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162(m) – Changes to Executive Compensation at Publicly Traded Companies(opens new window)
Topics: 162(m), advocacy, business insurance, Business Tax, executive compensation, NQDC, Tax Insights
NQDC
The WRMarketplace is created exclusively for AALU/GAMA members by experts at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP and the AALU/GAMA staff. WR Marketplace #20-16 was written by Jim Earle and Christopher Stock. The AALU/GAMA WR Newswire and WR Marketplace are published by AALU/GAMA as part of the Essential Wisdom Series, the trusted source of actionable technical…
The WRMarketplace is created exclusively for AALU/GAMA members by experts at Troutman Sanders and the AALU/GAMA staff. WR Marketplace #20-10 was written by Jim Earle. The AALU WR Newswire and WR Marketplace are published by the AALU as part of the Essential Wisdom Series, the trusted source of actionable technical and marketplace knowledge for AALU…
Nonqualified deferred compensation plans (NQDC), such as 401(k) restoration plans, other elective deferral plans, and supplemental retirement plans (SERPs), must limit their eligibility to a “top hat” group to avoid significant problems under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). ERISA defines this group as a “select group of management or highly compensated employees.” Department…
IRS Issues New 162(m) Rules Related to Grandfathered Benefits under Deferred Compensation Plans.
Topics: 162(m), COLI/BOLI, Congress, NQDC, Tax reform
Changes to 162(m) made by the Tax Act expand the $1 million deduction limit for covered employees at public companies. NQDC amounts accrued as of November 2, 2017 can escape these expanded deduction limits if the NQDC amounts meet certain grandfather requirements to remain covered by the pre-Tax Act 162(m) rules (“old 162(m)”). The Notice…
Recent Trends in Litigation over Director Compensation Highlight Risks and Suggest Actions to Mitigate those Risks
Topics: COLI/BOLI, Congress, NQDC, Tax reform
Decisions about levels of director compensation often do not receive the protection of the business judgment rule because directors are usually interested in decisions about their own compensation levels. Under Delaware case law, however, stockholders face significant legal barriers in challenging these director compensation decisions if the stockholders previously approved the director compensation levels. These…
Non-qualified deferred compensation (“NQDC”) plans are a promise by the sponsoring employer to pay part of an executive’s compensation to the executive at a later date (e.g., upon retirement or other termination of employment). In Part 1 of this series (see WRM No. 17-41), we discussed the tax and ERISA fundamentals of the two main…
Because of restrictions and limitations in the tax and ERISA rules that apply to tax-qualified retirement plans, many employers have created non-qualified deferred compensation (“NQDC”) plans to provide additional compensation and retirement benefits to key executives. There are two main types of NQDC plans: (1) defined contribution and (2) defined benefit. A general understanding of…
Substantial risk of forfeiture is a concept relevant to the taxation of non- cash compensation under Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) §83 and to the taxation of deferred compensation under Code §§409A and 457(f). To create a substantial risk of forfeiture, an employer must generally impose a service- or performance-based restriction on the employee’s right to…
While President Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have promised major tax reform, little is known about the specifics that may affect executive compensation and retirement planning. Republican leaders face significant obstacles as they work to enact tax reform this year, however, based upon stated goals and prior legislative proposals, many expect changes to the taxation…