TERM OF THE DAY - MARCH 19, 2008

Rahul Gupta (CA Final Student) (1780 Points)

19 March 2008  

Hello Friends...I m starting this thread..whereof i will post everyday the term of the day giving its definition and meaning..hope u all like it...reply me for anything u dont like...!



TERM OF THE DAY - MARCH 19, 2008
Defined-Benefit Plan
What Does it Mean?
An employer-sponsored retirement plan where employee benefits are sorted out based on a formula using factors such as salary history and duration of employment. Investment risk and portfolio management are entirely under the control of the company. There are also restrictions on when and how you can withdraw these funds without penalties. Also known as "qualified benefit plan" or "non-qualified benefit plan".
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Investopedia Says...
This fund is different from many pension funds where payouts are somewhat dependent on the return of the invested funds. Therefore, an employer will need to dip into the company's earnings in the event that the returns from the investments devoted to funding the employee's retirement result in a funding shortfall. The payouts made to retiring employees participating in defined-benefit plans are determined by more personalized factors, like length of employment. A tax-qualified benefit plan, shares the same characteristics of a defined-benefit plan, but also provides the beneficiary of the plan with added tax incentives. These tax incentives are not realized under non-qualified plans.

Related Terms
Defined-Contribution Plan
A retirement plan in which a certain amount or percentage of money is set aside each year by a company for the benefit of the employee.
Liability Driven Investement - LDI
A form of investing in which the main goal is to gain sufficient assets to meet all liabilities, both current and future.
Pension Plan
A type of retirement plan, usually tax exempt, wherein an employer makes contributions toward a pool of funds set aside for an employee's future benefit.
Pension Shortfall
A situation in which a company offering employees a defined benefit plan does not have enough money set aside to meet the pension obligations to employees who will be retired in the future.
Target Benefit Plan
A benefit plan that is similar to a defined benefit plan since contributions are based on projected retirement benefits.