Definition Of Simplified Employee Pension (sep) In Insurance

Definition of "Simplified employee pension (sep)"

Anastasia Williams, Real Estate Agent Keller Williams Realty

Employee individual retirement account funded by an employer or a self-employed person. (Also known as SEP-IRA.) Differs from a pension plan in that contributions are immediately vested and employees have control of the investment of the SEP-IRA. IRS rules require that SEP-IRA contributions be made according to a written allocation formula. The maximum contribution is 15% of compensation or $30,000, whichever is less. Employees may elect to take cash instead of their SEP-IRA contribution but must pay income taxes on it. The tax reform act of 1986 also allows a SEP-IRA to be used as an alternative to a section 401 (k) plan (salary reduction plan) for an employer with 25 or fewer employees. The maximum annual contribution limit per employee for such salary-reduction SEP-IRAs is $7000.