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Thursday

Retirement Plan Features and Highlights

The Plan is intended to help you
put aside money for your retirement
Features and Highlights

WHAT IS ABC COMPANY'S PLAN YEAR?

The Plan Year is the consecutive twelve-month period beginning on 01/01 and ending on 12/31.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

Participation is open to employees who have met the following requirements:
  • Attained age 21.
  • Completed 1 Year of Service, as defined by the Plan.
The Plan does not allow participation by employees who are:
  • Covered by a collective bargaining agreement.
  • Leased employees.
  • Non-resident aliens with no U.S. earned income.
Other requirements may also have to be met, as described in the Summary Plan Description.

WHEN MAY I JOIN?

Eligible employees may join the Plan on the earlier of the first day of the Plan year, or the first day of the fourth, seventh or tenth month of the Plan year coinciding with or next following the date on which the eligibility requirements are met (quarterly).

HOW DO I CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLAN?
  • Though payroll deduction, you can make elective deferrals up to the maximum allowed by law.  The dollar limit is $15,500 for 2007.
  • You can also designate your elective deferrals to a Plan account that qualifies as a Roth 401(k) account.  In 2007 you may contribute as much as $15,500, in total, to your 401(k) accounts (Roth 401(k) and pre-tax contributions), or the maximum allowed by your plan, whichever is less.  Roth 401(k) contributions will be included in your taxable income.  Earnings on the Roth 401(k) contributions will accumulate tax free, and retirement withdrawals may be exempt from federal income tax.
  • You may make a special elective salary deferral on any bonuses you receive up to 100% of any bonus.
  • If you have an existing qualified retirement plan (pre-tax), Roth 401(k), qualified retirement plan (after-tax), 403(b) tax deferred arrangement or governmental 457 plan with a prior employer, or hold a taxable IRA account, you may transfer or roll over that account into the Plan on becoming a participant in the Plan.
CAN I MAKE CATCH-UP CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE PLAN?

If you are age 50 or older and make the maximum allowable deferral to your Plan, you are entitled to contribute an additional "catch-up contribution".  The catch-up contribution is intended to help eligible employees make up for smaller contributions made earlier in their careers.  The maximum catch-up contribution is $5,000 for 2007.  See your Benefits Administrator for more details.

CAN I STOP OR CHANGE MY CONTRIBUTIONS?
  • You may stop your contributions anytime upon written notice to ABC Company.  Once you discontinue contributions, you may only start again as provided under the terms of the Plan.
  • You may increase or decrease the amount of your contributions upon written notice to ABC Company.  The frequency of these changes is determined by ABC Company.  See your Plan Administrator for more information.
HOW DOES ABC COMPANY CONTRIBUTE TO THE PLAN?

The Plan also provides for ABC Company to make contributions.
  • ABC Company will make matching contributions equal to 5% of your eligible elective deferrals, up to 10% of compensation.
  • The matching contribution will be made on both pre-tax contributions and Roth 401(k) contributions.  Any match made on Roth 401(k) contributions and the earnings on that match will be subject to income tax upon withdrawal.
  • The Plan also provides for discretionary matching contributions on eligible elective deferrals in an amount to be determined by ABC Company on an annual basis. The discretionary matching contribution will be made only on pre-tax contributions.
  • ABC Company will make safe harbor matching contributions of 100% of the first 3% of compensation you contribute to the Plan and 50% of the next 2% of compensation you contribute to the Plan. Other limitations may apply.
The employer match on eligible elective deferrals benefits eligible employees who are actively employed on the last day of the Plan year and who have completed a year of service.

The employer discretionary match on eligible elective deferrals benefits all eligible employees and eligible employees who have worked 1,000 hour(s) during the Plan Year.

HOW DO I BECOME "VESTED" IN MY PLAN ACCOUNT?

Vesting refers to your "ownership" of a benefit from the Plan.  You are always 100% vested in your Plan contributions and your rollover contributions, plus any earnings they generate.  You are 100% vested in the "safe harbor" contributions ABC Company makes on your behalf, plus any earnings they generate.  Other employer contributions to the Plan, plus any earnings they generate, are vested as follows:

Years of
Vesting
Service
Percentage
Less than 2
0%
2
20%
3
40%
4
60%
5
80%
6 or more
100%

All accounts are fully vested at the Normal Retirement Age of 65.

WHEN CAN MONEY BE WITHDRAWN FROM MY PLAN ACCOUNT?

Money may be withdrawn from your Plan account in these events:
  • Retirement at the Plan's Normal Retirement Age of 65.
  • Your attaining age 59½.
  • Death.
  • Disability.
  • Termination of Employment.
To receive favorable tax treatment, distributions of Roth 401(k) contributions must be made after you reach age 59½ , or on account of your death or disability, and must be made at least 5 years after the date your first Roth 401(k) contribution was made.  See your Summary Plan Description for more details about taking withdrawals from the Plan.  Be sure to talk with your tax advisor before withdrawing any money from your Plan account. 

MAY I WITHDRAW MONEY IN CASE OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIP?

If you have an immediate financial need created by severe hardship and you lack other reasonably available resources to meet that need, you may be eligible to receive a hardship withdrawal from your account.  If you feel you are facing a financial hardship, you should see your Benefits Administrator for more details.

MAY I BORROW MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT?

The Plan is intended to help you put aside money for your retirement.  However, ABC Company has included a Plan feature that lets you borrow money from the Plan.
  • The amount the Plan may loan to you is limited by rules under the tax law.  In general, all loans will be limited to the lesser of one-half of your vested account balance or $50,000.
  • The minimum loan amount is $1,000.
  • All loans must generally be repaid within five years.
  • You may have 2 loans outstanding at a time.
  • Loans are permitted from all accounts.
Other requirements and limits must be met, and certain fees may apply.  Refer to the Summary Plan Description for more details about this participant loan feature.

HOW ARE PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS INVESTED?

You give investment directions for your Plan account, selecting from investment choices provided under the Plan, as determined by ABC Company.
  • You may change your investment choices anytime.
  • More information about your Plan's investment choices can be found elsewhere in these materials.
The Plan is intended to be an ERISA Section 404(c) plan.  This simply means that you "exercise control" over some or all of the investments in your Plan account.  The fiduciaries of the Plan may be relieved of liability, or responsibility, for any losses that you may experience as a direct result of your investment decisions.

As a plan participant, you may request certain information from Susan R. Sample, Trustee, 123 Main Street, Anywhere, USA 12345, phone:  123-456-7890.  This information includes: annual operating expenses of the Plan investments; copies of prospectuses, financial statements, reports, or other materials relating to Plan investments provided to the Plan; a list of assets contained in each Plan investment portfolio; the value of those assets and fund units or shares; and the past and current performance of each Plan investment.

SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION

The above highlights are only a brief overview of the Plan's features and are not a legally binding document.  A more detailed Summary Plan Description is available.  Contact your Benefits Administrator if you have any further questions.

Hollis Lamon
Lamon & Stern
Atlanta, Georgia

Contact Hollis Lamon of Lamon & Stern today for all your retirement planning needs! 770-951-8411