Secular Trust [402(b)] (nonexempt Trust)
Non qualified plan of deferred compensation whose goal is to compensate key employees without having to provide similar benefits to rank and file employees. The trust is irrevocable, and funds placed in it are protected against claims made by the company's creditors. Even though funds in this trust are not in the employee's possession, they are deemed by the Internal Revenue Service to have been constructively received by the employee. The company is allowed to take an income tax deduction for the funds it contributed to the trust, even though these funds have not been distributed to the employee while he or she has current taxable income. At the time funds from the trust are actually distributed, the employee is taxed only to the extent that these distributions are from earnings of the trust or from current trust income, which will allow the employee to pay taxes owed as the result of the company's contributions to the trust. The employer is not taxed on the trust income: the employee pays all taxes on this income. For example, assume that the company is in the 34% tax bracket and contributed $40,000 to the trust on behalf of John Employee, who is in the 28% tax bracket. The result is that John Employee will have an $11,200 tax liability ($40,000 x 28%) and the company will incur a $13,600 tax deduction ($40,000 x 34%). In order that John Employee will have the necessary funds to pay the taxes owed, the company usually will bonus him the $11,200 required, which of course is tax deductible as a business expense for the company.
Popular Insurance Terms
Direct payment to a new custodian for a retirement plan. This payment is not a taxable event since it is not a distribution. The payment must be between like plans; for example, one ...
Same as term Commutation Right: right of a beneficiary of a life insurance policy to exchange the future installments due that beneficiary for a lump sum distribution. ...
Type of flexible spending account. ...
Language in the insurance policy that can be considered unclear or subject to different interpretations. Under these circumstances, the courts have generally ruled in favor of insured ...
Publication stipulating underwriting rules applicable for a given line of insurance, classifications of exposures within that line of insurance, and premium rates per classification. For ...
Plan in which funds are currently allocated to purchase retirement benefits. An employee is thus assured of receiving retirement payments, even if the employer is no longer in business at ...
Sum total of all assets owned by the decedent to include personal property, real property, and trust property. ...
Bulletin issued June, 1993, with disclosure requirements that strongly suggest that insurance companies establish reserves or add to current reserves for asbestos and environmental risks to ...
Insurance company whose corporate charter and bylaws prevent assessment of its policyowners, regardless of how adverse its loss and expense experience may become. ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.