What’s an employee deferral?

Print anything with Printful



Employee deferral is an investment in a retirement account based on personal income, paid into a mutual fund before taxes. The investment earns interest and is often used as a retirement program, with taxes paid on the initial invested amount once the investment is paid out. Some companies offer to match an employee’s deferral, which can effectively double the return on investment.

An employee’s deferral is an investment, often in a retirement account that pays into a mutual fund, that is based on personal income. Instead of receiving this payment at the usual time someone else receives her salary, it is invested in an account before she is taxed. Once in the account, this money can begin to earn interest and is often used as a retirement program after many years of investment. Taxes on money deposited into the account are taken once the investment is finally paid out to an individual, which is the end of the employee deferral.

Taxes usually paid on income are the source of the name “employee deferral” since these are paid at a later date. Typically, someone sets up this type of plan with their employer, who pays money into an investment account rather than to the employee. A certain percentage of the employee’s salary is paid before taxes are collected, although other income benefits such as unemployment or social security include this invested amount. Different types of investments can be used with an employee’s deferral, although mutual funds are quite common.

Once the investment reaches a certain level of maturity, often after several decades of additions and growth, the returns and principal can be paid with employee deferral. This is what makes these types of plans so popular for retirement, as they earn interest and grow over many years. However, once this payment is received, income tax must be paid on the initial invested amount. These taxes are subject to employee deferral, and with sufficient return on investment, this can be offset by account income over time.

Some companies offer to match an employee’s deferral for their associates, although this is generally provided to managers and officers within a corporation. There is usually a limit to how much a company is willing to match, although it can effectively double the return on this type of investment. Taxes may be required on this matched amount, but it is commonly paid at a different rate, since this investment is not really a payment made as income. This type of employee deferment matching by a company often makes certain employers more attractive than others. Like any other investment, the effectiveness of this form of retirement program depends on the performance of the fund into which it is paid.

Smart Asset.




Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN


Skip to content