401k Employer Match & Catch-Up Contributions

 4 Replies
 1 Subscribed to this topic
 68 Subscribed to this forum
Sort:
Author
Messages
Kristie Starzyk
Veteran Member
Posts: 76
Veteran Member

    Has anyone figured out how to let an employee continue with their 401k percentage contribution past the IRS limit, but NOT match on the catch-up contribution amount?  We currently do it manually where the employee has to hit the $18,000 limit, then we switch them to a dollar amount contribution via a paper form that is manually entered on BN32.1. 

    For example, employee contributes 10% of their salary, and hits the $18,000 contribution max in September. They then turn in a form to have us continue with the catch-up contribution in a dollar amount on their next check.  Their deduction is then changed from a percentage to a dollar amount until the end of the year because we do not match on the catch-up contribution.  This dollar amount deduction code is set-up not to match on that code.  Then at the end of the year, we change them back to their percentage so they can receive the match again in the new year.

    We are looking to let these employees continue their percentage into their catch-up contribution, but only match on the first $18,000 until the match limit is reached.

    Any ideas?

    Margie Gyurisin
    Veteran Member
    Posts: 538
    Veteran Member
      What if they go over 18K in the a pay check, i.e. their contribution YTD total amounts to 18,500 on the 1st pay of December? Do you adjust the match for that pay?
      Kristie Starzyk
      Veteran Member
      Posts: 76
      Veteran Member
        Right now, there is a hard stop to the $18,000 for their percentage. The employer match is programmed to only match on percentage deduction codes. So even if they only have $12 to go to meet the $18,000, that's what their deduction will be for that pay period. Then the next pay period we would star their dollar amount catch-up which does not have an employer match per our SPD.
        Does your company have this issue?
        Margie Gyurisin
        Veteran Member
        Posts: 538
        Veteran Member
          No. We match up to a percent of the IRS annual compensation limits. As an example, it would be 2% of 270K for 2017. Is there any mathematical calculation you can do to come up with what the match will be? A highly comp'd motivated saver could hit the base contribution pretty quickly.
          SueC-Dallas
          New Member
          Posts: 1
          New Member

             

            How does your plan read on the employer match?  Do you match up to a certain % or $ amount?  Then what is your Contribution Type on your benefit plan?

             

             

            If you use Match Limit Schedule, you can contribute a matching % up to a given % contributed by the employee and then apply a $ cap to that.  As the employee is reaching their annual maximum (pre-catchup), you will need to have BSI set up for the increased contribution limit and the corresponding BSI Group identified on the employee's record.