The purpose of the Top Heavy Requirements is to ensure that qualified plans do not unfairly benefit the Key Employees of the employer. If, on the Determination Date, the total of the account values for the Key Employees exceeds 60% of the account values for all employees, it will be determined to be Top Heavy. A minimum Top Heavy Contribution will be required for the initial plan year and/or the following plan year if the Key Employees receive any contribution allocation. This contribution must be 3% of the Non-Key employee’s total annual compensation or if less, the highest percentage of compensation that any Key Employee receives. The Top Heavy Contribution is allocated to the eligible Non-Key employees who are employed on the last day of the plan year without regard to the number of hours worked. Key Employees may receive a Top Heavy Contribution if elected in the Plan Document.
Compliance Testing Required for 401(k) Plans
A number tests must be performed each year to demonstrate that 401(k) plans do not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees and that contributions do not exceed certain limitations. Some of the most common tests include:
