What type of plan is a profit-sharing plan?
John Thompson
Published Feb 28, 2026
A profit-sharing plan is a retirement plan that gives employees a share in the profits of a company. Under this type of plan, also known as a deferred profit-sharing plan (DPSP), an employee receives a percentage of a company’s profits based on its quarterly or annual earnings.
Can a profit-sharing plan own company stock?
In the case of a profit sharing plan, the contribution is usually in cash, and the cash is invested in other investments. As a result, these contributions do not benefit either the corporation or the shareholders. These funds may then be used to purchase stock from one or more of the company=s share-holders.
How are profit-sharing plans calculated?
Divide each employee’s individual compensation for the period by the total compensation for the period. Then, multiply your profit share percentage by your profits for the period. Finally, multiply the two totals together to determine each employee’s payment amount.
How does a profit sharing plan work for employees?
A profit-sharing plan gives employees a share in their company’s profits based on its quarterly or annual earnings. It is up to the company to decide how much of its profits it wishes to share. Contributions to a profit-sharing plan are made by the company only; employees cannot make them, too.
What does Eric Estevez mean by profit sharing plan?
Eric Estevez is financial professional for a large multinational corporation. His experience is relevant to both business and personal financial topics. What Is a Profit-Sharing Plan? A profit-sharing plan is a retirement plan that gives employees a share in the profits of a company.
How old do you have to be to get profit sharing plan?
Employees who are age 21 or older cannot be excluded because of age. Employees can receive their shares of profits in the form of cash or company stock. Contributions are typically made to a qualified tax-deferred retirement account that allows penalty-free distributions that can be taken after age 59½.
What is a deferred profit sharing plan in Canada?
A deferred profit sharing plan (DPSP) is an employer-sponsored Canadian profit sharing plan that is registered with the Canadian Revenue Agency. A money purchase pension plan is a type of retirement savings plan that has some of the attributes of a company profit-sharing plan.