Section 125 Plans (cafeteria Plans)

Definition of "Section 125 plans (cafeteria plans)"

Shon McGuire real estate agent

Written by

Shon McGuireelite badge icon

Adams Cameron & Co. Realtors

Additions made by Congress in 1978 to the Internal Revenue Code that provide an employee benefit plan under which the employee makes an irrevocable decision to forego a portion of future income in exchange for receiving future benefits not subject to income tax at reception date. The employer deducts the cost of the employee's future benefits from present income as a business expense. These plans usually provide three options:

  1. Premium Conversion Employee contributes a proportionate share of the family health care costs with pre-tax dollars.
  2. Medical Reimbursement Account Employee is able to use a SALARY REDUCTION PLAN to pay with dollars on a pre-tax basis for medical expenses not covered by insurance; a separate medical reimbursement account is established for each employee.
  3. Dependent Care Reimbursement Account Employee is able to use a salary reduction plan to pay with dollars on a pre-tax basis for dependent care expenses.
An additional option sometimes provided for employees only (family members are excluded) is TERM LIFE INSURANCE for an amount up to $50,000 and DISABILITY INCOME INSURANCE. All employees must have equal access to the plans whether they are highly compensated or non highly compensated employees. Any monies left in the employee's account not used by the end of the year revert back to the company; this is known as the Use It or Lose It rule. As the employee incurs expenses, that employee applies for reimbursement through a form attached to the bill. When the administrator of the plan issues a check to the employee for the expenses, a statement is also provided that shows the amount remaining in the employee's account.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Agreement by an insurance company to pay a predetermined amount, as indicated in an insurance policy, should a loss occur. ...

Coverage providing funds for maintenance of a business as closely to normal as possible in the event of a loss of a key person, owner, or partner. ...

Choice of a lump sum payment for an injury incurred instead of a series of periodic payments, available under a health insurance policy. ...

Individual appointed by the insurance company as an independent contractor. The agent receives various expense allowances for office-associated expenses and direct commissions on products ...

Arrangement whereby the insured pays the insurance company a relatively small monthly premium payment. In exchange for this premium payment, the insurance company processes and pays claims ...

Form of excess of loss reinsurance under which each year's reinsurance premium is determined by the amount of the cedent's excess losses for a given period of time, usually three or five ...

Employee benefit plans under which both the employee and the employer pay part of the premium. Contribution ratios vary. For example, an employer contributes two dollars for every dollar ...

Same as term Direct Response Marketing: method of selling insurance directly to insureds through a companies own employees, through the mail, or at airport booths. The company uses this ...

Means of projecting the costs of pension plans on a level basis over a specified future period of time. The actuarial value of each employee's future benefits to be paid at retirement is ...

Popular Insurance Questions