What is a Deferred Compensation Plan? How is it Different from a 401(k)?
Deferred compensation plans permit employees to defer receiving compensation until a later date. The deferred portion can be invested on a pre-tax basis and compound tax-free until the proceeds are withdrawn.
2 https://www.truist.com/resources/wealth/articles/deferred-compensation-the-pros-and-cons
4 https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/deferred-compensation/
5 https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/deferred-compensation/
6 https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/deferred-compensation/
7 https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/retirement/the-benefit-of-nqdc-plan
8 https://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/401ks/articles/what-is-a-deferred-compensation-plan
10 https://smartasset.com/retirement/5-disadvantages-of-saving-with-a-401k-plan
11 https://www.truist.com/resources/wealth/articles/deferred-compensation-the-pros-and-cons
12 https://www.fidelity.com/viewpoints/retirement/nqdc
13 https://www.fidelity.com/learning-center/personal-finance/retirement/the-benefit-of-nqdc-plan
14 https://www.truist.com/resources/wealth/articles/deferred-compensation-the-pros-and-cons
Additional Reading
Many executives read a severance agreement and fixate on one number: the total payout. They negotiate the headline figure, sign the paperwork, and move on. Then, weeks later, they open a deposit notification and realize the actual amount hitting their account looks nothing like what they agreed to.
There is a point in the accumulation process where the financial decisions you face stop resembling the ones you started with. A standard brokerage account and a maxed-out 401(k) were the right tools earlier. They are not sufficient for managing a portfolio with real complexity.
The confusion usually starts when your tax documents arrive and the same income seems to appear twice. It is a common worry. Most of the time the income has already been taxed once through payroll, and you simply have to report it correctly so you do not pay on it again.
