What is a non-qualified retirement plan?
Emma Jordan
Published Apr 09, 2026
What Is a Nonqualified Plan? A nonqualified plan is a type of tax-deferred, employer-sponsored retirement plan that falls outside of Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) guidelines. These plans are also exempt from the discriminatory and top-heavy testing that qualified plans are subject to.
Is a retirement account qualified or nonqualified?
Traditional IRAs, while sharing many of the tax advantages of plans like 401(k)s, are not offered by employers and are, therefore, not qualified plans.
What is a non-qualified plan on w2?
The non-qualified plan on a W-2 is a type of retirement savings plan that is employer-sponsored and tax-deferred. They are non-qualified because they fall outside the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) guidelines and are exempt from the testing required with qualified retirement savings plans.
What’s an advantage of a non-qualified retirement plan over a qualified retirement plan?
Qualified plans have tax-deferred contributions from the employee, and employers may deduct amounts they contribute to the plan. Nonqualified plans use after-tax dollars to fund them, and in most cases employers cannot claim their contributions as a tax deduction.
A nonqualified retirement plan is one that’s not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Most nonqualified plans are deferred compensation arrangements, or an agreement by an employer to pay an employee in the future.
Why are non-qualified retirement plans called non qualified?
They are called non-qualified because they do not adhere to Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) guidelines as with a qualified plan. Non-qualified plans are generally used to supply high-paid executives with an additional retirement savings option. There are four major types of non-qualified plans:
What are non-qualified plans on a W-2?
What Are Non-Qualified Plans (W-2)? The non-qualified plan on a W-2 is a type of retirement savings plan that is employer-sponsored and tax-deferred. They are non-qualified because they fall outside the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) guidelines and are exempt from the testing required with qualified retirement savings plans.
Where does a qualified retirement plan fall in the tax code?
A qualified retirement plan is included in Section 401(a) of the Tax Code and falls under the jurisdiction of ERISA guidelines. Employee and/or employer contributions are distinct from the employer’s balance sheet and are owned by the employee.
What does it mean to have a qualified 401k plan?
If you have a 401 (k) you have a qualified plan. Qualified plans fall under a set of laws that come from the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, better known as ERISA in the industry. Employers like qualified plans because they get a tax break for any contributions they make for their employees.