.
c. A nonintegrated employer contribu­
tion rate of at least 10% of compensa­
tion for each participant.
However, if the leased employee is your com­
mon­law employee, that employee will be your
employee for all purposes, regardless of any
pension plan of the leasing organization.
Net earnings from self-employment. For
SEP and qualified plans, net earnings from
self­employment is your gross income from
your trade or business (provided your personal
services are a material income­producing fac­
tor) minus allowable business deductions. Al­
lowable deductions include contributions to
SEP and qualified plans for common­law em­
ployees and the deduction allowed for the de­
ductible part of your self­employment tax.
Net earnings from self­employment doesn't
include items excluded from gross income (or
their related deductions) other than foreign
earned income and foreign housing cost
amounts.
For the deduction limits, earned income is
net earnings for personal services actually ren­
dered to the business. You take into account
the income tax deduction for the deductible part
of self­employment tax and the deduction for
contributions to the plan made on your behalf
when figuring net earnings.
Net earnings include a partner's distributive
share of partnership income or loss (other than
separately stated items, such as capital gains
and losses). It doesn't include income passed
through to shareholders of S corporations.
Guaranteed payments to limited partners are
net earnings from self­employment if they are
paid for services to or for the partnership. Distri­
butions of other income or loss to limited part­
ners aren't net earnings from self­employment.
For SIMPLE plans, net earnings from
self­employment is the amount on line 4 of
Short Schedule SE or line 6 of Long Sched­
ule SE (Form 1040), Self­Employment Tax, be­
fore subtracting any contributions made to the
SIMPLE plan for yourself.
Qualified plan. A qualified plan is a retirement
plan that offers a tax­favored way to save for re­
tirement. You can deduct contributions made to
the plan for your employees. Earnings on these
contributions are generally tax free until distrib­
uted at retirement. Profit­sharing, money pur­
chase, and defined benefit plans are qualified
plans. A 401(k) plan is also a qualified plan.
Participant. A participant is an eligible em­
ployee who is covered by your retirement plan.
See the discussions of the different types of
plans for the definition of an employee eligible
to participate in each type of plan.
Partner. A partner is an individual who shares
ownership of an unincorporated trade or busi­
ness with one or more persons. For retirement
plans, a partner is treated as an employee of
the partnership.

Self-employed individual. An individual in
business for himself or herself, and whose busi­
ness isn't incorporated, is self­employed. Sole
proprietors and partners are self­employed.
Self­employment can include part­time work.
Not everyone who has net earnings from
self­employment for social security tax purpo­
ses is self­employed for qualified plan purpo­
ses. See Common­law employee and Net earn­
ings from self­employment, earlier.
In addition, certain fishermen may be con­
sidered self­employed for setting up a qualified
plan. See Publication 595, Capital Construction
Fund for Commercial Fishermen, for the special
rules used to determine whether fishermen are
self­employed.

4407 SARSEP—Key Issues and
Assistance
Forms (and Instructions)
W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
5305-SEP Simplified Employee
Pension—Individual Retirement
Accounts Contribution Agreement
5305A-SEP Salary Reduction Simplified
Employee Pension—Individual
Retirement Accounts Contribution
Agreement
8880 Credit for Qualified Retirement
Savings Contributions

Sole proprietor. A sole proprietor is an indi­
vidual who owns an unincorporated business
by himself or herself, including a single member
limited liability company that is treated as a dis­
regarded entity for tax purposes. For retirement
plans, a sole proprietor is treated as both an
employer and an employee.

A SEP is a written plan that allows you to make
contributions toward your own retirement and
your employees' retirement without getting in­
volved in a more complex qualified plan.

2.

Under a SEP, you make contributions to a tradi­
tional individual retirement arrangement (called
a SEP­IRA) set up by or for each eligible em­
ployee. A SEP­IRA is owned and controlled by
the employee, and you make contributions to
the financial institution where the SEP­IRA is
maintained.
SEP­IRAs are set up for, at a minimum, each el­
igible employee (defined below). A SEP­IRA
may have to be set up for a leased employee
(defined in chapter 1), but doesn't need to be
set up for excludable employees (defined later).

Simplified
Employee
Pensions (SEPs)
Topics

This chapter discusses:
Setting up a SEP
How much can I contribute
Deducting contributions
Salary reduction simplified employee pen­
sions (SARSEPs)
Distributions (withdrawals)
Additional taxes
Reporting and disclosure requirements

Useful Items

You may want to see:
Publications
590-A Contributions to Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
590-B Distributions from Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
3998 Choosing A Retirement Solution for
Your Small Business
4285 SEP Checklist
4286 SARSEP Checklist
4333 SEP Retirement Plans for Small
Businesses
4336 SARSEP for Small Businesses
Chapter 2

8881 Credit for Small Employer Pension
Plan Startup Costs

Eligible employee. An eligible employee is an
individual who meets all the following require­
ments.
Has reached age 21.
Has worked for you in at least 3 of the last
5 years.
Has received at least $600 in compensa­
tion from you in 2016. This amount re­
mains unchanged in 2017.
You can use less restrictive participa­

TIP tion requirements than those listed, but
not more restrictive ones.

Excludable employees. The following em­
ployees can be excluded from coverage under
a SEP.
Employees covered by a union agreement
and whose retirement benefits were bar­
gained for in good faith by the employees'
union and you.
Nonresident alien employees who have re­
ceived no U.S. source wages, salaries, or
other personal services compensation
from you. For more information about non­
resident aliens, see Publication 519, U.S.
Tax Guide for Aliens.

Setting Up a SEP
There are three basic steps in setting up a SEP.
1. You must execute a formal written agree­
ment to provide benefits to all eligible
employees.

Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)

Page 5

2. You must give each eligible employee cer­
tain information about the SEP.
3. A SEP­IRA must be set up by or for each
eligible employee.
Many financial institutions will help you

TIP set up a SEP.

Formal written agreement. You must exe­
cute a formal written agreement to provide ben­
efits to all eligible employees under a SEP. You
can satisfy the written agreement requirement
by adopting an IRS model SEP using Form
5305­SEP. However, see When not to use
Form 5305­SEP, below.
If you adopt an IRS model SEP using Form
5305­SEP, no prior IRS approval or determina­
tion letter is required. Keep the original form.
don't file it with the IRS. Also, using Form
5305­SEP will usually relieve you from filing an­
nual retirement plan information returns with the
IRS and the Department of Labor. See the Form
5305­SEP instructions for details. If you choose
not to use Form 5305­SEP, you should seek
professional advice in adopting a SEP.
When not to use Form 5305-SEP. You
can't use Form 5305­SEP if any of the following
apply.
1. You currently maintain any other qualified
retirement plan other than another SEP.
2. You have any eligible employees for
whom IRAs haven’t been set up.
3. You use the services of leased employ­
ees, who aren't your common­law employ­
ees (as described in chapter 1).
4. You are a member of any of the following
unless all eligible employees of all the
members of these groups, trades, or busi­
nesses participate under the SEP.
a. An affiliated service group described
in section 414(m).
b. A controlled group of corporations de­
scribed in section 414(b).
c. Trades or businesses under common
control described in section 414(c).
5. You don't pay the cost of the SEP contri­
butions.
Information you must give to employees.
You must give each eligible employee a copy of
Form 5305­SEP, its instructions, and the other
information listed in the Form 5305­SEP instruc­
tions. An IRS model SEP isn't considered adop­
ted until you give each employee this informa­
tion.
Setting up the employee's SEP-IRA. A
SEP­IRA must be set up by or for each eligible
employee. SEP­IRAs can be set up with banks,
insurance companies, or other qualified finan­
cial institutions. You send SEP contributions to
the financial institution where the SEP­IRA is
maintained.
Deadline for setting up a SEP. You can set
up a SEP for any year as late as the due date
(including extensions) of your income tax return
for that year.
Page 6

Chapter 2

Credit for startup costs. You may be able to
claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and
necessary costs of starting a SEP that first be­
came effective in 2016. For more information,
see Credit for startup costs under Reminders,
earlier.

How Much
Can I Contribute?
The SEP rules permit you to contribute a limited
amount of money each year to each employee's
SEP­IRA. If you are self­employed, you can
contribute to your own SEP­IRA. Contributions
must be in the form of money (cash, check, or
money order). You can't contribute property.
However, participants may be able to transfer
or roll over certain property from one retirement
plan to another. See Publications 590­A and
590­B for more information about rollovers.
You don't have to make contributions every
year. But if you make contributions, they must
be based on a written allocation formula and
must not discriminate in favor of highly compen­
sated employees (defined in chapter 1). When
you contribute, you must contribute to the
SEP­IRAs of all participants who actually per­
formed personal services during the year for
which the contributions are made, including em­
ployees who die or terminate employment be­
fore the contributions are made.
Contributions are deductible within limits, as
discussed later, and generally aren't taxable to
the plan participants.
A SEP­IRA can't be a Roth IRA. Employer
contributions to a SEP­IRA won’t affect the
amount an individual can contribute to a Roth or
traditional IRA.
Unlike regular contributions to a traditional
IRA, contributions under a SEP can be made to
participants over age 701 2. If you are self­em­
ployed, you can also make contributions under
the SEP for yourself even if you are over 701 2.
Participants age 701 2 or over must take required
minimum distributions.
Time limit for making contributions. To de­
duct contributions for a year, you must make
the contributions by the due date (including ex­
tensions) of your tax return for the year.

Contribution Limits
Contributions you make for 2016 to a com­
mon­law employee's SEP­IRA can't exceed the
lesser of 25% of the employee's compensation
or $53,000. Compensation generally doesn't in­
clude your contributions to the SEP. The SEP
plan document will specify how the employer
contribution is determined and how it will be al­
located to participants.
Example. Your employee, Mary Plant,
earned $21,000 for 2016. The maximum contri­
bution you can make to her SEP­IRA is $5,250
(25% x $21,000).
Contributions for yourself. The annual limits
on your contributions to a common­law employ­

Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)

ee's SEP­IRA also apply to contributions you
make to your own SEP­IRA. However, special
rules apply when figuring your maximum deduc­
tible contribution. See Deduction Limit for
Self­Employed Individuals, later.
Annual compensation limit. You can't con­
sider the part of an employee's compensation
over $265,000 when figuring your contribution
limit for that employee. However, $53,000 is the
maximum contribution for an eligible employee.
These limits increase to $270,000 and $54,000,
respectively, in 2017.
Example. Your employee, Susan Green,
earned $210,000 for 2016. Because of the max­
imum contribution limit for 2016, you can only
contribute $53,000 to her SEP­IRA.
More than one plan. If you contribute to a de­
fined contribution plan (defined in chapter 4),
annual additions to an account are limited to the
lesser of $53,000 or 100% of the participant's
compensation. When you figure this limit, you
must add your contributions to all defined con­
tribution plans maintained by you. Because a
SEP is considered a defined contribution plan
for this limit, your contributions to a SEP must
be added to your contributions to other defined
contribution plans you maintain.
Tax treatment of excess contributions. Ex­
cess contributions are your contributions to an
employee's SEP­IRA (or to your own SEP­IRA)
for 2016 that exceed the lesser of the following
amounts.
25% of the employee's compensation (or,
for you, 20% of your net earnings from
self­employment).
$53,000.
Excess contributions are included in the em­
ployee's income for the year and are treated as
contributions by the employee to his or her
SEP­IRA. For more information on employee
tax treatment of excess contributions, see Pub­
lication 590­A.
Reporting on Form W-2. Don't include SEP
contributions on your employee's Form W­2 un­
less contributions were made under a salary re­
duction arrangement (discussed later).

Deducting Contributions
Generally, you can deduct the contributions you
make each year to each employee's SEP­IRA.
If you are self­employed, you can deduct the
contributions you make each year to your own
SEP­IRA.

Deduction Limit for
Contributions for
Participants
The most you can deduct for your contributions
to you or your employee's SEP­IRA is the lesser
of the following amounts.
1. Your contributions (including any excess
contributions carryover).

2. 25% of the compensation (limited to
$265,000 per participant) paid to the par­
ticipants during 2016 from the business
that has the plan, not to exceed $53,000
per participant.
In 2017, the amounts in (2) above increase to
$270,000 and $54,000, respectively.

Deduction Limit for
Self-Employed Individuals
If you contribute to your own SEP­IRA, you
must make a special computation to figure your
maximum deduction for these contributions.
When figuring the deduction for contributions
made to your own SEP­IRA, compensation is
your net earnings from self­employment (de­
fined in chapter 1), which takes into account
both the following deductions.
The deduction for the deductible part of
your self­employment tax.
The deduction for contributions to your
own SEP­IRA.
The deduction for contributions to your own
SEP­IRA and your net earnings depend on
each other. For this reason, you determine the
deduction for contributions to your own
SEP­IRA indirectly by reducing the contribution
rate called for in your plan. To do this, use the
Rate Table for Self­Employed or the Rate Work­
sheet for Self­Employed, whichever is appropri­
ate for your plan's contribution rate, in chap­
ter 5. Then figure your maximum deduction by
using the Deduction Worksheet for Self­Em­
ployed in chapter 5.

Carryover of
Excess SEP Contributions
If you made SEP contributions that are more
than the deduction limit (nondeductible contri­
butions), you can carry over and deduct the dif­
ference in later years. However, the carryover,
when combined with the contribution for the
later year, is subject to the deduction limit for
that year. If you also contributed to a defined
benefit plan or defined contribution plan, see
Carryover of Excess Contributions under Em­
ployer Deduction in chapter 4 for the carryover
limit.
Excise tax. If you made nondeductible (ex­
cess) contributions to a SEP, you may be sub­
ject to a 10% excise tax. For information about
the excise tax, see Excise Tax for Nondeducti­
ble (Excess) Contributions under Employer De­
duction in chapter 4.

When To Deduct
Contributions
When you can deduct contributions made for a
year depends on the tax year on which the SEP
is maintained.
If the SEP is maintained on a calendar year
basis, you deduct the yearly contributions
on your tax return for the year within which
the calendar year ends.
If you file your tax return and maintain the
SEP using a fiscal year or short tax year,

you deduct contributions made for a year
on your tax return for that year.
Example. You are a fiscal year taxpayer
whose tax year ends June 30. You maintain a
SEP on a calendar year basis. You deduct SEP
contributions made for calendar year 2016 on
your tax return for your tax year ending June 30,
2017.

Where To Deduct
Contributions
Deduct the contributions you make for your
common­law employees on your tax return. For
example, sole proprietors deduct them on
Schedule C (Form 1040) or Schedule F (Form
1040), Profit or Loss From Farming; partner­
ships deduct them on Form 1065, U.S. Return
of Partnership Income; and corporations deduct
them on Form 1120, U.S. Corporation Income
Tax Return, or Form 1120S, U.S. Income Tax
Return for an S Corporation.
Sole proprietors and partners deduct contri­
butions for themselves on line 28 of Form 1040.
(If you are a partner, contributions for yourself
are shown on the Schedule K­1 (Form 1065),
Partner's Share of Income, Deductions, Credits,
etc., you receive from the partnership.)
Remember that sole proprietors and
partners can't deduct as a business ex­
CAUTION pense contributions made to a SEP for
themselves, only those made for their com­
mon­law employees.

!

Salary Reduction
Simplified Employee
Pensions (SARSEPs)
A SARSEP is a SEP set up before 1997 that in­
cludes a salary reduction arrangement. (See
the Caution, next.) Under a SARSEP, your em­
ployees can choose to have you contribute part
of their pay to their SEP­IRAs rather than re­
ceive it in cash. This contribution is called an
“elective deferral” because employees choose
(elect) to set aside the money, and they defer
the tax on the money until it is distributed to
them.
You aren't allowed to set up a SARSEP
after 1996. However, participants (in­
CAUTION cluding employees hired after 1996) in
a SARSEP set up before 1997 can continue to
have you contribute part of their pay to the plan.
If you are interested in setting up a retirement
plan that includes a salary reduction arrange­
ment, see chapter 3.

!

Who can have a SARSEP? A SARSEP set up
before 1997 is available to you and your eligible
employees only if all the following requirements
are met.
At least 50% of your employees eligible to
participate choose to make elective defer­
rals.
You have 25 or fewer employees who were
eligible to participate in the SEP at any
time during the preceding year.
Chapter 2

The elective deferrals of your highly com­
pensated employees meet the SARSEP
ADP test.
SARSEP ADP test. Under the SARSEP
ADP test, the amount deferred each year by
each eligible highly compensated employee as
a percentage of pay (the deferral percentage)
can't be more than 125% of the average defer­
ral percentage (ADP) of all non­highly compen­
sated employees eligible to participate. A highly
compensated employee is defined in chapter 1.
Deferral percentage. The deferral per­
centage for an employee for a year is figured as
follows.
The elective employer contributions
(excluding certain catch­up contributions)
paid to the SEP for the employee for the year
The employee's compensation
(limited to $265,000 in 2016)

The instructions for Form 5305A­SEP

TIP have a worksheet you can use to deter­

mine whether the elective deferrals of
your highly compensated employees meet the
SARSEP ADP test.
Employee compensation. For figuring the
deferral percentage, compensation is generally
the amount you pay to the employee for the
year. Compensation includes the elective defer­
ral and other amounts deferred in certain em­
ployee benefit plans. See Compensation in
chapter 1. Elective deferrals under the SARSEP
are included in figuring your employees' defer­
ral percentage even though they aren't included
in the income of your employees for income tax
purposes.
Compensation of self-employed individuals. If you are self­employed, compensation
is your net earnings from self­employment as
defined in chapter 1.
Compensation doesn't include tax­free
items (or deductions related to them) other than
foreign earned income and housing cost
amounts.
Choice not to treat deferrals as compensation. You can choose not to treat elective
deferrals (and other amounts deferred in certain
employee benefit plans) for a year as compen­
sation under your SARSEP.

Limit on Elective Deferrals
The most a participant can choose to defer for
calendar year 2016 is the lesser of the following
amounts.
1. 25% of the participant's compensation
(limited to $265,000 of the participant's
compensation).
2. $18,000.
The $18,000 limit applies to the total elective
deferrals the employee makes for the year to a
SEP and any of the following.
Cash or deferred arrangement (section
401(k) plan).
Salary reduction arrangement under a
tax­sheltered annuity plan (section 403(b)
plan).

Simplified Employee Pensions (SEPs)

Page 7

SIMPLE IRA plan.
In 2017, the $265,000 limit increases to
$270,000 and the $18,000 limit remains un­
changed.
Catch-up contributions. A SARSEP can per­
mit participants who are age 50 or over at the
end of the calendar year to also make catch­up
contributions. The catch­up contribution limit is
$6,000 for 2016 and 2017. Elective deferrals
aren't treated as catch­up contributions for 2016
until they exceed the elective deferral limit (the
lesser of 25% of compensation or $18,000), the
SARSEP ADP test limit discussed earlier, or the
plan limit (if any). However, the catch­up contri­
bution a participant can make for a year can't
exceed the lesser of the following amounts.
The catch­up contribution limit.
The excess of the participant's compensa­
tion over the elective deferrals that aren't
catch­up contributions.

Rev. Proc. 91­44, 1991­2 C.B. 733. If you adop­
ted a SARSEP using Form 5305A­SEP, the no­
tification requirements are explained in the in­
structions for that form.
Reporting on Form W-2. Don’t include elec­
tive deferrals in the “Wages, tips, other com­
pensation” box of Form W­2. You must, how­
ever, include them in the “Social security
wages” and “Medicare wages and tips” boxes.
You must also include them in box 12. Mark the
“Retirement plan” checkbox in box 13. For more
information, see the Form W­2 instructions.

Reporting and
Disclosure
Requirements

Distributions
(Withdrawals)

If you set up a SEP using Form 5305­SEP, you
must give your eligible employees certain infor­
mation about the SEP when you set it up. See
Setting Up a SEP, earlier. Also, you must give
your eligible employees a statement each year
showing any contributions to their SEP­IRAs.
You must also give them notice of any excess
contributions. For details about other informa­
tion you must give them, see the instructions for
Form 5305­SEP or Form 5305A­SEP (for a sal­
ary reduction SEP).

Catch­up contributions aren't subject to the
elective deferral limit (the lesser of 25% of com­
pensation or $18,000 in 2016 and 2017).

As an employer, you can't prohibit distributions
from a SEP­IRA. Also, you can't make your con­
tributions on the condition that any part of them
must be kept in the account after you have
made your contributions to the employee's ac­
counts.

Even if you didn't use Form 5305­SEP or
Form 5305A­SEP to set up your SEP, you must
give your employees information similar to that
described above. For more information, see the
instructions for either Form 5305­SEP or Form
5305A­SEP.

Overall limit on SEP contributions. If you
also make nonelective contributions to a
SEP­IRA, the total of the nonelective and elec­
tive contributions to that SEP­IRA can't exceed
the lesser of 25% of the employee's compensa­
tion or $53,000 for 2016 ($54,000 for 2017).
The same rule applies to contributions you
make to your own SEP­IRA. See Contribution
Limits, earlier.

Distributions are subject to IRA rules. Gen­
erally, you or your employee must begin to re­
ceive distributions from a SEP­IRA by April 1 of
the first year after the calendar year in which
you or your employee reaches age 701 2. For
more information about IRA rules, including the
tax treatment of distributions, rollovers, required
distributions, and income tax withholding, see
Publications 590­A and 590­B.

Figuring the elective deferral. For figuring
the 25% limit on elective deferrals, compensa­
tion doesn't include SEP contributions, includ­
ing elective deferrals or other amounts deferred
in certain employee benefit plans.

Additional Taxes

Tax Treatment of Deferrals
Elective deferrals that aren't more than the lim­
its discussed earlier under Limit on Elective De­
ferrals are excluded from your employees' wa­
ges subject to federal income tax in the year of
deferral. However, these deferrals are included
in wages for social security, Medicare, and fed­
eral unemployment (FUTA) tax.
Excess deferrals. For 2016, excess deferrals
are the elective deferrals for the year that are
more than the $18,000 limit discussed earlier.
For a participant who is eligible to make
catch­up contributions, excess deferrals are the
elective deferrals that are more than $24,000.
The treatment of excess deferrals made under
a SARSEP is similar to the treatment of excess
deferrals made under a qualified plan. See
Treatment of Excess Deferrals under Elective
Deferrals (401(k) Plans) in chapter 4.
Excess SEP contributions. Excess SEP con­
tributions are elective deferrals of highly com­
pensated employees that are more than the
amount permitted under the SARSEP ADP test.
You must notify your highly compensated em­
ployees within 21 2 months after the end of the
plan year of their excess SEP contributions. If
you don't notify them within this time period, you
must pay a 10% tax on the excess. For an ex­
planation of the notification requirements, see
Page 8

Chapter 3

SIMPLE Plans

The tax advantages of using SEP­IRAs for re­
tirement savings can be offset by additional
taxes that may be imposed for all the following
actions.
Making excess contributions.
Making early withdrawals.
Not making required withdrawals.
For information about these taxes, see Pub­
lications 590­A and 590­B. Also, a SEP­IRA
may be disqualified, or an excise tax may apply,
if the account is involved in a prohibited trans­
action, discussed next.
Prohibited transaction. If an employee im­
properly uses his or her SEP­IRA, such as by
borrowing money from it, the employee has en­
gaged in a prohibited transaction. In that case,
the SEP­IRA will no longer qualify as an IRA.
For a list of prohibited transactions, see Prohibi­
ted Transactions in chapter 4.
Effects on employee. If a SEP­IRA is dis­
qualified because of a prohibited transaction,
the assets in the account will be treated as hav­
ing been distributed to the employee on the first
day of the year in which the transaction occur­
red. The employee must include in income the
fair market value of the assets (on the first day
of the year) that is more than any cost basis in
the account. Also, the employee may have to
pay the additional tax for making early with­
drawals.

3.
SIMPLE Plans
Topics

This chapter discusses:
SIMPLE IRA plan
SIMPLE 401(k) plan

Useful Items

You may want to see:
Publications
590-A Contributions to Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
590-B Distributions from Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
3998 Choosing A Retirement Solution for
Your Small Business
4284 SIMPLE IRA Plan Checklist
4334 SIMPLE IRA Plans for Small
Businesses
Forms (and Instructions)
W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
5304-SIMPLE Savings Incentive Match
Plan for Employees of Small
Employers (SIMPLE)–Not for Use
With a Designated Financial
Institution
5305-SIMPLE Savings Incentive Match
Plan for Employees of Small
Employers (SIMPLE)–for Use With a
Designated Financial Institution

8880 Credit for Qualified Retirement
Savings Contributions
8881 Credit for Small Employer Pension
Plan Startup Costs
A savings incentive match plan for employees
(SIMPLE plan) is a written arrangement that
provides you and your employees with a simpli­
fied way to make contributions to provide retire­
ment income. Under a SIMPLE plan, employ­
ees can choose to make salary reduction
contributions to the plan rather than receiving
these amounts as part of their regular pay. In
addition, you will contribute matching or non­
elective contributions.
SIMPLE plans can only be maintained on a cal­
endar­year basis.
A SIMPLE plan can be set up in either of the fol­
lowing ways.
Using SIMPLE IRAs (SIMPLE IRA plan).
As part of a 401(k) plan (SIMPLE 401(k)
plan).
Many financial institutions will help you

TIP set up a SIMPLE plan.

SIMPLE IRA Plan
A SIMPLE IRA plan is a retirement plan that
uses SIMPLE IRAs for each eligible employee.
Under a SIMPLE IRA plan, a SIMPLE IRA must
be set up for each eligible employee. For the
definition of an eligible employee, see Who Can
Participate in a SIMPLE IRA Plan, later.

Who Can Set Up
a SIMPLE IRA Plan?
You can set up a SIMPLE IRA plan if you meet
both the following requirements.
You meet the employee limit.
You don't maintain another qualified plan
unless the other plan is for collective bar­
gaining employees.
Employee limit. You can set up a SIMPLE IRA
plan only if you had 100 or fewer employees
who received $5,000 or more in compensation
from you for the preceding year. Under this rule,
you must take into account all employees em­
ployed at any time during the calendar year re­
gardless of whether they are eligible to partici­
pate. Employees include self­employed
individuals who received earned income and
leased employees (defined in chapter 1).
Once you set up a SIMPLE IRA plan, you
must continue to meet the 100­employee limit
each year you maintain the plan.
Grace period for employers who cease
to meet the 100-employee limit. If you main­
tain the SIMPLE IRA plan for at least 1 year and
you cease to meet the 100­employee limit in a
later year, you will be treated as meeting it for
the 2 calendar years immediately following the
calendar year for which you last met it.
A different rule applies if you don't meet the
100­employee limit because of an acquisition,
disposition, or similar transaction. Under this
rule, the SIMPLE IRA plan will be treated as

meeting the 100­employee limit for the year of
the transaction and the 2 following years if both
the following conditions are satisfied.
Coverage under the plan hasn’t signifi­
cantly changed during the grace period.
The SIMPLE IRA plan would have contin­
ued to qualify after the transaction if you
had remained a separate employer.
The grace period for acquisitions, dis­
positions, and similar transactions also
CAUTION applies if, because of these types of
transactions, you don't meet the rules explained
under Other qualified plan or Who Can Partici­
pate in a SIMPLE IRA Plan, below.

!

Other qualified plan. The SIMPLE IRA plan
generally must be the only retirement plan to
which you make contributions, or to which ben­
efits accrue, for service in any year beginning
with the year the SIMPLE IRA plan becomes ef­
fective.
Exception. If you maintain a qualified plan
for collective bargaining employees, you are
permitted to maintain a SIMPLE IRA plan for
other employees.

Who Can Participate
in a SIMPLE IRA Plan?
Eligible employee. Any employee who re­
ceived at least $5,000 in compensation during
any 2 years preceding the current calendar year
and is reasonably expected to receive at least
$5,000 during the current calendar year is eligi­
ble to participate. The term “employee” includes
a self­employed individual who received earned
income.
You can use less restrictive eligibility re­
quirements (but not more restrictive ones) by
eliminating or reducing the prior year compen­
sation requirements, the current year compen­
sation requirements, or both. For example, you
can allow participation for employees who re­
ceived at least $3,000 in compensation during
any preceding calendar year. However, you
can't impose any other conditions for participat­
ing in a SIMPLE IRA plan.
Excludable employees. The following em­
ployees don't need to be covered under a SIM­
PLE IRA plan.
Employees who are covered by a union
agreement and whose retirement benefits
were bargained for in good faith by the em­
ployees' union and you.
Nonresident alien employees who have re­
ceived no U.S. source wages, salaries, or
other personal services compensation
from you.
Compensation. Compensation for employees
is the total wages, tips, and other compensation
from the employer subject to federal income tax
withholding and the amounts paid for domestic
service in a private home, local college club, or
local chapter of a college fraternity or sorority.
Compensation also includes the employee's
salary reduction contributions made under this
plan and, if applicable, elective deferrals under
a section 401(k) plan, a SARSEP, or a section

403(b) annuity contract and compensation de­
ferred under a section 457 plan required to be
reported by the employer on Form W­2. If you
are self­employed, compensation is your net
earnings from self­employment (line 4 of Short
Schedule SE or line 6 of Long Schedule SE
(Form 1040)) before subtracting any contribu­
tions made to the SIMPLE IRA plan for yourself.

How To Set Up a
SIMPLE IRA Plan
You can use Form 5304­SIMPLE or Form
5305­SIMPLE to set up a SIMPLE IRA plan.
Each form is a model savings incentive match
plan for employees (SIMPLE) plan document.
Which form you use depends on whether you
select a financial institution or your employees
select the institution that will receive the contri­
butions.
Use Form 5304­SIMPLE if you allow each
plan participant to select the financial institution
for receiving his or her SIMPLE IRA plan contri­
butions. Use Form 5305­SIMPLE if you require
that all contributions under the SIMPLE IRA
plan be deposited initially at a designated finan­
cial institution.
The SIMPLE IRA plan is adopted when you
have completed all appropriate boxes and
blanks on the form and you (and the designated
financial institution, if any) have signed it. Keep
the original form. Don’t file it with the IRS.
Other uses of the forms. If you set up a SIM­
PLE IRA plan using Form 5304­SIMPLE or
Form 5305­SIMPLE, you can use the form to
satisfy other requirements, including the follow­
ing.
Meeting employer notification require­
ments for the SIMPLE IRA plan. Form
5304­SIMPLE and Form 5305­SIMPLE
contain a Model Notification to Eligible Em­
ployees that provides the necessary infor­
mation to the employee.
Maintaining the SIMPLE IRA plan records
and proving you set up a SIMPLE IRA plan
for employees.
Deadline for setting up a SIMPLE IRA plan.
You can set up a SIMPLE IRA plan effective on
any date from January 1 through October 1 of a
year, provided you didn't previously maintain a
SIMPLE IRA plan. This requirement doesn't ap­
ply if you are a new employer that comes into
existence after October 1 of the year the SIM­
PLE IRA plan is set up and you set up a SIM­
PLE IRA plan as soon as administratively feasi­
ble after your business comes into existence. If
you previously maintained a SIMPLE IRA plan,
you can set up a SIMPLE IRA plan effective
only on January 1 of a year. A SIMPLE IRA plan
can't have an effective date that is before the
date you actually adopt the plan.
Setting up a SIMPLE IRA. SIMPLE IRAs are
the individual retirement accounts or annuities
into which the contributions are deposited. A
SIMPLE IRA must be set up for each eligible
employee. Forms 5305­S, SIMPLE Individual
Retirement Trust Account, and 5305­SA, SIM­
PLE Individual Retirement Custodial Account,
are model trust and custodial account
Chapter 3

SIMPLE Plans

Page 9

documents the participant and the trustee (or
custodian) can use for this purpose.
A SIMPLE IRA can't be a Roth IRA. Contri­
butions to a SIMPLE IRA won't affect the
amount an individual can contribute to a Roth or
traditional IRA.
Deadline for setting up a SIMPLE IRA. A
SIMPLE IRA must be set up for an employee
before the first date by which a contribution is
required to be deposited into the employee's
IRA. See Time limits for contributing funds,
later, under Contribution Limits.
Credit for startup costs. You may be able to
claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and
necessary costs of starting a SIMPLE IRA plan
that first became effective in 2016. For more in­
formation, see Credit for startup costs under
Reminders, earlier.

Notification Requirement
If you adopt a SIMPLE IRA plan, you must notify
each employee of the following information be­
fore the beginning of the election period.
1. The employee's opportunity to make or
change a salary reduction choice under a
SIMPLE IRA plan.
2. Your decision to make either matching
contributions or nonelective contributions
(discussed later).
3. A summary description provided by the fi­
nancial institution.
4. Written notice that his or her balance can
be transferred without cost or penalty if
they use a designated financial institution.
Election period. The election period is gener­
ally the 60­day period immediately preceding
January 1 of a calendar year (November 2 to
December 31 of the preceding calendar year).
However, the dates of this period are modified if
you set up a SIMPLE IRA plan in mid­year (for
example, on July 1) or if the 60­day period falls
before the first day an employee becomes eligi­
ble to participate in the SIMPLE IRA plan.
A SIMPLE IRA plan can provide longer peri­
ods for permitting employees to enter into sal­
ary reduction agreements or to modify prior
agreements. For example, a SIMPLE IRA plan
can provide a 90­day election period instead of
the 60­day period. Similarly, in addition to the
60­day period, a SIMPLE IRA plan can provide
quarterly election periods during the 30 days
before each calendar quarter, other than the
first quarter of each year.

Contribution Limits
Contributions are made up of salary reduction
contributions and employer contributions. You,
as the employer, must make either matching
contributions or nonelective contributions, de­
fined later. No other contributions can be made
to the SIMPLE IRA plan. These contributions,
which you can deduct, must be made timely.
See Time limits for contributing funds, later.
Salary reduction contributions. The amount
the employee chooses to have you contribute to
Page 10

Chapter 3

SIMPLE Plans

a SIMPLE IRA on his or her behalf can't be
more than $12,500 for 2016 and 2017. These
contributions must be expressed as a percent­
age of the employee's compensation unless
you permit the employee to express them as a
specific dollar amount. You can't place restric­
tions on the contribution amount (such as limit­
ing the contribution percentage), except to com­
ply with the $12,500 limit for 2016 and 2017.
If you or an employee participates in any
other qualified plan during the year and you or
your employee have salary reduction contribu­
tions (elective deferrals) under those plans, the
salary reduction contributions under a SIMPLE
IRA plan also count toward the overall annual
limit ($18,000 for 2016 and 2017) on exclusion
of salary reduction contributions and other elec­
tive deferrals.
Catch-up contributions. A SIMPLE IRA
plan can permit participants who are age 50 or
over at the end of the calendar year to also
make catch­up contributions. The catch­up con­
tribution limit for SIMPLE IRA plans is $3,000
for 2016 and 2017. Salary reduction contribu­
tions aren't treated as catch­up contributions
until they exceed $12,500 for 2016 and 2017.
However, the catch­up contribution a partici­
pant can make for a year can't exceed the
lesser of the following amounts.
The catch­up contribution limit.
The excess of the participant's compensa­
tion over the salary reduction contributions
that aren't catch­up contributions.
Employer matching contributions. You are
generally required to match each employee's
salary reduction contribution(s) on a dol­
lar­for­dollar basis up to 3% of the employee's
compensation, where only employees who
have elected to make contributions will receive
an employer matching contribution. This re­
quirement doesn't apply if you make nonelec­
tive contributions as discussed later.
Example. In 2016, your employee, John
Rose, earned $25,000 and chose to defer 5%
of his salary. Your net earnings from self­em­
ployment are $40,000, and you choose to con­
tribute 10% of your earnings to your SIMPLE
IRA. You make 3% matching contributions. The
total contribution you make for John is $2,000,
figured as follows.
Salary reduction contributions
($25,000 × .05) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Employer matching contribution
($25,000 × .03) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total contributions . . . . . . . . .

$1,250
750
$2,000

The total contribution you make for yourself
is $5,200, figured as follows.
Salary reduction contributions
($40,000 × .10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $4,000
Employer matching contribution
1,200
($40,000 × .03) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total contributions . . . . . . . . . $5,200
Lower percentage. If you choose a match­
ing contribution less than 3%, the percentage

must be at least 1%. You must notify the em­
ployees of the lower match within a reasonable
period of time before the 60­day election period
(discussed earlier) for the calendar year. You
can't choose a percentage less than 3% for
more than 2 years during the 5­year period that
ends with (and includes) the year for which the
choice is effective.
Nonelective contributions. Instead of match­
ing contributions, you can choose to make non­
elective contributions of 2% of compensation on
behalf of each eligible employee who has at
least $5,000 (or some lower amount you select)
of compensation from you for the year. If you
make this choice, you must make nonelective
contributions whether or not the employee
chooses to make salary reduction contributions.
Only $265,000 of the employee's compensation
can be taken into account to figure the contribu­
tion limit in 2016 ($270,000 in 2017).
If you choose this 2% contribution formula,
you must notify the employees within a reason­
able period of time before the 60­day election
period (discussed earlier) for the calendar year.
Example 1. In 2016, your employee, Jane
Wood, earned $36,000 and chose to have you
contribute 10% of her salary. Your net earnings
from self­employment are $50,000, and you
choose to contribute 10% of your earnings to
your SIMPLE IRA. You make a 2% nonelective
contribution. Both of you are under age 50. The
total contribution you make for Jane is $4,320,
figured as follows.
Salary reduction contributions
($36,000 × .10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2% nonelective contributions
($36,000 × .02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total contributions . . . . . . . . .

$3,600
720
$4,320

The total contribution you make for yourself
is $6,000, figured as follows.
Salary reduction contributions
($50,000 × .10) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5,000
2% nonelective contributions
1,000
($50,000 × .02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total contributions . . . . . . . . . $6,000
Example 2. Using the same facts as in Ex­
ample 1, above, the maximum contribution you
make for Jane or for yourself if you each earned
$75,000 is $14,000, figured as follows.
Salary reduction contributions
(maximum amount allowed) . . . . . . . $12,500
2% nonelective contributions
1,500
($75,000 × .02) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Total contributions . . . . . . . . . $14,000
Time limits for contributing funds. You must
make the salary reduction contributions to the
SIMPLE IRA within 30 days after the end of the
month in which the amounts would otherwise
have been payable to the employee in cash.
You must make matching contributions or non­
elective contributions by the due date (including
extensions) for filing your federal income tax

return for the year. Certain plans subject to De­
partment of Labor rules may have an earlier due
date for salary reduction contributions.

When To Deduct
Contributions
You can deduct SIMPLE IRA contributions in
the tax year within which the calendar year for
which contributions were made ends. You can
deduct contributions for a particular tax year if
they are made for that tax year and are made by
the due date (including extensions) of your fed­
eral income tax return for that year.
Example 1. Your tax year is the fiscal year
ending June 30. Contributions under a SIMPLE
IRA plan for the calendar year 2016 (including
contributions made in 2016 before July 1, 2016)
are deductible in the tax year ending June 30,
2017.
Example 2. You are a sole proprietor
whose tax year is the calendar year. Contribu­
tions under a SIMPLE IRA plan for the calendar
year 2016 (including contributions made in
2017 by April 18, 2017) are deductible in the
2016 tax year.

Where To Deduct
Contributions
Deduct the contributions you make for your
common­law employees on your tax return. For
example, sole proprietors deduct them on
Schedule C (Form 1040) or Schedule F (Form
1040); partnerships deduct them on Form 1065;
and corporations deduct them on Form 1120 or
Form 1120S.
Sole proprietors and partners deduct contri­
butions for themselves on line 28 of Form 1040.
(If you are a partner, contributions for yourself
are shown on the Schedule K­1 (Form 1065)
you receive from the partnership.)

Tax Treatment
of Contributions
You can deduct your contributions and your
employees can exclude these contributions
from their gross income. SIMPLE IRA plan con­
tributions aren't subject to federal income tax
withholding. However, salary reduction contri­
butions are subject to social security, Medicare,
and federal unemployment (FUTA) taxes.
Matching and nonelective contributions aren't
subject to these taxes.
Reporting on Form W-2. Don’t include SIM­
PLE IRA plan contributions in the “Wages, tips,
other compensation” box of Form W­2. You
must, however, include them in the “Social se­
curity wages” and “Medicare wages and tips”
boxes. You must also include them in box 12.
Mark the “Retirement plan” checkbox in box 13.
For more information, see the Form W­2 in­
structions.

Distributions (Withdrawals)
Distributions from a SIMPLE IRA are subject to
IRA rules and generally are includible in income
for the year received. Tax­free rollovers can be
made from one SIMPLE IRA into another SIM­
PLE IRA. However, a rollover from a SIMPLE
IRA to a non­SIMPLE IRA can be made tax free
only after a 2­year participation in the SIMPLE
IRA plan.
Generally, you or your employee must begin
to receive distributions from a SIMPLE IRA by
April 1 of the first year after the calendar year in
which you or your employee reaches age 701 2.
Early withdrawals generally are subject to a
10% additional tax. However, the additional tax
is increased to 25% if funds are withdrawn
within 2 years of beginning participation.
More information. See Publications 590­A
and 590­B for information about IRA rules, in­
cluding those on the tax treatment of distribu­
tions, rollovers, required distributions, and in­
come tax withholding.

More Information
on SIMPLE IRA Plans
If you need help to set up or maintain a SIMPLE
IRA plan, go to the IRS website and search
SIMPLE IRA Plan.

SIMPLE 401(k) Plan
You can adopt a SIMPLE plan as part of a
401(k) plan if you meet the 100­employee limit
as discussed earlier under SIMPLE IRA Plan. A
SIMPLE 401(k) plan is a qualified retirement
plan and generally must satisfy the rules dis­
cussed under Qualification Rules in chapter 4,
including the required distribution rules. How­
ever, a SIMPLE 401(k) plan isn't subject to the
nondiscrimination and top­heavy rules dis­
cussed in chapter 4 if the plan meets the condi­
tions listed below.
1. Under the plan, an employee can choose
to have you make salary reduction contri­
butions for the year to a trust in an amount
expressed as a percentage of the employ­
ee's compensation, but not more than
$12,500 for 2016 and 2017. If permitted
under the plan, an employee who is age
50 or over can also make a catch­up con­
tribution of up to $3,000 for 2016 and
2017. See Catch­up contributions, earlier
under Contribution Limits.
2. You must make either:
a. Matching contributions up to 3% of
compensation for the year, or
b. Nonelective contributions of 2% of
compensation on behalf of each eligi­
ble employee who has at least $5,000
of compensation from you for the
year.
3. No other contributions can be made to the
trust.

4. No contributions are made, and no bene­
fits accrue, for services during the year un­
der any other qualified retirement plan
sponsored by you on behalf of any em­
ployee eligible to participate in the
SIMPLE 401(k) plan.
5. The employee's rights to any contributions
are nonforfeitable.
No more than $265,000 of the employee's
compensation can be taken into account in fig­
uring matching contributions and nonelective
contributions in 2016 ($270,000 in 2017). Com­
pensation is defined earlier in this chapter.
Employee notification. The notification re­
quirement that applies to SIMPLE IRA plans
also applies to SIMPLE 401(k) plans. See Noti­
fication Requirement in this chapter.
Credit for startup costs. You may be able to
claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and
necessary costs of starting a SIMPLE 401(k)
plan that first became effective in 2016. For
more information, see Credit for startup costs
under Reminders, earlier.
Note on forms. Please note that Forms
5304­SIMPLE and 5305­SIMPLE can’t be used
to establish a SIMPLE 401(k) plan. To set up a
SIMPLE 401(k) plan, see Adopting a Written
Plan in chapter 4.

4.
Qualified Plans
Topics

This chapter discusses:
Kinds of plans
Qualification rules
Setting up a qualified plan
Minimum funding requirement
Contributions
Employer deduction
Elective deferrals (401(k) plans)
Qualified Roth contribution program
Distributions
Prohibited transactions
Reporting requirements

Useful Items

You may want to see:
Publications
575 Pension and Annuity Income
590-A Contributions to Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
590-B Distributions from Individual
Retirement Arrangements (IRAs)
3066 Have you had your Check­up this
year? for Retirement Plans
Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 11

3998 Choosing A Retirement Solution for
Your Small Business
4222 401(k) Plans for Small Businesses
4530 Designated Roth Accounts under a
401(k), 403(b), or governmental
457(b) plans

The plan must be for the exclusive benefit of
employees or their beneficiaries. These quali­
fied plans can include coverage for a self­em­
ployed individual.

4674 Automatic Enrollment 401(k) Plans
for Small Businesses

As an employer, you can usually deduct, sub­
ject to limits, contributions you make to a quali­
fied plan, including those made for your own re­
tirement. The contributions (and earnings and
gains on them) are generally tax free until dis­
tributed by the plan.

4806 Profit Sharing Plans for Small
Businesses

Kinds of Plans

4531 401(k) Plan Checklist

Forms (and Instructions)
W-2 Wage and Tax Statement
Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) Partner's
Share of Income, Deductions,
Credits, etc.
1099-R Distributions From Pensions,
Annuities, Retirement or
Profit­Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance
Contracts, etc.
1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
Schedule C (Form 1040) Profit or Loss
From Business
Schedule F (Form 1040) Profit or Loss
From Farming
5300 Application for Determination for
Employee Benefit Plan
5310 Application for Determination for
Terminating Plan
5329 Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans
(Including IRAs) and Other
Tax­Favored Accounts
5330 Return of Excise Taxes Related to
Employee Benefit Plans
5500 Annual Return/Report of Employee
Benefit Plan.
5500-EZ Annual Return of
One­Participant (Owners and Their
Spouses) Retirement Plan
5500-SF Short Form Annual Return/
Report of Small Employee Benefit
Plan.
8717 User Fee for Employee Plan
Determination Letter Request
8880 Credit for Qualified Retirement
Savings Contributions
8881 Credit for Small Employer Pension
Plan Startup Costs
8955-SSA Annual Registration Statement
Identifying Separated Participants
With Deferred Vested Benefits
These qualified retirement plans set up by
self­employed individuals are sometimes called
Keogh or H.R.10 plans. A sole proprietor or a
partnership can set up one of these plans. A
common­law employee or a partner can't set up
one of these plans. The plans described here
can also be set up and maintained by employ­
ers that are corporations. All the rules dis­
cussed here apply to corporations except
where specifically limited to the self­employed.
Page 12

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

There are two basic kinds of qualified
plans—defined contribution plans and defined
benefit plans—and different rules apply to each.
You can have more than one qualified plan, but
your contributions to all the plans must not total
more than the overall limits discussed under
Contributions and Employer Deduction, later.

Defined Contribution Plan
A defined contribution plan provides an individ­
ual account for each participant in the plan. It
provides benefits to a participant largely based
on the amount contributed to that participant's
account. Benefits are also affected by any in­
come, expenses, gains, losses, and forfeitures
of other accounts that may be allocated to an
account. A defined contribution plan can be ei­
ther a profit­sharing plan or a money purchase
pension plan.
Profit-sharing plan. Although it is called a
“profit­sharing plan,” you don't actually have to
make a business profit for the year in order to
make a contribution (except for yourself if you
are self­employed as discussed under Self­em­
ployed Individual, later). A profit­sharing plan
can be set up to allow for discretionary em­
ployer contributions, meaning the amount con­
tributed each year to the plan isn't fixed. An em­
ployer may even make no contribution to the
plan for a given year.
The plan must provide a definite formula for
allocating the contribution among the partici­
pants and for distributing the accumulated
funds to the employees after they reach a cer­
tain age, after a fixed number of years, or upon
certain other occurrences.
In general, you can be more flexible in mak­
ing contributions to a profit­sharing plan than to
a money purchase pension plan (discussed
next) or a defined benefit plan (discussed later).
Money purchase pension plan. Contribu­
tions to a money purchase pension plan are
fixed and aren't based on your business profits.
For example, a money purchase pension plan
may require that contributions be 10% of the
participants' compensation without regard to
whether you have profits (or the self­employed
person has earned income).

Defined Benefit Plan
A defined benefit plan is any plan that isn't a de­
fined contribution plan. Contributions to a de­
fined benefit plan are based on what is needed
to provide definitely determinable benefits to

plan participants. Actuarial assumptions and
computations are required to figure these con­
tributions. Generally, you will need continuing
professional help to have a defined benefit plan.

Qualification Rules
To qualify for the tax benefits available to quali­
fied plans, a plan must meet certain require­
ments (qualification rules) of the tax law. Gener­
ally, unless you write your own plan, the
financial institution that provided your plan will
take the continuing responsibility for meeting
qualification rules that are later changed. The
following is a brief overview of important qualifi­
cation rules that generally haven't yet been dis­
cussed. It isn't intended to be all­inclusive. See
Setting Up a Qualified Plan, later.
Generally, the following qualification

TIP rules also apply to a SIMPLE 401(k) re­

tirement plan. A SIMPLE 401(k) plan is,
however, not subject to the top­heavy plan rules
and nondiscrimination rules if the plan satisfies
the provisions discussed in chapter 3 under
SIMPLE 401(k) Plan.
Plan assets must not be diverted. Your plan
must make it impossible for its assets to be
used for, or diverted to, purposes other than the
benefit of employees and their beneficiaries. As
a general rule, the assets can't be diverted to
the employer.
Minimum coverage requirement must be
met. To be a qualified plan, a defined benefit
plan must benefit at least the lesser of the fol­
lowing.
1. 50 employees, or
2. The greater of:
a. 40% of all employees, or
b. Two employees.
If there is only one employee, the plan must
benefit that employee.
Contributions or benefits must not discriminate. Under the plan, contributions or benefits
to be provided must not discriminate in favor of
highly compensated employees.
Contributions and benefits must not be
more than certain limits. Your plan must not
provide for contributions or benefits that are
more than certain limits. The limits apply to the
annual contributions and other additions to the
account of a participant in a defined contribu­
tion plan and to the annual benefit payable to a
participant in a defined benefit plan. These lim­
its are discussed later in this chapter under
Contributions.
Minimum vesting standard must be met.
Your plan must satisfy certain requirements re­
garding when benefits vest. A benefit is vested
(you have a fixed right to it) when it becomes
nonforfeitable. A benefit is nonforfeitable if it
can't be lost upon the happening, or failure to
happen, of any event. Special rules apply to for­
feited benefit amounts. In defined contribution
plans, forfeitures can be allocated to the

accounts of remaining participants in a nondis­
criminatory way, or they can be used to reduce
your contributions.
Forfeitures under a defined benefit plan
can't be used to increase the benefits any em­
ployee would otherwise receive under the plan.
Forfeitures must be used instead to reduce em­
ployer contributions.
Participation. In general, an employee must
be allowed to participate in your plan if he or
she meets both the following requirements.
Has reached age 21.
Has at least 1 year of service (2 years if the
plan isn't a 401(k) plan and provides that
after not more than 2 years of service the
employee has a nonforfeitable right to all
his or her accrued benefit).

!

CAUTION

A plan can't exclude an employee be­
cause he or she has reached a speci­
fied age.

Leased employee. A leased employee, de­
fined in chapter 1, who performs services for
you (recipient of the services) is treated as your
employee for certain plan qualification rules.
These rules include those in all the following
areas.
Nondiscrimination in coverage, contribu­
tions, and benefits.
Minimum age and service requirements.
Vesting.
Limits on contributions and benefits.
Top­heavy plan requirements.
Contributions or benefits provided by the leas­
ing organization for services performed for you
are treated as provided by you.
Benefit payment must begin when required.
Your plan must provide that, unless the partici­
pant chooses otherwise, the payment of bene­
fits to the participant must begin within 60 days
after the close of the latest of the following peri­
ods.
The plan year in which the participant rea­
ches the earlier of age 65 or the normal re­
tirement age specified in the plan.
The plan year in which the 10th anniver­
sary of the year in which the participant be­
gan participating in the plan occurs.
The plan year in which the participant sep­
arates from service.
Early retirement. Your plan can provide for
payment of retirement benefits before the nor­
mal retirement age. If your plan offers an early
retirement benefit, a participant who separates
from service before satisfying the early retire­
ment age requirement is entitled to that benefit
if he or she meets both the following require­
ments.
Satisfies the service requirement for the
early retirement benefit.
Separates from service with a nonforfeita­
ble right to an accrued benefit. The benefit,
which may be actuarially reduced, is paya­
ble when the early retirement age require­
ment is met.
Required minimum distributions. Special
rules require minimum annual distributions from
qualified plans, generally beginning after age

701 2. See Required Distributions, under Distri­
butions, later.
Survivor benefits. Defined benefit and money
purchase pension plans must provide automatic
survivor benefits in both the following forms.
A qualified joint and survivor annuity for a
vested participant who doesn't die before
the annuity starting date.
A qualified pre­retirement survivor annuity
for a vested participant who dies before
the annuity starting date and who has a
surviving spouse.
The automatic survivor benefit also applies
to any participant under a profit­sharing plan un­
less all the following conditions are met.
The participant doesn't choose benefits in
the form of a life annuity.
The plan pays the full vested account bal­
ance to the participant's surviving spouse
(or other beneficiary if the surviving spouse
consents or if there is no surviving spouse)
if the participant dies.
The plan isn't a direct or indirect transferee
of a plan that must provide automatic survi­
vor benefits.
Loan secured by benefits. If automatic
survivor benefits are required for a spouse un­
der a plan, he or she must consent to a loan
that uses as security the accrued benefits in the
plan.
Waiver of survivor benefits. Each plan
participant may be permitted to waive the joint
and survivor annuity or the pre­retirement survi­
vor annuity (or both), but only if the participant
has the written consent of the spouse. The plan
also must allow the participant to withdraw the
waiver. The spouse's consent must be wit­
nessed by a plan representative or notary pub­
lic.
Involuntary cash-out of benefits not
more than dollar limit. A plan may provide for
the immediate distribution of the participant's
benefit under the plan if the present value of the
benefit isn't greater than $5,000.
However, the distribution can't be made af­
ter the annuity starting date unless the partici­
pant and the spouse or surviving spouse of a
participant who died (if automatic survivor ben­
efits are required for a spouse under the plan)
consents in writing to the distribution. If the
present value is greater than $5,000, the plan
must have the written consent of the participant
and the spouse or surviving spouse (if auto­
matic survivor benefits are required for a
spouse under the plan) for any immediate distri­
bution of the benefit.
Benefits attributable to rollover contributions
and earnings on them can be ignored in deter­
mining the present value of these benefits.
A plan must provide for the automatic roll­
over of any cash­out distribution of more than
$1,000 to an individual retirement account or
annuity, unless the participant chooses other­
wise. A section 402(f) notice must be sent prior
to an involuntary cash­out of an eligible rollover
distribution. See Section 402(f) Notice under
Distributions, later, for more details.
Consolidation, merger, or transfer of assets
or liabilities. Your plan must provide that, in

the case of any merger or consolidation with, or
transfer of assets or liabilities to, any other plan,
each participant would (if the plan then termina­
ted) receive a benefit equal to or more than the
benefit he or she would have been entitled to
just before the merger, etc. (if the plan had then
terminated).
Benefits must not be assigned or alienated.
Your plan must provide that a participant's or
beneficiary's benefits under the plan can't be
taken away by any legal or equitable proceed­
ing except as provided below or pursuant to
certain judgements or settlements against the
participant for violations of plan rules.
Exception for certain loans. A loan from
the plan (not from a third party) to a participant
or beneficiary isn't treated as an assignment or
alienation if the loan is secured by the partici­
pant's accrued nonforfeitable benefit and is ex­
empt from the tax on prohibited transactions un­
der section 4975(d)(1) or would be exempt if
the participant were a disqualified person. A
disqualified person is defined later in this chap­
ter under Prohibited Transactions.
Exception for QDRO. Compliance with a
QDRO (qualified domestic relations order)
doesn't result in a prohibited assignment or ali­
enation of benefits.
Payments to an alternate payee under a
QDRO before the participant attains age 591 2
aren't subject to the 10% additional tax that
would otherwise apply under certain circum­
stances. Benefits distributed to an alternate
payee under a QDRO can be rolled over tax
free to an individual retirement account or to an
individual retirement annuity.
No benefit reduction for social security increases. Your plan must not permit a benefit
reduction for a post­separation increase in the
social security benefit level or wage base for
any participant or beneficiary who is receiving
benefits under your plan, or who is separated
from service and has nonforfeitable rights to
benefits. This rule also applies to plans supple­
menting the benefits provided by other federal
or state laws.
Elective deferrals must be limited. If your
plan provides for elective deferrals, it must limit
those deferrals to the amount in effect for that
particular year. See Limit on Elective Deferrals
later in this chapter.
Top-heavy plan requirements. A top­heavy
plan is one that mainly favors partners, sole pro­
prietors, and other key employees.
A plan is top­heavy for a plan year if, for the
preceding plan year, the total value of accrued
benefits or account balances of key employees
is more than 60% of the total value of accrued
benefits or account balances of all employees.
Additional requirements apply to a top­heavy
plan primarily to provide minimum benefits or
contributions for non­key employees covered
by the plan.
Most qualified plans, whether or not
top­heavy, must contain provisions that meet
the top­heavy requirements and will take effect
in plan years in which the plans are top­heavy.
These qualification requirements for top­heavy
Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 13

plans are explained in section 416 and its regu­
lations.
SIMPLE and safe harbor 401(k) plan exception. The top­heavy plan requirements
don't apply to SIMPLE 401(k) plans, discussed
earlier in chapter 3, or to safe harbor 401(k)
plans that consist solely of safe harbor contribu­
tions, discussed later in this chapter. QACAs
(discussed later) also aren't subject to
top­heavy requirements.

Setting Up a
Qualified Plan
There are two basic steps in setting up a quali­
fied plan. First you adopt a written plan. Then
you invest the plan assets.
You, the employer, are responsible for set­
ting up and maintaining the plan.
If you are self­employed, it isn't neces­

TIP sary to have employees besides your­

self to sponsor and set up a qualified
plan. If you have employees, see Participation,
under Qualification Rules, earlier.

Set-up deadline. To take a deduction for con­
tributions for a tax year, your plan must be set
up (adopted) by the last day of that year (De­
cember 31 for calendar­year employers).
Credit for startup costs. You may be able to
claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and
necessary costs of starting a qualified plan that
first became effective in 2016. For more infor­
mation, see Credit for startup costs under Re­
minders, earlier.

Adopting a Written Plan
You must adopt a written plan. The plan can be
an IRS­approved master or prototype plan of­
fered by a sponsoring organization. Or it can be
an individually designed plan.
Written plan requirement. To qualify, the
plan you set up must be in writing and must be
communicated to your employees. The plan's
provisions must be stated in the plan. It isn't suf­
ficient for the plan to merely refer to a require­
ment of the Internal Revenue Code.
Master or prototype plans. Most qualified
plans follow a standard form of plan (a master
or prototype plan) approved by the IRS. Master
and prototype plans are plans made available
by plan providers for adoption by employers (in­
cluding self­employed individuals). Under a
master plan, a single trust or custodial account
is established, as part of the plan, for the joint
use of all adopting employers. Under a proto­
type plan, a separate trust or custodial account
is established for each employer.
Plan providers. The following organiza­
tions generally can provide IRS­approved mas­
ter or prototype plans.
Banks (including some savings and loan
associations and federally insured credit
unions).
Trade or professional organizations.
Page 14

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Insurance companies.
Mutual funds.
Individually designed plan. If you prefer, you
can set up an individually designed plan to
meet specific needs. Although advance IRS ap­
proval is not required, you can apply for appro­
val by paying a fee and requesting a determina­
tion letter. You may need professional help for
this. See Rev. Proc. 2017­4, 2017­1 I.R.B. 146,
available at IRS.gov/irb/2017­01_IRB/ar10.html,
as annually updated, that may help you decide
whether to apply for approval.
User fee. The fee mentioned earlier for re­
questing a determination letter doesn't apply to
employers who have 100 or fewer employees
who received at least $5,000 of compensation
from the employer for the preceding year. At
least one of them must be a non­highly com­
pensated employee participating in the plan.
The fee doesn't apply to requests made by the
later of the following dates.
The end of the 5th plan year the plan is in
effect.
The end of any remedial amendment pe­
riod for the plan that begins within the first
5 plan years.
The request can't be made by the sponsor of a
prototype or similar plan the sponsor intends to
market to participating employers.
For more information about whether the user
fee applies, see Rev. Proc. 2017­4, 2017­1
I.R.B.
146,
available
at
IRS.gov/irb/
2017­01_IRB/ar10.html, as may be annually up­
dated; Notice 2017­1, 2017–2 I.R.B. 367, avail­
able at IRS.gov/pub/irs­irbs/irb17­02.pdf and
Form 8717.

Investing Plan Assets
In setting up a qualified plan, you arrange how
the plan's funds will be used to build its assets.
You can establish a trust or custodial ac­
count to invest the funds.
You, the trust, or the custodial account can
buy an annuity contract from an insurance
company. Life insurance can be included
only if it is incidental to the retirement ben­
efits.
You set up a trust by a legal instrument (writ­
ten document). You may need professional help
to do this.
You can set up a custodial account with a
bank, savings and loan association, credit un­
ion, or other person who can act as the plan
trustee.
You don't need a trust or custodial account,
although you can have one, to invest the plan's
funds in annuity contracts or face­amount certif­
icates. If anyone other than a trustee holds
them, however, the contracts or certificates
must state they aren't transferable.
Other plan requirements. For information on
other important plan requirements, see Qualifi­
cation Rules, earlier in this chapter.

Minimum Funding
Requirement
In general, if your plan is a money purchase
pension plan or a defined benefit plan, you must
actually pay enough into the plan to satisfy the
minimum funding standard for each year. Deter­
mining the amount needed to satisfy the mini­
mum funding standard for a defined benefit plan
is complicated, and you should seek professio­
nal help in order to meet these contribution re­
quirements. For information on this funding re­
quirement, see section 412 and its regulations.
Quarterly installments of required contributions. If your plan is a defined benefit plan sub­
ject to the minimum funding requirements, you
generally must make quarterly installment pay­
ments of the required contributions. If you don't
pay the full installments timely, you may have to
pay interest on any underpayment for the period
of the underpayment.
Due dates. The due dates for the install­
ments are 15 days after the end of each quar­
ter. For a calendar­year plan, the installments
are due April 15, July 15, October 15, and Janu­
ary 15 (of the following year).
Installment percentage. Each quarterly
installment must be 25% of the required annual
payment.
Extended period for making contributions. Additional contributions required to sat­
isfy the minimum funding requirement for a plan
year will be considered timely if made by 81 2
months after the end of that year.

Contributions
A qualified plan is generally funded by your con­
tributions. However, employees participating in
the plan may be permitted to make contribu­
tions, and you may be permitted to make contri­
butions on your own behalf. See Employee
Contributions and Elective Deferrals later.
Contributions deadline. You can make de­
ductible contributions for a tax year up to the
due date of your return (plus extensions) for
that year.
Self-employed individual. You can make
contributions on behalf of yourself only if you
have net earnings (compensation) from
self­employment in the trade or business for
which the plan was set up. Your net earnings
must be from your personal services, not from
your investments. If you have a net loss from
self­employment, you can't make contributions
for yourself for the year, even if you can contrib­
ute for common­law employees based on their
compensation.

Employer Contributions
There are certain limits on the contributions and
other annual additions you can make each year
for plan participants. There are also limits on

Table 4–1. Carryover of Excess Contributions Illustrated—Profit-Sharing Plan (000's omitted)

2013
2014
2015
2016
1

.............
.............
.............
.............

$1,000
400
500
600

$100
165
100
100

$250
100
125
150

$0
0
25
40

$100
100
125
140

.

Excess
contribution
carryover
available at
end of year

.

Total
deduction
including
carryovers

.

.

Deductible
limit for current year
(25% of compensation)

.

Employer
Contribution

.

Year

Participants'
compensation

Excess
contribution
carryover
used1

$0
65
40
0

There were no carryovers from years before 2013.

the amount you can deduct. See Deduction
Limits, later.

Limits on Contributions
and Benefits
Your plan must provide that contributions or
benefits can't exceed certain limits. The limits
differ depending on whether your plan is a de­
fined contribution plan or a defined benefit plan.
Defined benefit plan. For 2016, the annual
benefit for a participant under a defined benefit
plan can't exceed the lesser of the following
amounts.
1. 100% of the participant's average com­
pensation for his or her highest 3 consecu­
tive calendar years.
2. $210,000 ($215,000 for 2017).
Defined contribution plan. For 2016, a de­
fined contribution plan's annual contributions
and other additions (excluding earnings) to the
account of a participant can't exceed the lesser
of the following amounts.
1. 100% of the participant's compensation.
2. $53,000 ($54,000 for 2017).
Catch­up contributions (discussed later un­
der Limit on Elective Deferrals) aren't subject to
the above limit.

Employee Contributions
Participants may be permitted to make nonde­
ductible contributions to a plan in addition to
your contributions. Even though these em­
ployee contributions aren't deductible, the earn­
ings on them are tax free until distributed in later
years. Also, these contributions must satisfy the
actual contribution percentage (ACP) test of
section 401(m)(2), a nondiscrimination test that
applies to employee contributions and matching
contributions. See Regulations sections
1.401(k)­2 and 1.401(m)­2 for further guidance
relating to the nondiscrimination rules under
sections 401(k) and 401(m).

When Contributions
Are Considered Made
You generally apply your plan contributions to
the year in which you make them. But you can
apply them to the previous year if all the follow­
ing requirements are met.

1. You make them by the due date of your
tax return for the previous year (plus ex­
tensions).
2. The plan was established by the end of
the previous year.
3. The plan treats the contributions as
though it had received them on the last
day of the previous year.
4. You do either of the following.
a. You specify in writing to the plan ad­
ministrator or trustee that the contribu­
tions apply to the previous year.
b. You deduct the contributions on your
tax return for the previous year. A
partnership shows contributions for
partners on Form 1065.
Employer's promissory note. Your promis­
sory note made out to the plan isn't a payment
that qualifies for the deduction. Also, issuing
this note is a prohibited transaction subject to
tax. See Prohibited Transactions, later.

Employer Deduction
You can usually deduct, subject to limits, contri­
butions you make to a qualified plan, including
those made for your own retirement. The contri­
butions (and earnings and gains on them) are
generally tax free until distributed by the plan.

Deduction Limits
The deduction limit for your contributions to a
qualified plan depends on the kind of plan you
have.
Defined contribution plans. The deduction
for contributions to a defined contribution plan
(profit­sharing plan or money purchase pension
plan) can't be more than 25% of the compensa­
tion paid (or accrued) during the year to your el­
igible employees participating in the plan. If you
are self­employed, you must reduce this limit in
figuring the deduction for contributions you
make for your own account. See Deduction
Limit for Self­Employed Individuals, later.
When figuring the deduction limit, the follow­
ing rules apply.
Elective deferrals (discussed later) aren't
subject to the limit.
Compensation includes elective deferrals.
The maximum compensation that can be
taken into account for each employee in
2016 is $265,000 ($270,000 in 2017).

Defined benefit plans. The deduction for con­
tributions to a defined benefit plan is based on
actuarial assumptions and computations. Con­
sequently, an actuary must figure your deduc­
tion limit.
In figuring the deduction for contribu­
tions, you can't take into account any
CAUTION contributions or benefits that are more
than the limits discussed earlier under Limits on
Contributions and Benefits.

!

Deduction Limit for
Self-Employed Individuals
If you make contributions for yourself, you need
to make a special computation to figure your
maximum deduction for these contributions.
Compensation is your net earnings from
self­employment, defined in chapter 1. This def­
inition takes into account both the following
items.
The deduction for the deductible part of
your self­employment tax.
The deduction for contributions on your be­
half to the plan.
The deduction for your own contributions
and your net earnings depend on each other.
For this reason, you determine the deduction
for your own contributions indirectly by reducing
the contribution rate called for in your plan. To
do this, use either the Rate Table for Self­Em­
ployed or the Rate Worksheet for Self­Em­
ployed in chapter 5. Then figure your maximum
deduction by using the Deduction Worksheet
for Self­Employed in chapter 5.

Where To Deduct
Contributions
Deduct the contributions you make for your
common­law employees on your tax return. For
example, sole proprietors deduct them on
Schedule C (Form 1040) or Schedule F (Form
1040); partnerships deduct them on Form 1065;
and corporations deduct them on Form 1120 or
Form 1120S.
Sole proprietors and partners deduct contri­
butions for themselves on line 28 of Form 1040.
(If you are a partner, contributions for yourself
are shown on the Schedule K­1 (Form 1065)
you get from the partnership.)

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 15

Carryover of
Excess Contributions
If you contribute more to a plan than you can
deduct for the year, you can carry over and de­
duct the difference in later years, combined with
your contributions for those years. Your com­
bined deduction in a later year is limited to 25%
of the participating employees' compensation
for that year. For purposes of this limit, a SEP is
treated as a profit­sharing (defined contribution)
plan. However, this percentage limit must be re­
duced to figure your maximum deduction for
contributions you make for yourself. See De­
duction Limit for Self­Employed Individuals, ear­
lier. The amount you carry over and deduct may
be subject to the excise tax discussed next.
Table 4­1, earlier, illustrates the carryover of
excess contributions to a profit­sharing plan.

Excise Tax for
Nondeductible (Excess)
Contributions
If you contribute more than your deduction limit
to a retirement plan, you have made nondeduc­
tible contributions and you may be liable for an
excise tax. In general, a 10% excise tax applies
to nondeductible contributions made to quali­
fied pension and profit­sharing plans and to
SEPs.
Special rule for self-employed individuals.
The 10% excise tax doesn't apply to any contri­
bution made to meet the minimum funding re­
quirements in a money purchase pension plan
or a defined benefit plan. Even if that contribu­
tion is more than your earned income from the
trade or business for which the plan is set up,
the difference isn't subject to this excise tax.
See Minimum Funding Requirement, earlier.
Reporting the tax. You must report the tax on
your nondeductible contributions on Form 5330.
Form 5330 includes a computation of the tax.
See the separate instructions for completing the
form.

Elective Deferrals
(401(k) Plans)
Your qualified plan can include a cash or defer­
red arrangement under which participants can
choose to have you contribute part of their be­
fore­tax compensation to the plan rather than
receive the compensation in cash. A plan with
this type of arrangement is popularly known as
a “401(k) plan.” (As a self­employed individual
participating in the plan, you can contribute part
of your before­tax net earnings from the busi­
ness.) This contribution is called an “elective
deferral” because participants choose (elect) to
defer receipt of the money.
In general, a qualified plan can include a
cash or deferred arrangement only if the quali­
fied plan is one of the following plans.
A profit­sharing plan.
A money purchase pension plan in exis­
tence on June 27, 1974, that included a
salary reduction arrangement on that date.
Page 16

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Partnership. A partnership can have a 401(k)
plan.
Restriction on conditions of participation.
The plan can't require, as a condition of partici­
pation, that an employee complete more than 1
year of service.
Matching contributions. If your plan permits,
you can make matching contributions for an
employee who makes an elective deferral to
your 401(k) plan. For example, the plan might
provide that you will contribute 50 cents for
each dollar your participating employees
choose to defer under your 401(k) plan. Match­
ing contributions are generally subject to the
ACP test discussed earlier under Employee
Contributions.
Nonelective contributions. You can also
make contributions (other than matching contri­
butions) for your participating employees with­
out giving them the choice to take cash instead.
These are called nonelective contributions.
Employee compensation limit. No more than
$265,000 of the employee's compensation can
be taken into account when figuring contribu­
tions other than elective deferrals in 2016. This
limit is $270,000 in 2017.
SIMPLE 401(k) plan. If you had 100 or fewer
employees who earned $5,000 or more in com­
pensation during the preceding year, you may
be able to set up a SIMPLE 401(k) plan. A SIM­
PLE 401(k) plan isn't subject to the nondiscrimi­
nation and top­heavy plan requirements dis­
cussed earlier under Qualification Rules. For
details about SIMPLE 401(k) plans, see SIM­
PLE 401(k) Plan in chapter 3.
Distributions. Certain rules apply to distribu­
tions from 401(k) plans. See Distributions From
401(k) Plans, later.

Limit on Elective Deferrals
There is a limit on the amount an employee can
defer each year under these plans. This limit
applies without regard to community property
laws. Your plan must provide that your employ­
ees can't defer more than the limit that applies
for a particular year. The basic limit on elective
deferrals is $18,000 for 2016 and 2017. This
limit applies to all salary reduction contributions
and elective deferrals. If, in conjunction with
other plans, the deferral limit is exceeded, the
difference is included in the employee's gross
income.
Catch-up contributions. A 401(k) plan can
permit participants who are age 50 or over at
the end of the calendar year to also make
catch­up contributions. The catch­up contribu­
tion limit is $6,000 for 2016 and 2017. Elective
deferrals aren't treated as catch­up contribu­
tions for 2016 or 2017 until they exceed the
$18,000 limit, the actual deferral percentage
(ADP) test limit of section 401(k)(3), or the plan
limit (if any). However, the catch­up contribution
a participant can make for a year can't exceed
the lesser of the following amounts.
The catch­up contribution limit.

The excess of the participant's compensa­
tion over the elective deferrals that aren't
catch­up contributions.
Treatment of contributions. Your contribu­
tions to your own 401(k) plan are generally de­
ductible by you for the year they are contributed
to the plan. Matching or nonelective contribu­
tions made to the plan are also deductible by
you in the year of contribution. Your employees'
elective deferrals other than designated Roth
contributions are tax free until distributed from
the plan. Elective deferrals are included in wa­
ges for social security, Medicare, and federal
unemployment (FUTA) tax.
Forfeiture. Employees have a nonforfeitable
right at all times to their accrued benefit attribut­
able to elective deferrals.
Reporting on Form W-2. Don't include elec­
tive deferrals in the “Wages, tips, other com­
pensation” box of Form W­2. You must, how­
ever, include them in the “Social security
wages” and “Medicare wages and tips” boxes.
You must also include them in box 12. Mark the
“Retirement plan” checkbox in box 13. For more
information, see the Form W­2 instructions.

Automatic Enrollment
Your 401(k) plan can have an automatic enroll­
ment feature. Under this feature, you can auto­
matically reduce an employee's pay by a fixed
percentage and contribute that amount to the
401(k) plan on his or her behalf unless the em­
ployee affirmatively chooses not to have his or
her pay reduced or chooses to have it reduced
by a different percentage. These contributions
are elective deferrals. An automatic enrollment
feature will encourage employees' saving for re­
tirement and will help your plan pass nondiscri­
mination testing (if applicable). For more infor­
mation, see Publication 4674.
Eligible automatic contribution arrangement. Under an eligible automatic contribution
arrangement (EACA), a participant is treated as
having elected to have the employer make con­
tributions in an amount equal to a uniform per­
centage of compensation. This automatic elec­
tion will remain in place until the participant
specifically elects not to have such deferral per­
centage made (or elects a different percent­
age). There is no required deferral percentage.
Withdrawals. Under an EACA, you may al­
low participants to withdraw their automatic
contributions to the plan if certain conditions are
met.
The participant must elect the withdrawal
no later than 90 days after the date of the
first elective contributions under the EACA.
The participant must withdraw the entire
amount of EACA default contributions, in­
cluding any earnings thereon.
If the plan allows withdrawals under the
EACA, the amount of the withdrawal other than
the amount of any designated Roth contribu­
tions must be included in the employee's gross
income for the tax year in which the distribution
is made. The additional 10% tax on early distri­
butions won't apply to the distribution.

Notice requirement. Under an EACA, em­
ployees must be given written notice of the
terms of the EACA within a reasonable period
of time before each plan year. The notice must
be written in a manner calculated to be under­
stood by the average employee and be suffi­
ciently accurate and comprehensive in order to
apprise the employee of his or her rights and
obligations under the EACA. The notice must
include an explanation of the employee's right
to elect not to have elective contributions made
on his or her behalf, or to elect a different per­
centage, and the employee must be given a
reasonable period of time after receipt of the
notice before the first elective contribution is
made. The notice also must explain how contri­
butions will be invested in the absence of an in­
vestment election by the employee.
Qualified automatic contribution arrangement. A qualified automatic contribution ar­
rangement (QACA) is a type of safe harbor
plan. It contains an automatic enrollment fea­
ture, and mandatory employer contributions are
required. If your plan includes a QACA, it won't
be subject to the ADP test (discussed later) nor
the top­heavy requirements (discussed earlier).
Additionally, your plan won't be subject to the
actual contribution percentage test if certain ad­
ditional requirements are met. Under a QACA,
each employee who is eligible to participate in
the plan will be treated as having elected to
make elective deferral contributions equal to a
certain default percentage of compensation. In
order to not have default elective deferrals
made, an employee must make an affirmative
election specifying a deferral percentage (in­
cluding zero, if desired). If an employee doesn't
make an affirmative election, the default defer­
ral percentage must meet the following condi­
tions.
1. It must be applied uniformly.
2. It must not exceed 10%.
3. It must be at least 3% in the first plan year
it applies to an employee and through the
end of the following year.
4. It must increase to at least 4% in the fol­
lowing plan year.
5. It must increase to at least 5% in the fol­
lowing plan year.
6. It must increase to at least 6% in subse­
quent plan years.
Matching or nonelective contributions.
Under the terms of the QACA, you must make
either matching or nonelective contributions ac­
cording to the following terms.
1. Matching contributions.You must make
matching contributions on behalf of each
non­highly compensated employee in the
following amounts.
a. An amount equal to 100% of elective
deferrals, up to 1% of compensation.
b. An amount equal to 50% of elective
deferrals, from 1% up to 6% of com­
pensation.
Other formulas may be used as long as
they are at least as favorable to non­highly
compensated employees. The rate of

matching contributions for highly compen­
sated employees, including yourself, must
not exceed the rates for non­highly com­
pensated employees.
2. Nonelective contributions.You must
make nonelective contributions on behalf
of every non­highly compensated em­
ployee eligible to participate in the plan,
regardless of whether they elected to par­
ticipate, in an amount equal to at least 3%
of their compensation.
Vesting requirements. All accrued bene­
fits attributed to matching or nonelective contri­
butions under the QACA must be 100% vested
for all employees who complete 2 years of serv­
ice. These contributions are subject to special
withdrawal restrictions, discussed later.
Notice requirements. Each employee eli­
gible to participate in the QACA must receive
written notice of their rights and obligations un­
der the QACA, within a reasonable period be­
fore each plan year. The notice must be written
in a manner calculated to be understood by the
average employee, and it must be accurate and
comprehensive. The notice must explain their
right to elect not to have elective contributions
made on their behalf, or to have contributions
made at a different percentage than the default
percentage. Additionally, the notice must ex­
plain how contributions will be invested in the
absence of any investment election by the em­
ployee. The employee must have a reasonable
period of time after receiving the notice to make
such contribution and investment elections prior
to the first contributions under the QACA.

Treatment of
Excess Deferrals
If the total of an employee's deferrals is more
than the limit for 2016, the employee can have
the difference (called an excess deferral) paid
out of any of the plans that permit these distri­
butions. He or she must notify the plan by April
15, 2017 (or an earlier date specified in the
plan), of the amount to be paid from each plan.
The plan must then pay the employee that
amount, plus earnings on the amount through
the end of 2016, by April 15, 2017.
Excess withdrawn by April 15. If the em­
ployee takes out the excess deferral by April 15,
2017, it isn't reported again by including it in the
employee's gross income for 2017. However,
any income earned in 2016 on the excess de­
ferral taken out is taxable in the tax year in
which it is taken out. The distribution isn't sub­
ject to the additional 10% tax on early distribu­
tions.
If the employee takes out part of the excess
deferral and the income on it, the distribution is
treated as made proportionately from the ex­
cess deferral and the income.
Even if the employee takes out the excess
deferral by April 15, the amount will be consid­
ered for purposes of nondiscrimination testing
requirements of the plan, unless the distributed
amount is for a non­highly compensated em­
ployee who participates in only one employer's
401(k) plan or plans.

Excess not withdrawn by April 15. If the em­
ployee doesn't take out the excess deferral by
April 15, 2017, the excess, though taxable in
2016, isn't included in the employee's cost ba­
sis in figuring the taxable amount of any even­
tual distributions under the plan. In effect, an
excess deferral left in the plan is taxed twice,
once when contributed and again when distrib­
uted. Also, if the employee's excess deferral is
allowed to stay in the plan and the employee
participates in no other employer's plan, the
plan can be disqualified.
Reporting corrective distributions on Form
1099-R. Report corrective distributions of ex­
cess deferrals (including any earnings) on Form
1099­R. For specific information about reporting
corrective distributions, see the Instructions for
Forms 1099­R and 5498.
Tax on excess contributions of highly compensated employees. The law provides tests
to detect discrimination in a plan. If tests, such
as the actual deferral percentage test (ADP
test) (see section 401(k)(3)) and the actual con­
tribution percentage test (see section 401(m)
(2)), show that contributions for highly compen­
sated employees are more than the test limits
for these contributions, the employer may have
to pay a 10% excise tax. Report the tax on
Form 5330. The ADP test doesn't apply to a
safe harbor 401(k) plan (discussed next) nor to
a QACA. Also, the ACP test doesn't apply to
these plans if certain additional requirements
are met.
The tax for the year is 10% of the excess
contributions for the plan year ending in your
tax year. Excess contributions are elective de­
ferrals, employee contributions, or employer
matching or nonelective contributions that are
more than the amount permitted under the ADP
test or the ACP test.
See Regulations sections 1.401(k)­2 and
1.401(m)­2 for further guidance relating to the
nondiscrimination rules under sections 401(k)
and 401(m).
If the plan fails the ADP or ACP testing,
and the failure isn't corrected by the
CAUTION end of the next plan year, the plan can
be disqualified.

!

Safe harbor 401(k) plan.
If you meet the requirements for a safe harbor
401(k) plan, you don't have to satisfy the ADP
test, nor the ACP test, if certain additional re­
quirements are met. For your plan to be a safe
harbor plan, you must meet the following condi­
tions.
1. Matching or nonelective contributions.
You must make matching or nonelective
contributions according to one of the fol­
lowing formulas.
a. Matching contributions. You must
make matching contributions accord­
ing to the following rules.
i. You must contribute an amount
equal to 100% of each non­highly
compensated employee's elec­
tive deferrals, up to 3% of com­
pensation.
Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 17

ii. You must contribute an amount
equal to 50% of each non­highly
compensated employee's elec­
tive deferrals, from 3% up to 5%
of compensation.
iii. The rate of matching contribu­
tions for highly compensated em­
ployees, including yourself, must
not exceed the rates for
non­highly compensated employ­
ees.
b. Nonelective contributions. You
must make nonelective contributions,
without regard to whether the em­
ployee made elective deferrals, on
behalf of all non­highly compensated
employees eligible to participate in
the plan, equal to at least 3% of the
employee's compensation.
These mandatory matching and non­
elective contributions must be immediately
100% vested and are subject to special
withdrawal restrictions.
2. Notice requirement. You must give eligi­
ble employees written notice of their rights
and obligations with regard to contribu­
tions under the plan, within a reasonable
period before the plan year.
The other requirements for a 401(k) plan, in­
cluding withdrawal and vesting rules, must also
be met for your plan to qualify as a safe harbor
401(k) plan.

Qualified Roth
Contribution Program
Under this program, an eligible employee can
designate all or a portion of his or her elective
deferrals as after­tax Roth contributions. Elec­
tive deferrals designated as Roth contributions
must be maintained in a separate Roth account.
However, unlike other elective deferrals, desig­
nated Roth contributions aren't excluded from
employees' gross income, but qualified distribu­
tions from a Roth account are excluded from
employees' gross income.

Elective Deferrals
Under a qualified Roth contribution program,
the amount of elective deferrals that an em­
ployee may designate as a Roth contribution is
limited to the maximum amount of elective de­
ferrals excludable from gross income for the
year (for 2016 and 2017, $18,000 if under age
50 and $24,000 if age 50 or over) less the total
amount of the employee's elective deferrals not
designated as Roth contributions.
Designated Roth contributions are treated
the same as pre­tax elective deferrals for most
purposes, including:
The annual individual elective deferral limit
(total of all designated Roth contributions
and traditional, pre­tax elective deferrals)
of $18,000 for 2016 and 2017, with an ad­
ditional $6,000 if age 50 or over;
Determining the maximum employee and
employer annual contributions of the lesser
Page 18

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

of 100% of compensation or $53,000 for
2016 ($54,000 for 2017);
Nondiscrimination testing;
Required distributions; and
Elective deferrals not taken into account
for purposes of deduction limits.

Qualified Distributions
A qualified distribution is a distribution that is
made after the employee's nonexclusion period
and:
On or after the employee attains age
591 2,
On account of the employee's being disa­
bled, or
On or after the employee's death.
An employee's nonexclusion period for a
plan is the 5­tax­year period beginning with the
earlier of the following tax years.
The first tax year in which the employee
made a contribution to his or her Roth ac­
count in the plan, or
If a rollover contribution was made to the
employee's designated Roth account from
a designated Roth account previously es­
tablished for the employee under another
plan, then the first tax year the employee
made a designated Roth contribution to
the previously established account.
Rollover. A rollover from another account can
be made to a designated Roth account in the
same plan. For additional information on these
in­plan Roth rollovers, see Notice 2010­84,
2010­51 I.R.B. 872, available at IRS.gov/irb/
2010­51_IRB/ar11.html, and Notice 2013­74,
2013–52 I.R.B. 819, available at IRS.gov/pub/
irs­irbs/irb13­52.pdf. A distribution from a desig­
nated Roth account can only be rolled over to
another designated Roth account or a Roth
IRA. Rollover amounts don't apply toward the
annual deferral limit.

Reporting Requirements
You must report a contribution to a Roth ac­
count on Form W­2 and a distribution from a
Roth account on Form 1099­R. See the Form
W­2 and 1099­R instructions for detailed infor­
mation.

Distributions
Amounts paid to plan participants from a quali­
fied plan are called distributions. Distributions
may be nonperiodic, such as lump­sum distri­
butions, or periodic, such as annuity payments.
Also, certain loans may be treated as distribu­
tions. See Loans Treated as Distributions in
Publication 575.

Required Distributions
A qualified plan must provide that each partici­
pant will either:
Receive his or her entire interest (benefits)
in the plan by the required beginning date
(defined later), or

Begin receiving regular periodic distribu­
tions by the required beginning date in an­
nual amounts calculated to distribute the
participant's entire interest (benefits) over
his or her life expectancy or over the joint
life expectancy of the participant and the
designated beneficiary (or over a shorter
period).
These distribution rules apply individually to
each qualified plan. You can't satisfy the re­
quirement for one plan by taking a distribution
from another. The plan must provide that these
rules override any inconsistent distribution op­
tions previously offered.
Minimum distribution. If the account balance
of a qualified plan participant is to be distributed
(other than as an annuity), the plan administra­
tor must figure the minimum amount required to
be distributed each distribution calendar year.
This minimum is figured by dividing the account
balance by the applicable life expectancy. The
plan administrator can use the life expectancy
tables in Publication 590­B for this purpose. For
more information on figuring the minimum distri­
bution, see Tax on Excess Accumulation in
Publication 575.
Required beginning date. Generally, each
participant must receive his or her entire bene­
fits in the plan or begin to receive periodic distri­
butions of benefits from the plan by the required
beginning date.
A participant must begin to receive distribu­
tions from his or her qualified retirement plan by
April 1 of the first year after the later of the fol­
lowing years.
1. Calendar year in which he or she reaches
age 701 2.
2. Calendar year in which he or she retires
from employment with the employer main­
taining the plan.
However, the plan may require the participant to
begin receiving distributions by April 1 of the
year after the participant reaches age 701 2 even
if the participant has not retired.
If the participant is a 5% owner of the em­
ployer maintaining the plan, the participant must
begin receiving distributions by April 1 of the
first year after the calendar year in which the
participant reached age 701 2. For more informa­
tion, see Tax on Excess Accumulation in Publi­
cation 575.
Distributions after the starting year. The
distribution required to be made by April 1 is
treated as a distribution for the starting year.
(The starting year is the year in which the partic­
ipant meets (1) or (2) above, whichever ap­
plies.) After the starting year, the participant
must receive the required distribution for each
year by December 31 of that year. If no distribu­
tion is made in the starting year, required distri­
butions for 2 years must be made in the next
year (one by April 1 and one by December 31).
Distributions after participant's death.
See Publication 575 for the special rules cover­
ing distributions made after the death of a par­
ticipant.

Distributions From 401(k)
Plans
Generally, distributions can't be made until one
of the following occurs.
The employee retires, dies, becomes disa­
bled, or otherwise severs employment.
The plan ends and no other defined contri­
bution plan is established or continued.
In the case of a 401(k) plan that is part of a
profit­sharing plan, the employee reaches
age 591 2 or suffers financial hardship. For
the rules on hardship distributions, includ­
ing the limits on them, see Regulations
section 1.401(k)­1(d).
The employee becomes eligible for a quali­
fied reservist distribution (defined next).

!

CAUTION

Certain distributions listed above may
be subject to the tax on early distribu­
tions discussed later.

Qualified reservist distributions. A qualified
reservist distribution is a distribution from an
IRA or an elective deferral account made after
September 11, 2001, to a military reservist or a
member of the National Guard who has been
called to active duty for at least 180 days or for
an indefinite period. All or part of a qualified re­
servist distribution can be recontributed to an
IRA. The additional 10% tax on early distribu­
tions doesn't apply to a qualified reservist distri­
bution.

Tax Treatment
of Distributions
Distributions from a qualified plan minus a pro­
rated part of any cost basis are subject to in­
come tax in the year they are distributed. Since
most recipients have no cost basis, a distribu­
tion is generally fully taxable. An exception is a
distribution that is properly rolled over as dis­
cussed under Rollover, next.
The tax treatment of distributions depends
on whether they are made periodically over
several years or life (periodic distributions) or
are nonperiodic distributions. See Taxation of
Periodic Payments and Taxation of Nonperiodic
Payments in Publication 575 for a detailed de­
scription of how distributions are taxed, includ­
ing the 10­year tax option or capital gain treat­
ment of a lump­sum distribution.
Note. A recipient of a distribution from a
designated Roth account will have a cost basis
since designated Roth contributions are made
on an after­tax basis. Also, a distribution from a
designated Roth account is entirely tax­free if
certain conditions are met. See Qualified distri­
butions under Qualified Roth Contribution Pro­
gram, earlier.
Rollover. The recipient of an eligible rollover
distribution from a qualified plan can defer the
tax on it by rolling it over into a traditional IRA or
another eligible retirement plan. However, it
may be subject to withholding as discussed un­
der Withholding requirement, later. A rollover
can also be made to a Roth IRA, in which case,
any previously untaxed amounts are includible

in gross income unless the rollover is from a
designated Roth account.
Eligible rollover distribution. This is a
distribution of all or any part of an employee's
balance in a qualified retirement plan that isn't
any of the following.
1. A required minimum distribution. See Re­
quired Distributions, earlier.
2. Any of a series of substantially equal pay­
ments made at least once a year over any
of the following periods.
a. The employee's life or life expectancy.
b. The joint lives or life expectancies of
the employee and beneficiary.
c. A period of 10 years or longer.
3. A hardship distribution.
4. The portion of a distribution that repre­
sents the return of an employee's nonde­
ductible contributions to the plan. See Em­
ployee Contributions, earlier, and Rollover
of nontaxable amounts, next.
5. Loans treated as distributions.
6. Dividends on employer securities.
7. The cost of any life insurance coverage
provided under a qualified retirement plan.
8. Similar items designated by the IRS in
published guidance. See, for example, the
Instructions for Forms 1099­R and 5498.
Rollover of nontaxable amounts. You may
be able to roll over the nontaxable part of a dis­
tribution to another qualified retirement plan or a
section 403(b) plan, or to an IRA. If the rollover
is to a qualified retirement plan or a section
403(b) plan that separately accounts for the tax­
able and nontaxable parts of the rollover, the
transfer must be made through a direct
(trustee­to­trustee) rollover. If the rollover is to
an IRA, the transfer can be made by any roll­
over method.
Note. A distribution from a designated Roth
account can be rolled over to another designa­
ted Roth account or to a Roth IRA. If the rollover
is to a Roth IRA, it can be rolled over by any roll­
over method, but if the rollover is to another
designated Roth account, it must be rolled over
directly (trustee­to­trustee).
More information. For more information
about rollovers, see Rollovers in Publications
575 and 590­A. For rules on rolling over distri­
butions that contain nontaxable amounts, see
Notice 2014­54, 2014­41 I.R.B. 670, available
at IRS.gov/irb/2014­41_IRB/ar11.html. For
guidance on rolling money into a qualified plan,
see Rev. Rul. 2014­9, 2014­17 I.R.B. 975, avail­
able at IRS.gov/irb/2014­17_IRB/ar05.html.
Withholding requirement. If, during a year, a
qualified plan pays to a participant one or more
eligible rollover distributions (defined earlier)
that are reasonably expected to total $200 or
more, the payor must withhold 20% of the taxa­
ble portion of each distribution for federal in­
come tax.

Exceptions. If, instead of having the distri­
bution paid to him or her, the participant choo­
ses to have the plan pay it directly to an IRA or
another eligible retirement plan (a direct roll­
over), no withholding is required.
If the distribution isn't an eligible rollover dis­
tribution, defined earlier, the 20% withholding
requirement doesn't apply. Other withholding
rules apply to distributions that aren't eligible
rollover distributions, such as long­term periodic
distributions and required distributions (periodic
or nonperiodic). However, the participant can
choose not to have tax withheld from these dis­
tributions. If the participant doesn't make this
choice, the following withholding rules apply.
For periodic distributions, withholding is
based on their treatment as wages.
For nonperiodic distributions, 10% of the
taxable part is withheld.
Estimated tax payments. If no income tax
is withheld or not enough tax is withheld, the re­
cipient of a distribution may have to make esti­
mated tax payments. For more information, see
Withholding Tax and Estimated Tax in Publica­
tion 575.
Section 402(f) Notice. If a distribution is an el­
igible rollover distribution, as defined earlier,
you must provide a written notice to the recipi­
ent that explains the following rules regarding
such distributions.
1. That the distribution may be directly trans­
ferred to an eligible retirement plan and in­
formation about which distributions are eli­
gible for this direct transfer.
2. That tax will be withheld from the distribu­
tion if it isn't directly transferred to an eligi­
ble retirement plan.
3. That the distribution won't be subject to tax
if transferred to an eligible retirement plan
within 60 days after the date the recipient
receives the distribution.
4. Certain other rules that may be applicable.
Notice 2014­74, 2014­50 I.R.B 937, availa­
ble at IRS.gov/irb/2014­50_IRB/ar09.html, con­
tains two updated safe harbor section 402(f) no­
tices that plan administrators may provide
recipients of eligible rollover distributions.
Timing of notice. The notice generally
must be provided no less than 30 days and no
more than 180 days before the date of a distri­
bution.
Method of notice. The written notice must
be provided individually to each distributee of
an eligible rollover distribution. Posting of the
notice isn't sufficient. However, the written re­
quirement may be satisfied through the use of
electronic media if certain additional conditions
are met. See Regulations section 1.401(a)­21.
Tax on failure to give notice. Failure to
give a 402(f) notice will result in a tax of $100
for each failure, with a total not exceeding
$50,000 per calendar year. The tax won't be im­
posed if it is shown that such failure is due to
reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 19

Tax on Early Distributions
If a distribution is made to an employee under
the plan before he or she reaches age 591 2, the
employee may have to pay a 10% additional tax
on the distribution. This tax applies to the
amount received that the employee must in­
clude in income.
Exceptions. The 10% tax won't apply if distri­
butions before age 591 2 are made in any of the
following circumstances.
Made to a beneficiary (or to the estate of
the employee) on or after the death of the
employee.
Made due to the employee having a quali­
fying disability.
Made as part of a series of substantially
equal periodic payments beginning after
separation from service and made at least
annually for the life or life expectancy of
the employee or the joint lives or life ex­
pectancies of the employee and his or her
designated beneficiary. (The payments un­
der this exception, except in the case of
death or disability, must continue for at
least 5 years or until the employee reaches
age 591 2, whichever is the longer period.)
Made to an employee after separation
from service if the separation occurred dur­
ing or after the calendar year in which the
employee reached age 55.
Made to an alternate payee under a
QDRO.
Made to an employee for medical care up
to the amount allowable as a medical ex­
pense deduction (determined without re­
gard to whether the employee itemizes de­
ductions).
Timely made to reduce excess contribu­
tions under a 401(k) plan.
Timely made to reduce excess employee
or matching employer contributions (ex­
cess aggregate contributions).
Timely made to reduce excess elective de­
ferrals.
Made because of an IRS levy on the plan.
Made as a qualified reservist distribution.
Made as a permissible withdrawal from an
EACA.
Reporting the tax. To report the tax on early
distributions, file Form 5329. See the form in­
structions for additional information about this
tax.

Tax on Excess Benefits
If you are or have been a 5% owner of the busi­
ness maintaining the plan, amounts you receive
at any age that are more than the benefits provi­
ded for you under the plan formula are subject
to an additional tax. This tax also applies to
amounts received by your successor. The tax is
10% of the excess benefit includible in income.

Lump-sum distribution. The amount subject
to the additional tax isn't eligible for the optional
methods of figuring income tax on a lump­sum
distribution. The optional methods are dis­
cussed under Lump­Sum Distributions in Publi­
cation 575.

Excise Tax on Reversion of
Plan Assets
A 20% or 50% excise tax is generally imposed
on the cash and fair market value of other prop­
erty an employer receives directly or indirectly
from a qualified plan. If you owe this tax, report
it on Schedule I of Form 5330. See the form in­
structions for more information.

Notification of Significant
Benefit Accrual Reduction
An employer or the plan will have to pay an ex­
cise tax if both the following occur.
A defined benefit plan or money purchase
pension plan is amended to provide for a
significant reduction in the rate of future
benefit accrual.
The plan administrator fails to notify the af­
fected individuals and the employee or­
ganizations representing them of the re­
duction in writing.
A plan amendment that eliminates or re­
duces any early retirement benefit or retire­
ment­type subsidy reduces the rate of future
benefit accrual.
The notice must be written in a manner cal­
culated to be understood by the average plan
participant and must provide enough informa­
tion to allow each individual to understand the
effect of the plan amendment. It must be provi­
ded within a reasonable time before the amend­
ment takes effect.
The tax is $100 per participant or alternate
payee for each day the notice is late, the total
tax can't be more than $500,000 during the tax
year. It is imposed on the employer, or, in the
case of a multi­employer plan, on the plan.

Prohibited Transactions
Prohibited transactions are transactions be­
tween the plan and a disqualified person that
are prohibited by law. (However, see Exemp­
tion, next.) If you are a disqualified person who
takes part in a prohibited transaction, you must
pay a tax (discussed later).
Prohibited transactions generally include the
following transactions.
1. A transfer of plan income or assets to, or
use of them by or for the benefit of, a dis­
qualified person.

To determine whether or not you are a 5%
owner, see section 416.

2. Any act of a fiduciary by which he or she
deals with plan income or assets in his or
her own interest.

Reporting the tax. Include on Form 1040,
line 62, any tax you owe for an excess benefit.
On the dotted line next to the total, write “Sec.
72(m)(5)” and write in the amount.

3. The receipt of consideration by a fiduciary
for his or her own account from any party
dealing with the plan in a transaction that
involves plan income or assets.

Page 20

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

4. Any of the following acts between the plan
and a disqualified person.
a. Selling, exchanging, or leasing prop­
erty.
b. Lending money or extending credit.
c. Furnishing goods, services, or facili­
ties.
Exemption. Certain transactions are exempt
from being treated as prohibited transactions.
For example, a prohibited transaction doesn't
take place if you are a disqualified person and
receive any benefit to which you are entitled as
a plan participant or beneficiary. However, the
benefit must be figured and paid under the
same terms as for all other participants and
beneficiaries. For other transactions that are ex­
empt, see section 4975 and the related regula­
tions.
Disqualified person. You are a disqualified
person if you are any of the following.
1. A fiduciary of the plan.
2. A person providing services to the plan.
3. An employer, any of whose employees are
covered by the plan.
4. An employee organization, any of whose
members are covered by the plan.
5. Any direct or indirect owner of 50% or
more of any of the following.
a. The combined voting power of all
classes of stock entitled to vote, or the
total value of shares of all classes of
stock of a corporation that is an em­
ployer or employee organization de­
scribed in (3) or (4).
b. The capital interest or profits interest
of a partnership that is an employer or
employee organization described in
(3) or (4).
c. The beneficial interest of a trust or un­
incorporated enterprise that is an em­
ployer or an employee organization
described in (3) or (4).
6. A member of the family of any individual
described in (1), (2), (3), or (5). (A member
of a family is the spouse, ancestor, lineal
descendant, or any spouse of a lineal de­
scendant.)
7. A corporation, partnership, trust, or estate
of which (or in which) any direct or indirect
owner described in (1) through (5) holds
50% or more of any of the following.
a. The combined voting power of all
classes of stock entitled to vote or the
total value of shares of all classes of
stock of a corporation.
b. The capital interest or profits interest
of a partnership.
c. The beneficial interest of a trust or es­
tate.
8. An officer, director (or an individual having
powers or responsibilities similar to those
of officers or directors), a 10% or more
shareholder, or highly compensated
employee (earning 10% or more of the

yearly wages of an employer) of a person
described in (3), (4), (5), or (7).
9. A 10% or more (in capital or profits) part­
ner or joint venturer of a person described
in (3), (4), (5), or (7).
10. Any disqualified person, as described in
(1) through (9) above, who is a disqualified
person with respect to any plan to which a
section 501(c)(22) trust is permitted to
make payments under section 4223 of
ERISA.

Tax on Prohibited
Transactions
The initial tax on a prohibited transaction is 15%
of the amount involved for each year (or part of
a year) in the taxable period. If the transaction
isn't corrected within the taxable period, an ad­
ditional tax of 100% of the amount involved is
imposed. For information on correcting the
transaction, see Correcting a prohibited trans­
action, later.
Both taxes are payable by any disqualified
person who participated in the transaction
(other than a fiduciary acting only as such). If
more than one person takes part in the transac­
tion, each person can be jointly and severally li­
able for the entire tax.
Amount involved. The amount involved in a
prohibited transaction is the greater of the fol­
lowing amounts.
The money and fair market value of any
property given.
The money and fair market value of any
property received.
If services are performed, the amount in­
volved is any excess compensation given or re­
ceived.
Taxable period. The taxable period starts on
the transaction date and ends on the earliest of
the following days.
The day the IRS mails a notice of defi­
ciency for the tax.
The day the IRS assesses the tax.
The day the correction of the transaction is
completed.
Payment of the 15% tax. Pay the 15% tax
with Form 5330.
Correcting a prohibited transaction. If you
are a disqualified person who participated in a
prohibited transaction, you can avoid the 100%
tax by correcting the transaction as soon as
possible. Correcting the transaction means un­

doing it as much as you can without putting the
plan in a worse financial position than if you had
acted under the highest fiduciary standards.

The plan covers only one or more partners
(or partner(s) and spouse(s)) in a business
partnership.

Correction period. If the prohibited trans­
action isn't corrected during the taxable period,
you usually have an additional 90 days after the
day the IRS mails a notice of deficiency for the
100% tax to correct the transaction. This cor­
rection period (the taxable period plus the 90
days) can be extended if either of the following
occurs.
The IRS grants reasonable time needed to
correct the transaction.
You petition the Tax Court.

A one­participant plan may not file an
annual return on Form 5500 for 2016.
CAUTION Every one­participant plan required to
file an annual return for 2016 must file either
Form 5500­EZ or Form 5500­SF. See the In­
structions for Form 5500­EZ.

If you correct the transaction within this period,
the IRS will abate, credit, or refund the 100%
tax.

Reporting Requirements
You may have to file an annual return/report
form by the last day of the 7th month after the
plan year ends. See the following list of forms to
choose the right form for your plan.
Form 5500-SF. Form 5500­SF is a simplified
annual reporting form. You can use Form
5500­SF if the plan meets all the following con­
ditions.
The plan is a small plan (generally fewer
than 100 participants at the beginning of
the plan year).
The plan meets the conditions for being
exempt from the requirements that the
plan's books and records be audited by an
independent qualified public accountant.
The plan has 100% of its assets invested
in certain secure investments with a readily
determinable fair value.
The plan holds no employer securities.
The plan isn't a multiemployer plan.

!

Form 5500-EZ not required. If your
one­participant plan (or plans) had total assets
of $250,000 or less at the end of the plan year,
then you don't have to file Form 5500­EZ for
that plan year. All plans should file a Form
5500­EZ for the final plan year to show that all
plan assets have been distributed.
Example. You are a sole proprietor and
your plan meets all the conditions for filing Form
5500­EZ. The total plan assets are more than
$250,000. You must file Form 5500­EZ or Form
5500­SF.
All one­participant plans should file
Form 5500­EZ for their final plan year.
CAUTION The final plan year is the year in which
distribution of all plan assets is completed.

!

Form 5500. If you don't meet the require­
ments for filing Form 5500­EZ or Form 5500­SF
and a return/report is required, you must file
Form 5500.
Electronic filing of Forms 5500 and
5500-SF. All Forms 5500 and 5500­SF are re­
quired to be filed electronically with the Depart­
ment of Labor through EFAST2. “One­partici­
pant” plans have the option of filing Form
5500­SF electronically rather than filing a Form
5500­EZ on paper with the IRS. For more infor­
mation, see the Instructions for Forms 5500 and
5500­SF available at efast.dol.gov.

If your plan is required to file an annual re­
turn/report but isn't eligible to file Form
5500­SF, the plan must file Form 5500 or Form
5500­EZ, as appropriate. For more details, see
the Instructions for Form 5500­SF.

Form 5310. If you terminate your plan and are
the plan sponsor or plan administrator, you can
file Form 5310. Your application must be ac­
companied by the appropriate user fee and
Form 8717.

Form 5500-EZ. You may be able to use Form
5500­EZ if the plan is a one­participant plan, as
defined below.

Form 8955-SSA. Form 8955­SSA is used to
report participants who are no longer covered
by the plan but have a deferred vested benefit
under the plan.
Form 8955­SSA is filed with the IRS and can
be filed electronically through the FIRE (Filing
Information Returns Electronically) system.

One-participant plan. Your plan is a
one­participant plan if either of the following is
true.
The plan covers only you (or you and your
spouse) and you (or you and your spouse)
own the entire business (whether incorpo­
rated or unincorporated).

More information. For more information about
reporting requirements, see the forms and their
instructions.

Chapter 4

Qualified Plans

Page 21

Deduction Worksheet for Self-Employed

5.
Table and
Worksheets
for the
Self-Employed
As discussed in chapters 2 and 4, if you are
self­employed, you must use the rate table or
rate worksheet and deduction worksheet to fig­
ure your deduction for contributions you made
for yourself to a SEP­IRA or qualified plan.
First, use either the rate table or rate worksheet
to find your reduced contribution rate. Then
complete the deduction worksheet to figure
your deduction for contributions.
The table and the worksheets in chap­
ter 5 apply only to self­employed indi­
CAUTION viduals who have only one defined
contribution plan, such as a profit­sharing plan.
A SEP plan is treated as a profit­sharing plan.
However, don't use this worksheet for SAR­
SEPs.

!

Rate table for self-employed. If your plan's
contribution rate is a whole percentage (for ex­
ample, 12% rather than 121 2%), you can use the
Rate Table for Self­Employed on the next page
to find your reduced contribution rate. Other­
wise, use the Rate Worksheet for Self­Em­
ployed provided below.
First, find your plan contribution rate (the
contribution rate stated in your plan) in Column
A of the table. Then read across to the rate un­
der Column B. Enter the rate from Column B in
step 4 of the Deduction Worksheet for Self­Em­
ployed on this page.
Example. You are a sole proprietor with no
employees. If your plan's contribution rate is
10% of a participant's compensation, your rate
is 0.090909. Enter this rate in step 4 of the De­
duction Worksheet for Self­Employed on this
page.
Rate worksheet for self-employed. If your
plan's contribution rate isn't a whole percentage
(for example, 101 2%), you can't use the Rate
Table for Self­Employed. Use the following
worksheet instead.

Rate Worksheet for Self-Employed
1) Plan contribution rate as a decimal (for
example, 101 2% = 0.105) . . . . . . . . . .
2) Rate in line 1 plus 1 (for example,
0.105 + 1 = 1.105) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3) Self­employed rate as a decimal
rounded to at least 3 decimal places
(line 1 ÷ line 2) (for example, 0.105 ÷
1.105 = 0.095) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 22

Chapter 5

Step 1
Enter your net profit from line 31, Schedule C (Form 1040); line 3, Schedule C­EZ (Form
1040); line 34, Schedule F (Form 1040)*; or box 14, code A**, Schedule K­1 (Form
1065)*. For information on other income included in net profit from self­employment,
see the Instructions for Schedule SE, Form 1040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
*Reduce this amount by any amount reported on Schedule SE (Form 1040), line 1b.
**General partners should reduce this amount by the same additional expenses
subtracted from box 14, code A to determine the amount on line 1 or 2 of
Schedule SE.
Step 2
Enter your deduction for self­employment tax from Form 1040, line 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 3
Net earnings from self­employment. Subtract step 2 from step 1

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 4
Enter your rate from the Rate Table for Self­Employed or Rate Worksheet for
Self­Employed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 5
Multiply step 3 by step 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 6
Multiply $265,000 by your plan contribution rate (not the reduced rate)
Step 7
Enter the smaller of step 5 or step 6
Step 8
Contribution dollar limit
•
•

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$53,000

If you made any elective deferrals to your self-employed
plan, go to step 9.
Otherwise, skip steps 9 through 20 and enter the smaller of
step 7 or step 8 on step 21.

Step 9
Enter your allowable elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) made
to your self­employed plan for the 2016 plan year. Don't enter more than $18,000 . . . . .
Step 10
Subtract step 9 from step 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 11
Subtract step 9 from step 3
Step 12
Enter one­half of step 11

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 13
Enter the smallest of step 7, 10, or 12
Step 14
Subtract step 13 from step 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 15
Enter the smaller of step 9 or step 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

•
If you made catch-up contributions, go to step 16.
•
Otherwise, skip steps 16 through 18 and go to step 19.
Step 16
Subtract step 15 from step 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 17
Enter your catch­up contributions (including designated Roth contributions), if any.
Don't enter more than $6,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 18
Enter the smaller of step 16 or step 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 19
Add steps 13, 15, and 18.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 20
Enter the amount of designated Roth contributions included on lines 9 and 17.

. . . . . . .

Step 21
Subtract step 20 from step 19. This is your maximum deductible contribution.

. . . . .

Next: Enter your actual contribution, not to exceed your maximum deductible contribution,
on Form 1040, line 28.

Figuring your deduction. Now that you have
your self­employed rate from either the rate ta­
ble or rate worksheet, you can figure your maxi­
mum deduction for contributions for yourself by
completing the Deduction Worksheet for
Self­Employed.

Table and Worksheets for the Self-Employed

Community property laws. If you reside in
a community property state and you are married
and filing a separate return, disregard commun­
ity property laws for step 1 of the Deduction
Worksheet for Self­Employed. Enter on step 1
the total net profit you actually earned.

Deduction Worksheet for Self-Employed

Rate Table for Self-Employed
Column A
If the plan contri­
bution rate is:
(shown as %)
1 .................
2 .................
3 .................
4 .................
5 .................
6 .................
7 .................
8 .................
9 .................
10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
21 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
22 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
23 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
24 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
25* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Column B
Your
rate is:
(shown as decimal)
.009901
.019608
.029126
.038462
.047619
.056604
.065421
.074074
.082569
.090909
.099099
.107143
.115044
.122807
.130435
.137931
.145299
.152542
.159664
.166667
.173554
.180328
.186992
.193548
.200000*

Step 3
Net earnings from self­employment. Subtract step 2 from step 1

189,975

0.078
14,818

Step 6
Multiply $265,000 by your plan contribution rate (not the reduced rate)

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

22,525

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14,818

•

Rate Worksheet for Self-Employed

•

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

$53,000

If you made any elective deferrals to your self-employed
plan, go to step 9.
Otherwise, skip steps 9 through 20 and enter the smaller of
step 7 or step 8 on step 21.

Step 9
Enter your allowable elective deferrals (including designated Roth contributions) made
to your self­employed plan for the 2016 plan year. Don't enter more than $18,000 . . . .
Step 10
Subtract step 9 from step 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 11
Subtract step 9 from step 3
Step 12
Enter one­half of step 11

N/A

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 13
Enter the smallest of step 7, 10, or 12
Step 14
Subtract step 13 from step 3

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 15
Enter the smaller of step 9 or step 14

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

•
If you made catch-up contributions, go to step 16.
•
Otherwise, skip steps 16 through 18 and go to step 19.
Step 16
Subtract step 15 from step 14 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 17
Enter your catch­up contributions (including designated Roth contributions), if any.
Don't enter more than $6,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 18
Enter the smaller of step 16 or step 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

0.085

Step 19
Add steps 13, 15, and 18.

1.085

Step 20
Enter the amount of designated Roth contributions included on lines 9 and 17

0.078

10, 025

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 8
Contribution dollar limit

Example. You are a sole proprietor with no
employees. The terms of your plan provide that
you contribute 81 2% (.085) of your compensa­
tion to your plan. Your net profit from line 31,
Schedule C (Form 1040) is $200,000. You have
no elective deferrals or catch­up contributions.
Your self­employment tax deduction on line 27
of Form 1040 is $10,025. See the filled­in por­
tions of both Schedule SE (Form 1040),
Self­Employment Income, and Form 1040,
later.
You figure your self­employed rate and max­
imum deduction for employer contributions you
made for yourself as follows.
See the filled­in Deduction Worksheet for
Self­Employed on this page.

$200,000

Step 4
Enter your rate from the Rate Table for Self­Employed or Rate Worksheet for
Self­Employed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Step 5
Multiply step 3 by step 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 7
Enter the smaller of step 5 or step 6

*The deduction for annual employer contributions (other
than elective deferrals) to a SEP plan, a profit­sharing
plan, or a money purchase plan can't be more than 20%
of your net earnings (figured without deducting
contributions for yourself) from the business that has the
plan.

1) Plan contribution rate as a decimal (for
example, 101 2% = 0.105) . . . . . . . . . .
2) Rate in line 1 plus 1 (for example,
0.105 + 1 = 1.105) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3) Self­employed rate as a decimal
rounded to at least 3 decimal places
(line 1 ÷ line 2) (for example, 0.105 ÷
1.105 = 0.095) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Step 1
Enter your net profit from line 31, Schedule C (Form 1040); line 3, Schedule C­EZ
(Form 1040); line 34, Schedule F (Form 1040)*; or box 14, code A**, Schedule K­1
(Form 1065)*. For information on other income included in net profit from
self­employment, see the Instructions for Schedule SE, Form 1040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
*Reduce this amount by any amount reported on Schedule SE (Form 1040), line 1b.
**General partners should reduce this amount by the same additional expenses
subtracted from box 14, code A to determine the amount on line 1 or 2 of
Schedule SE.
Step 2
Enter your deduction for self­employment tax from Form 1040, line 27 . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .

Step 21
Subtract step 20 from step 19. This is your maximum deductible contribution

. . . . .

$14,818

Next: Enter your actual contribution, not to exceed your maximum deductible
contribution, on Form 1040, line 28.

Chapter 5

Table and Worksheets for the Self-Employed

Page 23

Portion of Schedule SE (Form 1040)
Section A—Short Schedule SE. Caution. Read above to see if you can use Short Schedule SE.
1a

Net farm profit or (loss) from Schedule F, line 34, and farm partnerships, Schedule K-1 (Form
1065), box 14, code A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
b If you received social security retirement or disability benefits, enter the amount of Conservation Reserve
Program payments included on Schedule F, line 4b, or listed on Schedule K-1 (Form 1065), box 20, code Z

2

3
4

5

6

Net profit or (loss) from Schedule C, line 31; Schedule C-EZ, line 3; Schedule K-1 (Form 1065),
box 14, code A (other than farming); and Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B), box 9, code J1.
Ministers and members of religious orders, see instructions for types of income to report on
this line. See instructions for other income to report . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Combine lines 1a, 1b, and 2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Multiply line 3 by 92.35% (0.9235). If less than $400, you don't owe self-employment tax; don't
file this schedule unless you have an amount on line 1b . . . . . . . . . . . . . ▶
Note. If line 4 is less than $400 due to Conservation Reserve Program payments on line 1b,
see instructions.
Self-employment tax. If the amount on line 4 is:
• $118,500 or less, multiply line 4 by 15.3% (0.153). Enter the result here and on Form 1040, line
57, or Form 1040NR, line 55
• More than $118,500, multiply line 4 by 2.9% (0.029). Then, add $14,694 to the result.
Enter the total here and on Form 1040, line 57, or Form 1040NR, line 55 . . . . . . .
Deduction for one-half of self-employment tax.
Multiply line 5 by 50% (0.50). Enter the result here and on Form
10,025
1040, line 27, or Form 1040NR, line 27 . . . . . . . .
6

For Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see your tax return instructions.

Adjusted
Gross
Income

Educator expenses

24

Certain business expenses of reservists, performing artists, and
fee-basis government officials. Attach Form 2106 or 2106-EZ

25

Health savings account deduction. Attach Form 8889

.

24
25

26
27
28

Moving expenses. Attach Form 3903 . . . . . .
Deductible part of self-employment tax. Attach Schedule SE .
Self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, and qualified plans
. .

26
27
28

29
30
31a

Self-employed health insurance deduction
Penalty on early withdrawal of savings . .

.
.

.
.

.
.

.
.

32
33
34

Alimony paid b Recipient’s SSN ▶
IRA deduction . . . . . . .
Student loan interest deduction . .
Tuition and fees. Attach Form 8917 .

29
30
31a

.
.
.

.
.
.

.
.
.

.
.
.

32
33
34

35
36
37

Domestic production activities deduction. Attach Form 8903
35
Add lines 23 through 35 . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Subtract line 36 from line 22. This is your adjusted gross income

.

.

.

.

.

.
.
.

.

.
.
.

.

.

.

.

Chapter 5

Table and Worksheets for the Self-Employed

)

2
3

200,000
200,000

4

184,700

5

20,050

Schedule SE (Form 1040) 2016

23

10,025
14,818

.
.

For Disclosure, Privacy Act, and Paperwork Reduction Act Notice, see separate instructions.

Page 24

1b (

Cat. No. 11358Z

23

.

1a

.
.

.
.

.
.

.
.

.
▶

36
37

Cat. No. 11320B

Form

1040

(2016)

6.
How To Get Tax
Help
If you have questions about a tax issue, need
help preparing your tax return, or want to down­
load free publications, forms, or instructions, go
to IRS.gov and find resources that can help you
right away.
Preparing and filing your tax return. Find
free options to prepare and file your return on
IRS.gov or in your local community if you qual­
ify.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
(VITA) program offers free tax help to people
who generally make $54,000 or less, persons
with disabilities, the elderly, and limited­Eng­
lish­speaking taxpayers who need help prepar­
ing their own tax returns. The Tax Counseling
for the Elderly (TCE) program offers free tax
help for all taxpayers, particularly those who are
60 years of age and older. TCE volunteers spe­
cialize in answering questions about pensions
and retirement­related issues unique to seniors.
You can go to IRS.gov and click on the Fil­
ing tab to see your options for preparing and fil­
ing your return which include the following.
Free File. Go to IRS.gov/freefile. See if
you qualify to use brand­name software to
prepare and e­file your federal tax return
for free.
VITA. Go to IRS.gov/vita, download the
free IRS2Go app, or call 1­800­906­9887
to find the nearest VITA location for free
tax preparation.
TCE. Go to IRS.gov/tce, download the free
IRS2Go app, or call 1­888­227­7669 to
find the nearest TCE location for free tax
preparation.
Getting answers to your tax law
questions. On IRS.gov get answers to
your tax questions anytime, anywhere.
Go to IRS.gov/help or IRS.gov/letushelp
pages for a variety of tools that will help
you get answers to some of the most com­
mon tax questions.
Go to IRS.gov/ita for the Interactive Tax
Assistant, a tool that will ask you questions
on a number of tax law topics and provide
answers. You can print the entire interview
and the final response for your records.
Go to IRS.gov/pub17 to get Pub. 17, Your
Federal Income Tax for Individuals, which
features details on tax­saving opportuni­
ties, 2016 tax changes, and thousands of
interactive links to help you find answers to
your questions. View it online in HTML or
as a PDF or, better yet, download it to your
mobile device to enjoy eBook features.
You may also be able to access tax law in­
formation in your electronic filing software.

Getting tax forms and publications. Go to
IRS.gov/forms to view, download, or print all of
the forms and publications you may need. You
can also download and view popular tax publi­
cations and instructions (including the 1040 in­
structions) on mobile devices as an eBook at no
charge. Or, you can go to IRS.gov/orderforms
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Using direct deposit. The fastest way to re­
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and IRS e­file. Direct deposit securely and elec­
tronically transfers your refund directly into your
financial account. Eight in 10 taxpayers use di­
rect deposit to receive their refund. IRS issues
more than 90% of refunds in less than 21 days.
Delayed refund for returns claiming certain
credits. Due to changes in the law, the IRS
can’t issue refunds before February 15, 2017,
for returns that claim the earned income credit
(EIC) or the additional child tax credit (ACTC).
This applies to the entire refund, not just the
portion associated with these credits.
Getting a transcript or copy of a return. The
quickest way to get a copy of your tax transcript
is to go to IRS.gov/transcripts. Click on either
"Get Transcript Online" or "Get Transcript by
Mail" to order a copy of your transcript. If you
prefer, you can:
Order your transcript by calling
1­800­908­9946.
Mail Form 4506­T or Form 4506T­EZ (both
available on IRS.gov).
Using online tools to help prepare your return. Go to IRS.gov/tools for the following.
The Earned Income Tax Credit Assistant
(IRS.gov/eic) determines if you are eligible
for the EIC.
The Online EIN Application (IRS.gov/ein)
helps you get an employer identification
number.
The IRS Withholding Calculator (IRS.gov/
w4app) estimates the amount you should
have withheld from your paycheck for fed­
eral income tax purposes.
The First Time Homebuyer Credit Account
Look­up (IRS.gov/homebuyer) tool pro­
vides information on your repayments and
account balance.
The Sales Tax Deduction Calculator
(IRS.gov/salestax) figures the amount you
can claim if you itemize deductions on
Schedule A (Form 1040), choose not to
claim state and local income taxes, and
you didn’t save your receipts showing the
sales tax you paid.
Resolving tax-related identity theft issues.
The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with tax­
payers by email or telephone to request
personal or financial information. This in­
cludes any type of electronic communica­
tion, such as text messages and social me­
dia channels.
Go to IRS.gov/idprotection for information
and videos.
If your SSN has been lost or stolen or you
suspect you are a victim of tax­related
identity theft, visit IRS.gov/id to learn what
steps you should take.

Checking on the status of your refund.
Go to IRS.gov/refunds.
Due to changes in the law, the IRS can’t is­
sue refunds before February 15, 2017, for
returns that claim the EIC or the ACTC.
This applies to the entire refund, not just
the portion associated with these credits.
Download the official IRS2Go app to your
mobile device to check your refund status.
Call the automated refund hotline at
1­800­829­1954.
Making a tax payment. The IRS uses the lat­
est encryption technology to ensure your elec­
tronic payments are safe and secure. You can
make electronic payments online, by phone,
and from a mobile device using the IRS2Go
app. Paying electronically is quick, easy, and
faster than mailing in a check or money order.
Go to IRS.gov/payments to make a payment
using any of the following options.
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or estimated tax payment directly from
your checking or savings account at no
cost to you.
Debit or credit card: Choose an ap­
proved payment processor to pay online,
by phone, and by mobile device.
Electronic Funds Withdrawal: Offered
only when filing your federal taxes using
tax preparation software or through a tax
professional.
Electronic Federal Tax Payment System: Best option for businesses. Enroll­
ment is required.
Check or money order: Mail your pay­
ment to the address listed on the notice or
instructions.
Cash: If cash is your only option, you may
be able to pay your taxes at a participating
retail store.
What if I can’t pay now? Go to IRS.gov/
payments for more information about your op­
tions.
Apply for an online payment agreement
(IRS.gov/opa) to meet your tax obligation
in monthly installments if you can’t pay
your taxes in full today. Once you complete
the online process, you will receive imme­
diate notification of whether your agree­
ment has been approved.
Use the Offer in Compromise Pre­Qualifier
(IRS.gov/oic) to see if you can settle your
tax debt for less than the full amount you
owe.
Checking the status of an amended return.
Go to IRS.gov and click on Where’s My
Amended Return? (IRS.gov/wmar) under the
“Tools” bar to track the status of Form 1040X
amended returns. Please note that it can take
up to 3 weeks from the date you mailed your
amended return for it show up in our system
and processing it can take up to 16 weeks.
Understanding an IRS notice or letter. Go to
IRS.gov/notices to find additional information
about responding to an IRS notice or letter.
Contacting your local IRS office. Keep in
mind, many questions can be resolved on
IRS.gov without visiting an IRS Tax Assistance
Center (TAC). Go to IRS.gov/letushelp for the
Chapter 6

How To Get Tax Help

Page 25

topics people ask about most. If you still need
help, IRS TACs provide tax help when a tax is­
sue can’t be handled online or by phone. All
TACs now provide service by appointment so
you’ll know in advance that you can get the
service you need without waiting. Before you
visit, go to IRS.gov/taclocator to find the nearest
TAC, check hours, available services, and ap­
pointment options. Or, on the IRS2Go app, un­
der the Stay Connected tab, choose the Con­
tact Us option and click on “Local Offices.”
Watching IRS videos. The IRS Video portal
(IRSvideos.gov) contains video and audio pre­
sentations for individuals, small businesses,
and tax professionals.
Getting tax information in other languages.
For taxpayers whose native language isn’t Eng­
lish, we have the following resources available.
Taxpayers can find information on IRS.gov in
the following languages.
Spanish (IRS.gov/spanish).
Chinese (IRS.gov/chinese).
Vietnamese (IRS.gov/vietnamese).
Korean (IRS.gov/korean).
Russian (IRS.gov/russian).
The IRS TACs provide over­the­phone inter­
preter service in over 170 languages, and the
service is available free to taxpayers.

dependent organization within the Internal
Revenue Service that helps taxpayers and pro­
tects taxpayer rights. Our job is to ensure that
every taxpayer is treated fairly and that you
know and understand your rights under the
Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
What Can the Taxpayer Advocate Service
Do For You? We can help you resolve prob­
lems that you can’t resolve with the IRS. And
our service is free. If you qualify for our assis­
tance, you will be assigned to one advocate
who will work with you throughout the process
and will do everything possible to resolve your
issue. TAS can help you if:
Your problem is causing financial difficulty
for you, your family, or your business;
You face (or your business is facing) an
immediate threat of adverse action; or
You’ve tried repeatedly to contact the IRS
but no one has responded, or the IRS
hasn’t responded by the date promised.
How Can You Reach Us? We have offices in
every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto
Rico. Your local advocate’s number is in your
local directory and at taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov.
You can also call us at 1­877­777­4778.

The Taxpayer Advocate
Service Is Here To Help
You

How Can You Learn About Your Taxpayer
Rights? The Taxpayer Bill of Rights describes
ten basic rights that all taxpayers have when
dealing with the IRS. Our Tax Toolkit at
taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov can help you under­
stand what these rights mean to you and how
they apply. These are your rights. Know them.
Use them.

What is the Taxpayer Advocate Service?
The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an in-

How Else Does the Taxpayer Advocate
Service Help Taxpayers? TAS works to re­

Page 26

Chapter 6

How To Get Tax Help

solve large­scale problems that affect many tax­
payers. If you know of one of these broad is­
sues, please report it to us at irs.gov/sams.

Low Income Taxpayer
Clinics
Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) serve in­
dividuals whose income is below a certain level
and need to resolve tax problems such as au­
dits, appeals, and tax collection disputes. Some
clinics can provide information about taxpayer
rights and responsibilities in different languages
for individuals who speak English as a second
language. To find a clinic near you, visit
IRS.gov/litc or see IRS Publication 4134, Low
Income Taxpayer Clinic List.

Index

To help us develop a more useful index, please let us know if you have ideas for index entries.
See “Comments and Suggestions” in the “Introduction” for the ways you can reach us.

401(k) Plan:
Elective Deferrals 16
Safe harbor 17

A

Annual additions 4
Annual benefits 4
Assistance (See Tax help)
Automatic Enrollment 16

B

Business, definition 4

C

Common-law employee 4
Compensation 4
Contribution:
Defined 4
Limits:
Qualified plans 15
SEP­IRAs 6
SIMPLE IRA plan 10

D

Deduction:
Defined 4
Deduction worksheet for
self-employed 22
Defined benefit plan:
Deduction limits 15
Limits on contributions 15
Defined contribution plan:
Automatic Enrollment 16
Deduction limits 15
Eligible automatic contribution
arrangement 16
Forfeitures 16
Limits on contributions 15
Money purchase pension
plan 12
Profit­sharing plan 12
Qualified automatic contribution
arrangement 17
Definitions you need to know 4
Disqualified person 20
Distributions (withdrawals) 11

E

EACA 16
Earned income 4
Eligible automatic contribution
arrangement 16
Employees:
Eligible 5
Excludable 5
Highly compensated 4
Leased 4
Employer:
Defined 4

Publication 560 (2016)

Excess Deferrals 17
Excise tax 20
Nondeductible (excess)
contributions 16
Reduced benefit accrual 20
SEP excess contributions 7
Excludable employees 9

Leased employee 4

Qualified plans 15
Qualified Plans:
Assignment of benefits 13
Benefits starting date 13
Contributions 14, 15
Deduction limits 15, 16
Deductions 15
Deduction Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22
Deferrals 16
Defined benefit plan 12
Defined contribution plan 12
Distributions 18
Minimum 18
Required beginning
date 18
Rollover 19
Tax on excess benefits 20
Tax on premature 20
Tax treatment 19
Elective Deferrals 16
Limits 16
Employee nondeductible
contributions 15
Excess Deferrals 17
Investing plan assets 14
Kinds of plans 12
Leased employees 13
Minimum requirements:
Coverage 12
Funding 14
Vesting 12
Prohibited transactions 20
Qualification rules 12
Rate Table for
Self­Employed 22
Rate Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22
Reporting requirements 21
Setting up 14
Survivor benefits 13
Qualified Roth Contribution
Program 18

N

R

F

Form:
1040 15, 20
1099­R 17
5304–SIMPLE 9
5305–S 9
5305–SA 9
5305–SEP 6
5305–SIMPLE 9
5310 21
5329 20
5330 16, 17, 20, 21
5500 21
5500­EZ 21
Form W­2 11
Schedule K (Form 1065) 15

H

Highly compensated
employee 4

I

Identity theft 25

K

Keogh plans (See Qualified
plans)

L

Net earnings from
self-employment 5
Notification requirements 10

P

Participant, definition 5
Participation 13
Partner, definition 5
Publications (See Tax help)

Q

QACA 17
Qualified automatic
contribution
arrangement 17
Qualified Plan, definition 5

Rate Table for
Self-Employed 22
Rate Worksheet for
Self-Employed 22
Required distributions 18
Rollovers 19

S

Safe harbor 401(k) plan 17
Salary reduction
arrangement 7
Salary Reduction Simplified
Employee
Pension(SARSEP) 7
SARSEP:
ADP test 7
Section 402(f) notice 19
Self-employed individual 5

SEP-IRAs:
Contributions 6
Deductible contributions 6, 7
Carryover of excess
contributions 7
Deduction limits 6
Limits for self­employed 7
When to deduct 7
Where to deduct 7
Distributions (withdrawals) 8
Eligible employee 5
Excludable employees 5
SEP plans:
Deduction Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22
Rate Table for
Self­Employed 22
Rate Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22
Reporting and Disclosure 8
SIMPLE IRA plan:
Compensation 9
Contributions 10
Deductions 10
Distributions(withdrawals) 11
Employee election period 10
Employer matching
contributions 10
Excludable employees 9
Notification requirements 10
When to deduct
contributions 11
SIMPLE plans 9, 11
SIMPLE 401(k) 11
SIMPLE IRA plan 9
Simplified employee pension
(SEP) 7
Salary reduction arrangement:
Compensation of
self­employed
individuals 7
Employee compensation 7
Who can have a
SARSEP 7
SEP­IRA contributions 6
Setting up a SEP 5
Sixty-day employee election
period 10
Sole proprietor, definition 5

T

Tax help 25

U

User fee 14

W

Worksheets:
Deduction Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22
Rate Worksheet for
Self­Employed 22

Page 27

Tax Publications for Business Taxpayers

General Guides
1 Your Rights as a Taxpayer
17 Your Federal Income Tax
334 Tax Guide for Small Business (For
Individuals Who Use Schedule C or
C-EZ)
509 Tax Calendars
910 IRS Guide to Free Tax Services
Employer’s Guides
15 (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide
15-A Employer’s Supplemental Tax Guide
15-B Employer’s Tax Guide to Fringe
Benefits
51 (Circular A), Agricultural Employer’s
Tax Guide
80 (Circular SS), Federal Tax Guide For
Employers in the U.S. Virgin
Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
and the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands
926 Household Employer’s Tax Guide
Specialized Publications
225 Farmer’s Tax Guide
463 Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car
Expenses
505 Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
510 Excise Taxes
515 Withholding of Tax on Nonresident
Aliens and Foreign Entities
517 Social Security and Other Information
for Members of the Clergy and
Religious Workers

Commonly Used Tax Forms

See How To Get Tax Help for a variety of ways to get
publications, including by computer, phone, and mail.

527 Residential Rental Property
901 U.S. Tax Treaties
534 Depreciating Property Placed in
908 Bankruptcy Tax Guide
Service Before 1987
925 Passive Activity and At-Risk Rules
535 Business Expenses
946 How To Depreciate Property
536 Net Operating Losses (NOLs) for
947 Practice Before the IRS and Power of
Individuals, Estates, and Trusts
Attorney
537 Installment Sales
1544 Reporting Cash Payments of Over
538 Accounting Periods and Methods
$10,000
541 Partnerships
1546 Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your
Voice at the IRS
542 Corporations
544 Sales and Other Dispositions of
Spanish Language Publications
Assets
1SP Derechos del Contribuyente
551 Basis of Assets
179 (Circular PR), Guía Contributiva
556 Examination of Returns, Appeal
Federal para Patronos
Rights, and Claims for Refund
Puertorriqueños
560 Retirement Plans for Small Business
17 (SP) El Impuesto Federal sobre los
(SEP, SIMPLE, and Qualified
Ingresos
Plans)
594 (SP) El Proceso de Cobro del IRS
561 Determining the Value of Donated
Property
850 English-Spanish Glossary of Tax
(EN/SP)
583 Starting a Business and Keeping
Words and Phrases
Records
1544 (SP) Informe de Pagos en Efectivo en
587 Business Use of Your Home
Exceso de $10,000
(Including Use by Daycare
Providers)
594 The IRS Collection Process
595 Capital Construction Fund for
Commercial Fishermen
597 Information on the United
States-Canada Income Tax Treaty
598 Tax on Unrelated Business Income of
Exempt Organizations

See How To Get Tax Help for a variety of ways to get forms, including by
computer, phone, and mail.

Form Number and Form Title
W-2
W-4
940

Wage and Tax Statement
Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate
Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax
Return
941
Employer’s QUARTERLY Federal Tax Return
944
Employer’s ANNUAL Federal Tax Return
1040
U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
Sch. A
Itemized Deductions
Sch. B
Interest and Ordinary Dividends
Sch. C
Profit or Loss From Business
Sch. C-EZ
Net Profit From Business
Sch. D
Capital Gains and Losses
Sch. E
Supplemental Income and Loss
Sch. F
Profit or Loss From Farming
Sch. H
Household Employment Taxes
Sch. J
Income Averaging for Farmers and Fishermen
Sch. R
Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled
Sch. SE
Self-Employment Tax
1040-ES
Estimated Tax for Individuals
1040X
Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return
1065
U.S. Return of Partnership Income
Sch. D
Capital Gains and Losses
Sch. K-1
Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.
1120
U.S. Corporation Income Tax Return

1120S
Sch. D

Page 28

Keep for Your Records

U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation
Capital Gains and Losses and Built-In Gains

Sch. K-1
2106
2106-EZ
2210
2441
2848
3800
3903
4562
4797
4868
5329
6252
7004
8283
8300
8582
8606
8822
8829

Keep for Your Records

Shareholder’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits,
etc.
Employee Business Expenses
Unreimbursed Employee Business Expenses
Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Individuals, Estates,
and Trusts
Child and Dependent Care Expenses
Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative
General Business Credit
Moving Expenses
Depreciation and Amortization
Sales of Business Property
Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S.
Individual Income Tax Return
Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans (Including IRAs) and
Other Tax-Favored Accounts
Installment Sale Income
Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File
Certain Business Income Tax, Information, and Other
Returns
Noncash Charitable Contributions
Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a
Trade or Business
Passive Activity Loss Limitations
Nondeductible IRAs
Change of Address
Expenses for Business Use of Your Home

Publication 560 (2016)



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