Flat Amount
Definition of "Flat amount"
Same as term Defined Benefit Plan: retirement plan under which benefits are fixed in advance by formula, and contributions vary. The defined benefit plan can be expressed in either of two ways:
- Fixed Dollars: Unit benefit approach a discrete unit of benefit is credited for each year of service recognized by the employer.The unit is either a flat dollar amount or (more often) a percentage of compensation usually 1 1/2-2 1/2%. Total years of service are multiplied by this percentage. For example, if total years of service is 30 and the percentage is VA, 45% would be applied to either the career average earnings or final average earnings (highest three of five consecutive years of earnings). If the average of the highest five consecutive years of earnings is $100,000, the yearly retirement benefit would be $45,000. Level Percentage of Compensation After a minimum number of years of service (usually 20) and a minimum age (usually 50), all employees will receive the same percentage of earnings as a retirement benefit, regardless of income, position in the company, or years of service. For example, each employee who is at least 50 years of age, with at least 20 years of service receives 20% of compensation. This plan is more common than the flat amount approach described below, Flat Amount After having attained a minimum number of years of service (usually 20) and a minimum age (usually 50), all employees will receive the same absolute dollar amount as a retirement benefit, regardless of income, position in the company, or years of service. For example, each employee who is at least 50 years of age, with at least 20 years of service receives $8000 a year in retirement benefits.
- Variable Dollars: Cost-of-Living Plan benefits are modified according to changes in a predetermined price index usually, the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For example, when the CPI increases by at least 3% benefits are increased by that percentage, Equity Annuity Plan premiums are paid into a variable annuity plan to purchase accumulation units. At retirement, the accumulation units are converted to retirement units whose values fluctuate according to the common stock portfolio in which the premiums we reinvested.
Popular Insurance Terms
Crime against the state for which an officer of the state can bring legal action. Society is harmed by an individual breaking the laws of the state. Usually there is no statue of ...
Clause, generally found in business interruption insurance, that establishes the same indemnification basis as the coinsurance clause. ...
Detailed descriptive list made available to the survivor (s) of the insured showing: attorney, accountant, insurance agent, and location of important documents such as wills, power of ...
Provision in almost all excess of loss reinsurance contracts under which payment is made by a re insurer of each and every loss incurred by the cedent in excess of a specified sum, up to a ...
Standard Commercial Property Floater form covering death or damage to livestock as the result of insured perils such as fire, lightning, explosion, smoke, wind, hail, aircraft, earth quake, ...
basic feature of the social security act under which benefits paid are associated with the employee's earnings that have been taxed during the employment period. ...
Cost of replacing damaged or destroyed property with comparable new property, minus depreciation and obsolescence. For example, a 10-year-old living room sofa will not be replaced at ...
Endorsement to the commercial general liability insurance (CGL) policy that provides liability coverage to an insured business for damages anywhere in the world. Policies typically have ...
Account established and administered by a state agency to finance a mandatory insurance program, for example, workers compensation insurance. ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.