I have previously blogged (here and here) about a lawsuit brought by participants in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan where the employer failed to report and pay FICA (social security) taxes in the most tax advantageous way. The employer had tried to get the lawsuit dismissed on the grounds that the FICA tax
Understanding Employee Benefits and key developments in the employee benefits field and items of interest to our clients. MORE
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation
Employers Can Be Responsible for FICA Withholding Errors
By Stinson LLP on
Back in 2013 I blogged about a class action lawsuit brought against Henkel Corporation for improper Social Security (FICA) tax withholding from nonqualified deferred compensation benefits. I am blogging now on an update to that case. To understand that case we need to review the taxation of nonqualified deferred compensation benefits. Nonqualified deferred compensation benefits…
This Time the Employer is Responsible for the Withholding Error
By Stinson LLP on
I recently blogged (here and here) about a situation involving Verizon withholding US taxes from payments to former employees who never lived or worked in the U.S. The employees attempted to recover the withheld taxes from Verizon on a breach of fiduciary duty claim against the employer and also attempted to have the …
Nonresident Employee Avoids New York Taxes on Deferred Compensation Payment
By Stinson LLP on
A taxpayer we will call John worked for a savings bank in New York that was acquired by Washington Mutual Bank. John participated in the New York bank’s supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP) and its deferred compensation plan, both of which were nonqualified deferred compensation plans. When Washington Mutual Bank acquired the New York bank, …
Do I Have A Top Hat Plan?
By Stinson LLP on
A standard part of an executive compensation package can be participation in a nonqualified deferred compensation plan. This is a plan not subject to tax code limitations on qualified retirement plans and not subject to many provisions of ERISA, including the requirement that plan assets be set aside in a trust, protected from company creditors. …