The One-Stop ESOP Blog

Clear and comprehensive plans for the timing of ESOP distributions are essential to effective ESOP management. A written distribution policy complements the ESOP plan documents, and helps ensure that all participants understand your plan’s current distribution process. 

While there are clear ESOP distribution rules that govern the timing of distributions for terminated employees with vested ESOP account balances, there are also exceptions, which allow some flexibility. At the same time, these exceptions could cause confusion if distribution plans are updated without clearly communicating changes to participants. 

Many ESOP employers have questions about requirements for the timing of distributions, especially for vested employees who are not retiring, disabled, or deceased. Here’s what you need to know about the requirements for ESOP distribution timing, and how to ensure your plan for distributions is not only in compliance with IRC regulations, but is also clear and easy to understand for plan participants.

It’s important for your ESOP administration provider to do more than just administer your organization’s ESOP plan. They should work with you to make sure your plan meets federal rules and regulations, and that’s exactly the approach ESOP Partners takes. We look at your plan from every angle to ensure it will support your long-term objectives. This holistic, problem-solving approach helps you make the right decisions for your employees and the organization as a whole. Learn more about this 360-view by watching this video!  

If you paid any ESOP or other qualified retirement plan distribution of $10 or more last year you will have to prepare and file some government forms: Form 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.

If you paid any ESOP or other qualified retirement plan distribution of $10 or more last year you will have to prepare and file some government forms: Form 1099-R, Distributions From Pensions, Annuities, Retirement or Profit-Sharing Plans, IRAs, Insurance Contracts, etc.

As mentioned in our prior article on ESOP Compensation for Compliance and Nondiscrimination Testing, one of the most important items that a plan sponsor will need to gather for ESOP administration purposes is plan compensation.  The legal compensation requirements are defined by the Internal Revenue Code and your specific plan requirements are defined in your plan document. 

Compensation is defined for allocating ESOP and other qualified retirement plan contributions, determining deduction limits, and nondiscrimination testing.  Depending on your plan design, there may be differing definitions for each plan component/money source (e.g. ESOP, safe harbor match, discretionary profit sharing, salary deferrals, etc.).