TIPS: New Plan Tax Credit

As a courtesy, we send the below information to all start up plans for the first 3 years.

Credit for startup costs. You may be able to claim a tax credit for part of the ordinary and necessary costs of starting a qualified plan. The credit equals 50% of the qualified start up cost paid or incurred during the tax year, up to a maximum of $500 per year for each of the first 3 years of the plan. You also may start claiming the credit in the tax year before the tax year in which the plan becomes effective. To qualify:

 •  You must have 100 or fewer employees who received at least $5,000 in
    compensation from you for the preceding year.
 •  At least one participant must be a non-highly compensated employee.
 •  The employees generally cannot be substantially the same employees for whom
     contributions were made or benefits accrued under a qualified plan (401k, Profit
     Sharing, SIMPLE IRA, SEP IRA, etc) including employer sponsored plan(s) of any
     of the following employers in the 3-tax-year period immediately before the first
     year to which the credit applies.

         1. You
         2. A member of a controlled group that includes you.
         3. A predecessor of (1) or (2).

The credit is part of the general business credit, which can be carried back or forward to other tax years if it cannot be used in the current year. However, the part of the general business credit attributable to the small employer pension plan startup cost credit cannot be carried back to a tax year beginning before January 1, 2002. You cannot deduct the part of the startup costs equal to the credit claimed for a tax year, but you can choose not to claim the allowable credit for a tax year.

Nothing contained herein is intended to be used as or be construed as tax advice. To take advantage of the credit, obtain Form 8881, Credit Small Employer Pension Plan Startup Costs, and the instructions. You may also wish to consult your accountant.