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

Restriction on the benefit that owners and other highly compensated individuals may receive from a qualified pension or other employee benefits. The U.S. Tax Code requires that benefits ...

Cost of an annuity. Annuities are often paid for in a lump sum rather than annual or other periodic payments. This sum, which guarantees an income, usually for life, is called the purchase ...

Interest of a beneficiary in the proceeds of a survivorship annuity. ...

Act first passed in 1962 that permits the self-employed individual to establish his or her own retirement plan. This individual can make nondeductible voluntary contributions and ...

Increases (decreases) in capital assets (such as stocks and bonds) between the date of purchase and the date of sale. ...

Act by a company that authorizes an agent to act on its behalf. ...

Amount of insurance coverage that an insurance company is willing to write on a given category of business. ...

Coverage giving income benefits to surviving family member (s) if one member should die. These include the family income policy, family income rider, family maintenance policy, and the ...

Contract providing whole life insurance on the father and term insurance on the mother and all children, including newborns after reaching a stated age, usually 15 days. Children, upon ...

Popular Insurance Questions