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Why It Pays to Be a Consistent Retirement Saver

Apart from the recent market volatility, a new study shows significant growth in account balances for 401(k) plan participants who consistently participate—especially for younger workers.

Why It Pays to Be a Consistent Retirement Saver

 

According to the study from the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI)—What Does Consistent Participation in 401(k) Plans Generate? Changes in 401(k) Plan Account Balances, 2016–2020—account balances for consistent 401(k) plan participants rose by double-digits for all participant groups.

The average 401(k) plan account balance for consistent participants rose each year from year-end 2016 through year-end 2020. Overall, increases reflect a compound annual average growth rate of more than 19% over the period, with the average account balance rising from $78,008 at year-end 2016 to $158,361 at year-end 2020.

The median 401(k) plan account balance for consistent participants increased at a compound annual average growth rate of more than 28% over the period, to $62,134 at year-end 2020.

As one might presume, the percent change in balance for participants in younger age groups was influenced by the relative size of their contributions to their account balances. Younger 401(k) participants, or those with smaller year-end 2016 balances, experienced higher growth in account balances compared with older participants, who tend to have larger balances on average.

The percent change in average 401(k) plan account balance of participants in their 20s was heavily influenced by the relative size of their contributions to their account balances and increased at a compound average growth rate of 57.4% per year between year-end 2016 and year-end 2020.

Changes in 401(k) Plan Account Balances Among Consistent 401(k) Participants

Average 401(k) plan account balance and percent change compound annual average growth rate 2016–2020

Source: Tabulations from EBRI/ICI Participant-Directed Retirement Plan Data Collection Project

Consistent Savers vs. Broader Group

Diving deeper into the data further highlights the accumulation effect of ongoing 401(k) participation. Consider that, at year-end 2020, 22.2% of the consistent group had more than $200,000 in their 401(k) plan accounts at their current employers, while another 15.8% had between $100,000 and $200,000. In contrast, in the broader EBRI/ ICI 401(k) database, only 11.4% had accounts with more than $200,000, and 9% had between $100,000 and $200,000.

Reflecting their higher average age and tenure, the study notes that the consistent group also had average and median account balances that were much higher than the average and median account balances of the broader EBRI/ICI 401(k) database.

“Exploring the changes in account balances among consistent 401(k) plan participants highlights the strength of the 401(k) plan as a powerful savings tool,” notes Sarah Holden, senior director, Retirement and Investor Research, ICI.

To that end, at year-end 2020, the average 401(k) plan account balance of the consistent group was $158,361, more than 80% higher than the average account balance of $87,040 among participants in the entire EBRI/ICI 401(k) database. The median 401(k) plan account balance among the consistent participants was $62,134 at year-end 2020, nearly three and a half times the median account balance of $17,961 for participants in the entire EBRI/ICI 401(k) database.

Equity Shifts

Meanwhile, the study also not surprisingly shows that 401(k) participants tend to concentrate their accounts in equity securities. On average at year-end 2020, more than two-thirds of consistent 401(k) participants’ assets were invested in equities—through equity funds, the equity portion of target date funds, the equity portion of non–target date balanced funds, or company stock.

“Younger 401(k) plan participants tended to be more invested in equity funds and target date funds while older participants were more likely to invest in fixed-income securities,” notes Craig Copeland, EBRI Director of Wealth Benefits Research. “At year-end 2020, 401(k) plan participants in their 20s had allocated 86% of their plan account balances to equities while participants in their 60s had allocated 57% to equities.”

The study is based on the EBRI/ICI database of employer-sponsored 401(k) plans and represents the activity of participants in 401(k) plans of varying sizes—from very large corporations to small businesses—with a variety of investment options. This longitudinal analysis tracks the account balances of 3.7 million 401(k) plan participants who had accounts in the year-end 2016 EBRI/ICI 401(k) database and each subsequent year through year-end 2020.

 

Original Article Provided By: Why It Pays to Be a Consistent Retirement Saver | National Association of Plan Advisors (napa-net.org)

IRS Offers New Rules on Deadline for Using Retirement Forfeitures

IRS Offers New Rules on Deadline for Using Retirement Forfeitures

The Internal Revenue Service proposed new rules on Monday  formalizing the timing and use of forfeitures in qualified retirement plans by plan sponsors.

The proposal, which would affect participants in, beneficiaries of, administrators of, and sponsors of qualified retirement plans, according to information published in the Federal Register.

It would more clearly define how retirement plans should handle money forfeited by participants when they leave an employer before the end of a vesting schedule, when they die or when other factors result in funds going back to the plan sponsor. While the rule likely will not change how plan advisers and administrators are currently operating, it would make those processes clearer, says R. Randall Tracht, an attorney with Morgan Lewis specializing in retirement plans and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

“The IRS has long been of the view that the Internal Revenue Code’s tax-qualification rules and requirements generally do not permit defined contribution plans to carry over unused and unallocated forfeitures from year to year,” Tracht says. “The IRS regularly expressed this position in the course of retirement plan audits, but, until now, the IRS had not issued formal regulations setting forth their position.”

In its proposal, the IRS said some defined contribution plan administrators place forfeited funds into a “plan suspense account” in which the money is held before being put to use. The proposed regulations would “generally require” that plan administrators use forfeitures no later than 12 months after the close of the plan year in which the forfeitures happened.

The proposal also specifies the uses for defined contribution plan forfeitures, which are to pay reasonable plan administrative expenses, reduce employer contributions or increase benefits for plan participants.

“Plan sponsors will want to review their plan terms and check with the plan’s recordkeeper to consider whether any changes to the plan’s terms or recordkeeping processes may be desirable,” Tracht says.

The proposed rules are effective for plan years beginning on and after January 1, 2024, and include a transition rule that deems pre-2024 forfeitures to have been incurred in the first plan year beginning on or after January 1, 2024, according to Tracht. This will allow plans time to comply with the new rules.

The IRS said that the proposed regulations are “not expected to require changes to plan terms or plan operations, or otherwise have a significant impact on plans or plan sponsors.” It did say, however, that it is seeking comment from smaller plans and plan sponsors to discuss the “impacts these proposed regulations may have.”

The agency will take public comments online or by mail until May 30 and will set a date for a public hearing if requested.

Original Article Provided By: IRS Offers New Rules on Deadline for Using Retirement Forfeitures | PLANSPONSOR

SECURE 2.0 Act Encourages Employers to Expand Retirement Coverage

 

Americans are 12 to 15 times more likely to save for retirement if they have access to a retirement savings plan at work.

Yet more than 40% of full-time private-sector workers say they lack access to an employer-provided retirement savings plan. This particularly affects lower-income workers, and especially Blacks and Hispanics.

The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 aimed to change this picture by expanding retirement plan coverage, increasing retirement plan savings, and simplifying and clarifying plan rules.

Several provisions facilitate access and participation in employer-provided plans.

Automatic Enrollment

According to the Senate Finance Committee, automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans significantly increases participation, particularly among Black, Latinx, and lower-wage employees.

Effective for plan years on and after Jan. 1, 2024, most new 401(k) and 403(b) plans established after the effective date must include automatic enrollment.

The initial automatic deferral amount must be at least 3%, but not more than 10%, of compensation. Effective the first day of each plan year following the initial year of enrollment, deferrals must automatically increase by at least 1% of compensation, up to a maximum of at least 10%, but no more than 15%, for most plans.

This automatic escalation clause initially caps at 10% for plans with certain safe harbor contributions and qualified automatic enrollment provisions. Plans must also allow permissible withdrawals up to 90 days after the first automatic deferral, but only if participants elect to opt-out of automatic enrollment within a reasonable time.

Small Employer Tax Credit

Nearly half of all Americans work for small businesses, but only about 30% of small businesses offer retirement plans, primarily due to costs of establishing and maintaining them.

SECURE 2.0 increases the startup credit from 50% to 100% for employers with up to 50 employees. The $5,000 cap remains.

The new credit also offsets up to $1,000 of employer contributions per employee in the first year, phased down gradually over five years, though not for employees making more than $100,000 (indexed for inflation). The small employer tax credit increase was effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Starter Plans

More than a dozen state laws require private-sector employers that do not sponsor retirement plans to automatically enroll employees in individual retirement accounts through a state-sponsored program.

Effective for plan years on and after Dec. 31, 2023, SECURE 2.0 permits employers to implement a starter 401(k) or 403(b) plan. The starter plan provision would allow employers in states that require auto-IRAs to satisfy the auto-IRA requirement via a private-sector 401(k) or 403(b) plan.

Starter plans are deferral-only safe harbor plans that permit employees to contribute up to $6,000 per year—with a $1,000 catch-up contribution—without the administrative burden or expense of traditional 401(k) or 403(b) plans. For example, starter plans do not require employer contributions or certain testing.

The IRA contribution limit is $6,500 and indexed annually for inflation. Under SECURE 2.0, the starter plan limits are not indexed, but might be revised for consistency.

Starter plans, coupled with the small employer tax credit, are estimated to produce a 22% increase in Black and Hispanic American worker access to retirement plans.

Small Immediate Financial Incentives

For plan years beginning on and after Dec. 29, 2022, employers can now offer “de minimis financial incentives,” such as gift cards or t-shirts, in connection with an employee’s participation in a 403(b) or 401(k) plan.

Student Loan Payments

In 2018, the Internal Revenue Service approved a proposed amendment to Abbott Laboratories’ 401(k) plan to allow a matching contribution based on student debt repayments rather than employee deferrals to the plan. Employers have relied on the PLR to justify a similar plan design.

SECURE 2.0 codifies the PLR, and, for plan years beginning on and after Jan. 1, 2024, employers may match qualified student loan payments as if the QSLPs were elective deferrals.

Matching contributions must be made at the same rate and with the same vesting and eligibility requirements as matching contributions on elective deferrals, and can be used to satisfy safe-harbor matching requirements. Employers can rely on employees’ annual self-certification that the QSLPs have been made.

This is an optional provision that plan sponsors can implement in 401(k), 403(b), governmental 457(b), and SIMPLE IRA plans for plan years beginning on and after Jan. 1, 2024. The IRS will issue implementing regulations and a model plan amendment for those plans wishing to adopt.

Part-Time, Long-Term Coverage

For plan years beginning after Dec. 31, 2024, employees who perform at least 500 hours of service during two consecutive 12-month periods must be eligible to participate for purposes of deferrals. Service before 2023 is disregarded.

An employee who becomes eligible to participate under the part-time eligibility rule must be credited with a year of vesting service for each 12-month period in which the employee completes 500 hours of service.

The SECURE 2.0 rule does not apply to employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement, nonresident aliens who receive no earned income, or certain students. It applies to ERISA-covered 403(b) plans, as well as 401(k) plans. Both rules are mandatory.

SECURE 2.0’s rule is not effective until plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2025, but the Original SECURE Act rule still kicks in for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2024.

Therefore, part-time employees may become eligible under a plan due to the original three-year rule in the 2024 plan year and under SECURE 2.0’s two-year rule in the 2025 plan year.

Employers should start counting hours on the date an employee’s employment commenced. If the employee does not complete the required hours of service during the initial 12-month period of employment, employers can then use the first day of the plan year for hours counting purposes going forward.

Next Steps

SECURE 2.0 is one of the most significant pension reform bills in recent history. It offers incentives for employers, especially small to mid-size employers without a current retirement plan in place, to establish and maintain retirement plans.

Taking advantage of the law’s incentives could benefit employees and help with recruitment, retention, and overall morale.

SECURE 2.0 Headed for Enactment

SECURE 2.0 Headed for Enactment

While it came down to the wire, both the House and Senate have now approved the much-anticipated SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 as part of the mammoth $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill.

For months, it was anticipated that Congress would attach a final SECURE 2.0 package to a year-end spending bill, but that wasn’t confirmed until earlier this week, and even then, it wasn’t necessarily guaranteed. Congress had faced a Dec. 23 deadline to approve the legislation to fund the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2023 (which began Oct. 1) and prevent a government shutdown. And for a short while, it appeared that lawmakers might not beat the deadline and would punt the funding bill until next year, meaning the SECURE 2.0 would have to start over from scratch.

But the U.S. Senate approved the 4,000-page “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023” (H.R. 2617 as amended) on Dec. 22 by a vote of 68-29. The House followed suit, approving the legislation Dec. 23 by a near party-line vote of 225-201, with one member voting present and nine Republican members voting in support of the bill.  With final congressional passage now in hand, the legislation is cleared for presidential signature. In the meantime, Congress also approved another short-term continuing resolution (until Dec. 30) to give lawmakers time to prepare and enroll the final bill before sending it to the White House.

Retirement professionals will want to pay close attention to when the legislation is signed. As explained in our “What Else Is in the New SECURE 2.0?” post, the date that the legislation is signed into law will serve as the “date of enactment,” and several of the provisions contained in the legislation become effective on that date. Many other provisions have effective dates in 2023 or later years.

As a top priority of the American Retirement Association, enactment of the SECURE 2.0 Act, which builds off the 2019 SECURE Act, will further improve upon the success of the private employer-based retirement system by making it easier for businesses to offer retirement plans and for individuals to save for retirement.

A sampling of the key retirement provisions among the 90-plus contained in the final spending bill include:

  • Establishing a new “Starter K,” supported by the ARA which will allow employers that do not currently sponsor a retirement plan to offer a starter 401(k) plan (or safe harbor 403(b) plan);
  • Providing a 100% tax credit for the start-up of new retirement plans among small businesses;
  • Requiring new 401(k) and 403(b) plans to automatically enroll employees in the respective plan upon eligibility, subject to certain conditions;
  • Providing an enhanced Saver’s match that modifies the existing Saver’s Credit by changing it from a credit paid in cash as part of a tax refund to a government matching contribution that must be deposited into a taxpayer’s IRA or retirement plan;
  • Allowing the establishment of new emergency savings accounts linked to individual account plans;
  • Allowing employers to treat student-loan payments as elective deferrals for purposes of matching contributions;
  • Implementing higher catch-up limits at age 60, 61, 62, and 63 (beginning after Dec. 31, 2024);
  • Gradually increasing the required minimum distribution (RMD) age from the current 72 to age 75;
  • Allowing 403(b) plans to participate in multiple employer plans (MEPs) and pooled employer plans (PEPs);
  • Easing the current restrictions and expanding the current limits for qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs) and eliminating a penalty on partial annuitization;
  • Allowing for the establishment of auto-portability arrangements and increasing the dollar limit for mandatory distributions;
  • Establishing a Retirement Savings Lost and Found;
  • Providing permanent rules for the use of retirement funds in connection with qualified federally declared disasters;
  • Providing a safe harbor for corrections of employee elective deferral failures; and
  • Expanding the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS) to, among other things, allow more types of errors to be corrected internally through self-correction.

Original Article Provided By: SECURE 2.0 Headed for Enactment | AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PENSION PROFESSIONALS & ACTUARIES (asppa.org)

Record Increases Projected for 2023 Retirement Plan Limits

Record Increases Projected for 2023 Retirement Plan Limits
Announcement of the official limits is still a few months away, but early projections from Mercer suggest that nearly all qualified retirement plan limits will increase by unprecedented amounts next year.

The 2023 limits will reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2022. Using this measure, inflation is projected to reach its highest level since indexing began, causing 7%–11% increases for most limits, based on their rounding levels, according to benefits consultant Mercer, whose past projections have been rather accurate.

In addition, the non-SIMPLE plan catch-up limit—which has a large rounding threshold—will jump more than 15%, the firm notes.

Using the Internal Revenue Code’s cost-of-living adjustment and rounding methods, the CPI-U through June, and estimated CPI-U values for July, August and September, the firm projects that the contribution limits for 401(k), 403(b) and eligible 457 plan elective deferrals (and designated Roth contributions) will increase from $20,500 this year to $22,500 in 2023.

The 415(c) DC plan maximum annual addition is projected to increase from $61,000 to $67,000. Mercer notes that the limit will be $66,000 if inflation is less than 0.25% per month for July, August and September.

Additionally, the 414(q)(1)(B) highly compensated employee and 414(q)(1)(C) top-paid group limit is projected to be $150,000 in 2023, up from $135,000 this year.

Other 2023 projected increases include:

  • the 414(v)(2)(B)(i) catch-up contribution limit (for plans other than SIMPLE plans) rises from $6,500 to $7,500 in 2023;
  • the 415(b) DB plan maximum annuity limit rises from $245,000 to $265,000;
  • the 401(a)(17) and 408(k)(3)(C) compensation limit rises from $305,000 to $335,000 (Mercer also notes that the limit will be $330,000 if inflation is less than 0.25% for July, August and September); and
  • the 416(i)(1)(A)(i) officer compensation for top-heavy plan key employee limit rises from $200,000 to $215,000.

The estimates cannot be finalized until after September CPI-U values are published in October. The IRS typically announces official limits for the coming year in late October or early November.

Separate estimates by The Senior Citizens League (TSCL) published last month show that next year’s annual Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) could be 10.5% next year, the highest in more than four decades, based on the June CPI data.

Original Article Provided By: https://www.asppa.org/news/browse-topics/record-increases-projected-2023-retirement-plan-limits

Simplifying the Retirement Planning Message

 

As inevitable as retirement is, why is properly preparing for it so difficult?

It could be that participants are preoccupied with other concerns. Most (70%) of the respondents to a recent Schroders retirement survey said they don’t have enough savings to add to a retirement plan, while others reported that they have other financial priorities (60%) or that the future is too uncertain to plan for (50%).

And as industry professionals encourage participants to prepare for their future, many people are reluctant to add what they believe is an insufficient amount to their retirement plans. Instead of adding what they can afford to, they fail to add anything at all, the survey found.

To combat this, Juan Carlos Cruz, founder of Britewater Financial Group in Brooklyn, New York, suggests plan administrators work to simplify the retirement plan message by helping participants monitor living expenses and 401(k) contributions simultaneously.

“One way is to offer a monthly monitoring service to see how the employee is adjusting and handling their living expenses,” he recommends. “A more hands-on approach would help the saver make adjustments and will help the employee see that saving is not that difficult.”

Robert Dunn, president and managing partner of Novi Wealth Partners in Princeton, New Jersey, says plan sponsors should understand where their employees are financially. Especially during the pandemic, many are looking to grow their emergency savings rather than their retirement accounts, for example.

“Life is difficult, and in the face of COVID-19, certainly unpredictable,” Dunn notes. “But once someone has accepted their personal situation, they can begin to evaluate their options, whether it is attempting to earn additional income or spending less.”

While it can be difficult to plan during an uncertain period, Dunn suggests that participants look to their futures and understand what expenses may be required. One common example is preparing for any future college expenses, he says.

Cruz says many forego saving for retirement on the common belief that Social Security will provide enough retirement income. Others believe they’ll continue working well into their retirement years. The Schroders study found 53% of respondents believe they will continue working during retirement in order to cover basic living expenses.

On top of these common misconceptions, other financial responsibilities, including paying down student loan debt, are likely to take priority over retirement for some workers. These participants might also believe they’ll earn more in the future and can save more then, “but that is not always the case,” says Dunn. As participants grow their income, their spending needs are likely to increase as well, he contends.

Enabling plan design features, such as a “set-it-and-forget-it” options like automatic enrollment and automatic escalation, along with an emergency savings vehicle, can help participants gradually save over time, suggests Harry Dalessio, head of institutional retirement plan services at Prudential Retirement in Hartford, Connecticut.

Sponsors can also help participants manage short-term money stressors by providing a range of financial wellness tools and resources, including but not limited to student loan programs, debt and credit management tools and budget development programs, Dalessio adds.

Employer communication and education can also contribute to participants’ financial wellness. “Sponsors shouldn’t underestimate the value of offering communications on plan features, the long-term impact of compound interest and understanding the importance of transitioning their accumulated savings into a guaranteed income stream as they are approaching retirement,” Dalessio says.

Communicating with participants on the importance of savings and accumulation, if possible, is key, Cruz says. From there, employers and financial advisers can work with participants to adjust their savings goals.

Additionally, speaking to employees about the basics of retirement planning can ease any apprehensions they may have. He notes that many savers believe that once they save money into a defined contribution (DC) plan, the money is unavailable until retirement. But in the case of an off-chance emergency, the money is still accessible, though withdrawal penalties will apply.

“This can make people more reluctant to save, as they believe the money is gone and never to be seen again,” Cruz says. “Explain how these plans can be helpful in case of an unforeseen emergency, and how easily this money can be accessed. An explanation of the taxes and penalties and how withdrawing may impact their savings in the future must also be provided.”

Implementing a proper plan design is also imperative to creating a successful retirement income strategy, Dalessio says. Plan sponsors are responsible for enabling individuals with a mechanism to create a steady income stream that will last in retirement, he notes.

“Saving and accumulation should still be a key focus for participants,” Dalessio says. “But making sure they understand the importance of creating that income plan for later is also a critical component to successful financial planning.”

-Original Article Source: https://www.plansponsor.com/simplifying-retirement-planning-message/

Why Choose a Davis Bacon Pension Plan from Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc.?

Why Choose a Davis Bacon Pension Plan from Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc.?

Why Choose a Davis Bacon Pension Plan from Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc

If you know anything about a Davis Bacon Pension Plan, you may know that it is a great option for a variety of reasons. It can be a difficult decision to understand the different legal regulations when it comes to retirement plans, which is why we do the work for you. At Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc we specialize in these plans and offer a variety of different benefits.

Benefits of a Davis Bacon Pension Plan

  • Labor burden
  • General Liability Insurance
  • Compliance services
  • Flexible pension plans
  • Calculate savings
  • Workers compensation

Davis Bacon Pension Plan Options

401k Plan

These are qualified plans that are established by employers. In these plans, employees may make elective salary reductions, as well as contributions on a variety of tax bases.

Match Plans

Matching for a retirement plan is always incredibly important. With Davis Bacon Plans, an employer contribution that may match the employee’s elective salary reduction contribution. This is always up to a specific amount, or percentage of compensation.

Profit-Sharing

These plans allow you to create an equal contribution plan giving employers and employees access to the profits of the company. Then, employees are given a percentage of profits based on overall earnings.

Safe Harbor

There are two forms of Safe Harbor available. The first is mandatory for all eligible employees. This is something that is taken care of when obtaining a Davis Bacon plan through our services. Additionally, there is the Safe Harbor Match. This part of the plan includes a mandatory employer contribution for all eligible employees. If employees do not make a Salary Deferral then no contribution is made.

Contact us to Learn More

At Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc we specialize in helping you access the most affordable Davis Bacon Pension Plan options on the market. Contact us today to learn more at (425) 889-8855!

What are Prevailing Wage Pension Plans?

What are Prevailing Wage Pension Plans?

Prevailing wage laws were put into place during the Great Depression. The purpose was to prevent unfair practices when it came to labor in non-union situations. Because of this, we have prevailing wage pension plans available.

Understanding the Prevailing Wage

Various laws surround this particular topic. This includes federal prevailing wage laws, state prevailing wage pension plans laws, and prevailing wage laws related to certain localities.

The Davis-Bacon Act

The Davis-Bacon Act is a federal prevailing wage law. This law applies to contractors who perform work on federal contracts. Any contractors that work on federal projects must be paid the prevailing wage for the project.

Although similar to a minimum wage, prevailing wage compensation is different. It is divided into two parts:

  1. Prevailing wage
  2. Prevailing wage fringe

Payment Options

In this case, the contractor can choose to satisfy the required Davis-Bacon obligation more than one way. These options include:

  • Paying wage and fringe portions in cash
  • Paying wage in cash and the fringe through a contribution to a benefit plan (such as a retirement fund)
  • Combination of both methods

Profit-Sharing

To satisfy the prevailing wage fringe, most companies may choose to contribute to a retirement or profit-sharing plan. This is different from paying out in cash. If the fringe is paid in cash as compensation, the payment is subject to FICA and other payroll taxes. If the fringe is contributed to a benefit plan, it is not taxed.

Is it Right for You?

The prevailing wage fringe payment is also beneficial to the employer. The fringe payment can be used to avoid the required minimum contribution. Although there is no such thing as a “Davis Bacon Plan,” there are plans that work with the law. Overall, these prevailing wage pension plans have many benefits, and it would be good to look into whether or not it is right for you.

To learn more about prevailing wage pension plans, get in touch with us at Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc. by calling (425) 889-8855 or filling out our convenient online contact form. We can discuss the advantages of discharging required prevailing wage fringe payments through a Davis Bacon pension plan. 

How Do Employers Benefit from Prevailing Wage Pension Plans?

How Do Employers Benefit from Prevailing Wage Pension Plans?

The Davis-Bacon Act is a federal prevailing wage law. It is governed by the Department of Labor and is applied to both contractors and subcontractors who perform work on various government projects. There are specifics in terms of this act, as these projects must be in excess of $2,000 for all of the construction, repair, or alteration. As an employer, this affects you because you are required to pay the prevailing wage rate, including fringe benefits. This is where prevailing wage pension plans come into play.

What Qualifies as Fringe Benefits?

Fringe benefits include retirement plans, health insurance, life insurance, any bona fide benefit, as well as vacation, holiday, and sick leave.

How to Satisfy the Requirements

As an employer, you benefit from prevailing wage pension plans, because it allows you to satisfy the Davis-Bacon requirement in alternative ways. These ways include:

  • Paying both wage and fringe portions in cash
  • Paying the wage portion in cash and the fringe portion by contributing to prevailing wage pension plans
  • Combining both cash wages, along with bona fide fringe benefits

Other Advantages to Using a Prevailing Wage Pension Plan

Other advantages might include lowered general liability premiums in addition to lower worker’s compensation premiums. This is because fringe benefits are not considered part of payroll.

These plans are also beneficial to employees because benefits are purchased before taxes. This means that when the prevailing wage plan is combined with a 401(k) plan, employees will be able to pay less in taxes.

Be Sure That You Are in Compliance

Although there are many benefits to prevailing wage contributions to a qualified benefit plan, it is important to be aware of Davis-Bacon requirements. It is essential that these plans are in compliance.

Contact us at Davis-Bacon to learn more about prevailing wage pension plans and to learn how your company can benefit. You can call (425) 889-8855 for details!

Why Your Business Needs a Davis Bacon Pension Plan

Why Your Business Needs a Davis Bacon Pension Plan

Anyone that owns a business knows that along with it comes taxes, rules, and regulations. If you work in an industry where the government has ruled that you are required to pay a prevailing wage, then this is only one of the many costs you may accrue.

 

When running a business there are operational costs, along with payroll taxes, and hefty insurance premiums that may end up negatively affecting your bottom line. If you have employees on your payroll, then you might want to know about how you can guarantee their standard of living after they retire, but lower your overall costs as well. All of this can be done, with a David Bacon Pension Plan.

What is a Davis Bacon Pension Plan?

The Davis Bacon Pension Plan works according to The Davis-Bacon Act of 1931. This act  requires any contractor or subcontractor performing work on a federal government construction contract or federally assisted construction contract over $2,000, to pay their workers a specific fair and required prevailing wage. It also requires fringe benefits to be paid on similar projects. Having this form of pension plan ensures that you are following the law, and providing a safety net for your workers.

Lower Overall Costs

Because the Davis Bacon Act requires you to pay a specific wage, it often can require huge financial commitments on your behalf. This can be counterbalanced by taking advantage of the reduction in payroll taxes offered with the Davis bacon Pension Plan.

 

Additionally, this pension plan allows you to decrease your insurance premiums. For those who participate in the Davis Bacon pension plan, you will receive a reduced cost on your general liability premiums.

 

Overall both of these savings provide you to have a reduction in overall costs and save on your bottom line.

Offer Better Retirement Benefits and Attract Better Talent

Retirement benefits are something that skilled workers look at when choosing where they want to spend their time working. Although it is typically quite expensive to offer high-quality retirement benefits to your employees, if you are saving in payroll tax and insurance premiums, then you will be able to offer better benefits for your staff.

 

With a David Bacon pension plan, you will be able to pay your staff less than the prevailing wage, because you will contribute to the retirement income of your employees. This allows you to save while providing incredible benefits. Not only is this helpful for your employees, but it will draw higher quality talent to come work for you.

Become More Attractive to Customers

By saving on prevailing wage costs, insurance premiums, and payroll taxes you can lower your overall cost of overhead. In turn, this can allow you to decrease your total costs and offer more attractive rates to your customers. Especially if you work in a space where you must bid for construction contracts, having a lower bottom line will always bring you to the forefront.

Learn More About Davis Bacon Pension Plans

At Davis-Bacon Pension Plans, Inc., we offer the highest quality pension plans that can be beneficial to both you and your employees. By recommending the best options, we help you to reduce expenses and have more cash flow going in. Learn how our pension plans can skyrocket your business to success, call us at (425) 889-8855 today.