Nonqualified plan

Nonqualified plan

A retirement plan that does not meet the IRS requirements for favorable tax treatment.

Nonqualified Plan

An annuity or pension plan that one buys individually rather than through an employer. Nonqualified plans are not subject to the same restrictions as qualified plans. As a result, withdrawal penalties are smaller or non-existent, and one may continue to make contributions to a more advanced age (sometime until the annuitant is over 80). In the United States, specific restrictions on nonqualified plans are set at the state level. The IRS does not regulate them; as a result, contributions are not tax-deductible, but earnings still are.