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IRS Announces 2015 COLA Increases

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced cost-of-living adjustments impacting and (FSAs) for 2015. For retirement plans, increases were made to most of the general plan limitations, including the individual limits on deferrals and catch-up contributions, as well as the limit on annual compensation.听 For FSAs, the inflation-adjusted limit will increase by $50.听 No change was made to transit and parking pre-tax subsidies or dependent care assistance plans.听 The following table highlights the changes made by the IRS.
Code听Section 2015 2014
401(a)(17)/404(l)听Annual 听 Compensation $265,000 $260,000
402(g)(1) Elective 听 Deferrals 18,000 17,500
414(v)(2)(B)(i) 听 Catch-up Contribution 6,000 5,500
415(b)(1)(A) 听 Defined Benefit Plan Limits 210,000 210,000
415(c)(1)(A) 听 Defined Contribution Plan Limits 53,000 52,000
457(e)(15) 听 Deferral Limit 18,000 17,500
414(q)(1)(B) 听 Highly Compensated Employee Threshold 120,000 115,000
409(o)(1)(C) ESOP 听 Limits 1,070,000听听听 听 210,000 1,050,000听 听 210,000
416(i)(1)(A)(i) 听 Key Employee 170,000 170,000
408(p)(2)(E) 听 SIMPLE Maximum Contributions 12,500 12,000
414(v)(2)(B)(ii) 听 SIMPLE Catch-up Contribution 3,000 2,500
408(k)(2)(C) SEP 听 Minimum Compensation 600 550
408(k)(3)(C) SEP 听 Maximum Compensation 265,000 260,000
1.61-21(f)(5)(i) 听 Control Employee 105,000 105,000
1.61-21(f)(5)(iii) 听 Control Employee 215,000 210,000
Social Security 听 Tax Wage Base 118,500 117,000
Health FSA 2,550 2,500
Dependent Care 听 Assistance Plans No change 5,000 for 听 qualified individuals and those who are married and file a joint return; 听 2,500 for those who are married and file separate returns
Qualified Transit 听 Benefits No change $130 per month
Qualified Parking 听 Benefits No change $250 per month
Editor鈥檚 Note: The content of this article was heavily contributed by the attorneys of Ogletree Deakins, a labor and employment law firm representing management. This information should not be relied upon as legal advice.