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Your payroll service transmits your deferral contribution as fast as administratively feasible and there is always a lag between the time it is deducted and when it appears on your cash basis statement. Your payroll service must compile a complete census data file, and reconcile the accounting, in order to submit each contribution. This reconciliation takes time because the file may include thousands of employees of different employers, and must be done without error to ensure plan compliance. Once the funds and the data file are received, it takes Slavic401k one to two business days to process the information and send the trade to the fund companies. The fund companies have up to three business days to settle the trade, after which you will see your contribution on your statement via the web.

As explained in the previous question, the compilation of the required data accompanying the contribution is a lengthy and complex process. Until this process is accomplished, your money remains with the plan sponsor. It cannot be invested until an electronic data file can be compiled and transmitted with the funds; after which the money is sent to a plan trust account at Slavic401k and then forwarded to the fund companies with an electronic trade file. This process usually takes one to two days at Slavic401k and during this period, interest does not accrue to you because trust accounts, by law, do not pay interest, nor does Slavic401k earn any interest on your money or remuneration of any kind. Your 401(k) plan has daily valuations and segregated accounts requiring advanced systems to provide you this information online. Your deferral is tested before it goes to the fund companies to ensure that eligibility is met, vesting is computed, and that you haven’t exceeded certain deferral limits. If the Sponsor could increase the frequency of transmissions, the cost of the plan may go up because more processing time would occur; that is a cost-benefit decision that the plan sponsor determines in establishing the frequency. For these reasons, your deferrals are being invested as cost-effectively and as fast as administratively feasible.

Your distribution options are the same whether you voluntarily leave or are terminated. If your account balance is more than $5,000, you can leave your money in the plan. If you want to take your money with you, your vested account balance can be rolled into another 401(k) plan with your employer or put into an IRA. There are no tax penalties when your 401(k) is rolled over. If you cash out your 401(k), there is a 20% tax and possible 10% penalty. If you have an unpaid loan and request a distribution to yourself, the loan will be deducted from your balance paid out and be subject to a 20% mandatory tax, and possible 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Below are the contribution limits for retirement plans in 2023 as defined by the IRS:

• The maximum “annual addition” limit for a defined contribution plan is $66,000 in 2023 (increased from $61,000 in 2022)
• The elective deferral limit for 401(k), 403(b) and 457(b) plans is $22,500 in 2023 (increased from $20,500 in 2022).
• Catch-up contributions for employees age 50 and over is $7,500 in 2023 (increased from $6,500 in 2022).

Your first contribution depends on the following:

• Meeting eligibility requirements
• The plan entry requirements (Quarterly, Monthly, Immediate)
• Completed enrollment form
• Payroll processing time

To calculate how much your contributions will affect your take home pay, you can start by multiplying your pay period income by your contribution rate to know how much money will be contributed to your 401(k) account each pay period.

For example, if your gross pay (the amount before any taxes or benefits deductions) is $1,000 and you contribute 10%, $100 is deducted from your pre-tax paycheck and deposited into your 401(k) account.

The $100 contribution to your 401(k) is deducted from your paycheck pre-tax, so the impact on your take home pay will be less than $100 as those funds are not taxable by the government.

Typically, once your first contribution is deducted from your paycheck, it will take 1-2 weeks to reflect on your account.

The initial contribution filing process is complex, involving multiple parties and hundreds to even thousands of files within the plan. Your payroll company sends all of those files to Slavic401k. Then, our Trading Department tests the files to ensure all participants meet the qualifications of the plan, as well as resolve any errors before posting the initial contribution  to online accounts.