Type Of Tax-Book Difference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Type Of Tax-Book Difference - Essay Example The contribution that can be deductible by the employer must not exceed 25% of employee's total compensation (Green, n.d., retrieved 07.09.06). The employer receives a tax deduction equaling his contribution in the employee's defined contribution plan. The employees benefit from deduction of contribution from pre-tax salary, which enables them to save taxes and fund the retirement plan with the gross amount. The tax continues to be deferred until the plan is distributed and therefore there remain opportunities for fast investment growth (Building Your Retirement Funds, 2006). The advantages for defined contribution plan are that this plan allows the employees to save the tax payments until the plan is withdrawn, employees also benefit from employer contribution into the fund, the employees will have the opportunity after the retirement to either receive the entire amount or a series of payment over their entire life etc. The major advantage for employer underlying this plan is that it enables him to evade the risk on investment and also the burden of plan contribution is shared between the employer and the employees. Its major disadvantage is the complexity and strictness of the rules concerning the plan administration (Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans, 2005). Being the one who establishes the pension plan, an employer is expected to administer it and meet its requirements. The employer will monitor and supervise the investment poured into the plan and review the growth of funds. Moreover, he is also required to provide periodical information to the e mployees concerning the operation and status of the invested funds (Retirement Plan Basics, n.d. retrieved 08.09.06) The contribution on the part of employer is limited to a maximum of $40,000 or 25% of the employees' compensation whereas, for the year 2006, the contribution by employees has been defined as limited to 100% of his compensation up to the maximum of $15,000 (Green, n.d., retrieved 07.09.06). The distribution from a defined contributed plan is not allowed whilst the employee is still working. However, when this distribution takes place, it is taxed as an ordinary income. The Internal Revenue Service states the minimum age limit for pension plan distribution as 70-1/2 years, from which the employees should start withdrawing the funds. The distribution is not allowed before the employees reach the age of 59-1/2. If it is done, the investment would be subjected to an early-withdrawal penalty of 10% (Retirement Planning, 2006). The financial statements of XYZ Corporation should include a statement of net assets available for benefits at the end of the plan year. Moreover, the company also needs to present a statement of changes in net assets available for the benefits at the same time. Also, the GAAP requires the financial statements to be prepared under the accrual basis so as to ease the evaluation of plan assets composition (Defined Contribution Pension Plans, 2005) REQUIREMENT 2 Type Of Tax-Book Difference The discrepancies in the rules and principles set down for financial reporting and tax accounting lead to significant differences in the tax amounts shown in financial statements and the tax returns. These differences are known as the book-tax differences, which are further classified as either temporary or permanent tax differences (Michel, 2005). Permanent tax difference originates when an income or expense amount needs to be recognized by any of the two methods but not by both of