Flat Amount
Definition of "Flat amount"
Same as term Defined Benefit Plan: retirement plan under which benefits are fixed in advance by formula, and contributions vary. The defined benefit plan can be expressed in either of two ways:
- Fixed Dollars: Unit benefit approach a discrete unit of benefit is credited for each year of service recognized by the employer.The unit is either a flat dollar amount or (more often) a percentage of compensation usually 1 1/2-2 1/2%. Total years of service are multiplied by this percentage. For example, if total years of service is 30 and the percentage is VA, 45% would be applied to either the career average earnings or final average earnings (highest three of five consecutive years of earnings). If the average of the highest five consecutive years of earnings is $100,000, the yearly retirement benefit would be $45,000. Level Percentage of Compensation After a minimum number of years of service (usually 20) and a minimum age (usually 50), all employees will receive the same percentage of earnings as a retirement benefit, regardless of income, position in the company, or years of service. For example, each employee who is at least 50 years of age, with at least 20 years of service receives 20% of compensation. This plan is more common than the flat amount approach described below, Flat Amount After having attained a minimum number of years of service (usually 20) and a minimum age (usually 50), all employees will receive the same absolute dollar amount as a retirement benefit, regardless of income, position in the company, or years of service. For example, each employee who is at least 50 years of age, with at least 20 years of service receives $8000 a year in retirement benefits.
- Variable Dollars: Cost-of-Living Plan benefits are modified according to changes in a predetermined price index usually, the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, when the CPI increases by at least 3% benefits are increased by that percentage, Equity Annuity Plan premiums are paid into a variable annuity plan to purchase accumulation units. At retirement, the accumulation units are converted to retirement units whose values fluctuate according to the common stock portfolio in which the premiums we reinvested.
Popular Insurance Terms
Coverage for shippers of certain radioactive materials, such as medical or commercial isotopes, for direct loss or damage by radioactive contamination; does not cover transport of ...
Coverage for a practicing physician, surgeon, or dentist, when bodily injury, personal injury, and/or property damage is incurred by a patient and the patient sues for injuries and/or ...
Part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 that permits medicare recipients to select coverage among various private health care plans to include HMOS, PPOS, POINT-of-SERVICE (POS), MEDICAL ...
Insured sum paid regularly to a married partner (usually a wife but sometimes a husband) of a retired worker. There are several forms: The Federal Retirement Equity Act mandates a spouse's ...
Type of excess of loss reinsurance in which the insurance company (cedent) cedes its known loss revenues to its reinsurer. ...
Coverage for liability exposure resulting from the activities of a business; includes: direct liability acts of the business resulting in damage or destruction of another party's property ...
Same as term Common Disaster Clause: wording in life insurance policies to determine the order of deaths whenthe insured and the beneficiary die in the same accident. For example, if the ...
Supplemental coverage written into or endorsed onto many business and personal liability policies. Covers medical costs and loss of income of persons injured on an insured's property, ...
Employee benefit insurance plan whose objective is to provide the retired employee with life insurance. This group life insurance product is composed of two basic parts: annually renewable ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.