How does this work?
Executive Pension Plan is regulated by the Pensions Regulator. In most cases the employer pays into the plan, in others, both the employer and the employee pay in the plan. Thus a tax-efficient fund is designed for the employee. This is used to provide tax-free cash and a pension income to the executive after his retirement. Executive pension plans are similar to any other pension schemes in which they function as money purchase occupational pension schemes.
Normally, Executive Pension Plans (EPPs) are designed by the company directors for their personal benefit. But it can be utilized by their favoured key employees with the same levels of income that this investment can offer. In such cases, the pension fund is held up under a trust in which the trustees are responsible for the day-to-day administration activities like ensuring if the payment contributions and the payout benefits are maintained regularly. Under this scheme, each employee can have the liberty to retire early or to work past the company's retirement date.
Benefits:
The executive pension plan has huge benefits for the employers when it comes to recruiting potential employees. Employers can attract and motivate the employees and reward them with EPP schemes based on their performance. Showering performance incentives for your employees can be a good idea. But still offering them a long term benefit, something which they could count on even after their active working years allows them to understand that they are your important business assets.
Another benefit of executive pension plan is that certain schemes are eligible for a top up. With an increase in the life expectancy of the applicant, topping up the plan can help in building a larger fund that guarantees a high level of income post retirement.
Moreover, the employees feel comfortable as most of the schemes do not require their regular contribution. Their company will contribute a particular sum of money that goes into their executive pension plan which will mature at the time of their retirement. This is the extra benefit from executive pension schemes that are more advantageous than other forms of plans. With this plan in hand, each employee is guaranteed of tax-free returns for the rest of their life. It also forms part of their main income source which they can depend on at all times.
When it comes to the retirement date, each employee can choose their own year of retirement. They can either choose to retire early or to work past the company's set date of retirement. Whatever the choice is, the employee will still be able to enjoy a worry-free income for the rest of his life. All these advantages attract a large number of executives to sign up for a pension plan that guarantees long time tax-free income.