Profit Sharing Plan

Arrangement by an employer in which employees share in profits of the business. To be a qualified plan, a predetermined formula must be used to determine contributions to the plan and benefits to be distributed, once a participant attains a specified age, becomes ill or disabled, severs employment, retires, or dies. When a profit-sharing plan is first installed, employees with considerable past service usually do not receive such credit. An advantage to an employer is that in low or no profit years, the business does not have to contribute to the plan, since contributions are voluntary and the Internal Revenue Code does not require a minimum contribution, as with a deferred benefit plan or a money purchase plan.