The Internal Revenue Service has announced the cost-of-living adjustments for the various qualified retirement plan limits.
Qualified Plan Limit |
Cost-of-Living Adjustments |
401(k) and 403(b) elective deferral limit |
2008-$15,500
2009-$16,500
|
$200,000 compensation limit |
2008-$230,000
2009-$245,000
|
$160,000 defined benefit limit |
2008-$185,000
2009-$195,000
|
$40,000 defined contribution limit |
2008-$46,000
2009-$49,000
|
$80,000 definition of highly compensated employee |
2008-$105,000
2009-$110,000
|
SIMPLE IRA deferral limit |
2008-$10,500
2009-$11,500
|
Code Section 457 deferred compensation plan deferral limit |
2008-$15,500
2009-$16,500
|
Code Section 414(v) catch-up contribution limit for employee deferrals |
2008-$5,000
2009-$5,500
|
All of the above are plan year limits (i.e., for the plan year which begins in 2009), with the exception of the Code Section 401(k) and Code Section 403(b) elective deferral limit, which is a calendar year limitation.
In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services has set the maximum taxable wages for the OASDI portion of the social security tax at $106,800 for 2009.
For further information, please contact Attorney Mary Ellen Schill, who prepared this article, or any of the attorneys within the Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice Group of Ruder Ware: Ron Rutlin, Dean Dietrich, Jeffrey T. Jones, Christopher Toner, and Sara Ackermann.
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