1.405-1—Qualified bond purchase plans.
(a) Introduction.
Section 405 relates to the requirements for qualification of, and the tax treatment of funds contributed to, retirement plans of an employer for the benefit of his employees which are funded through the purchase of United States retirement plan bonds. Such bonds may be purchased under a qualified bond purchase plan described in section 405(a) and paragraph (b) of this section. The qualified bond purchase plan is an alternative method of providing some of the deferred compensation benefits provided by plans described in section 401. In addition, retirement bonds may be purchased under a qualified pension or profit-sharing plan described in section 401. A qualified bond purchase plan or a qualified pension or profit-sharing plan under which retirement bonds are purchased may cover only common-law employees, self-employed individuals, or both. A qualified bond purchase plan may be established after December 31, 1962, and retirement bonds may be purchased by a qualified pension or profit-sharing plan after December 31, 1962. For the terms and conditions of the retirement bonds, see section 405(b) and Treasury Department Circular, Public Debt Series—No. 1-63.
(b) Qualified bond purchase plans.
(1)
A qualified bond purchase plan is a definite written program and arrangement which is communicated to the employees and established and maintained by an employer solely to purchase for and distribute to his employees or their beneficiaries retirement bonds. These bonds must be purchased in the name of the employee on whose behalf the contributions are made. The plan must be a permanent plan which meets the requirements of section 401(a) (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (16), and (19), and, if applicable, the requirements of section 401(a) (9) and (10) and of section 401(d) (other than paragraphs (1), (5)(B), (8), (16), and (19)). The rules set forth in the regulations relating to those provisions shall be applicable to qualified bond purchase plans.
(2)
A qualified bond purchase plan must provide that an employee's right to the proceeds of a bond purchased in his name are nonforfeitable and will in no event inure to the benefit of the employer or be reallocated in any manner.
(c) Benefits under a qualified bond purchase plan.
(1)
Except as provided in subparagraph (2) of this paragraph, a qualified bond purchase plan must conform to the definition of a pension plan in paragraph (b)(1)(i) of § 1.401-1, or the definition of a profit-sharing plan in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of § 1.401-1. For example, if the qualified bond purchase plan is a profit-sharing plan, the plan must include the definite allocation formula described in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of § 1.401-1. In addition, if such a profit-sharing plan covers any owner-employee, the plan must also include the definite contribution formula described in section 401(d)(2)(B).
(2)
(i)
Under a qualified bond purchase plan, the bonds may be distributed to the employees at any time, and the plan need not prohibit the distribution or redemption of the bonds until the retirement of the employee. Accordingly, even though a qualified bond purchase plan is designed as a pension plan, it need not provide systematically for the payment of definitely determinable benefits. However, provisions for distribution must apply in a nondiscriminatory manner.
(ii)
A qualified bond purchase plan which is designed as a pension plan may not contain a formula for contributions or benefits which might require the reallocation of amounts to an employee's credit or which might provide for the reversion of any amounts to the employer.
(d) Contributions under a qualified bond purchase plan.
(1)
The retirement bonds will be issued in the denominations of $50, $100, $500, and $1,000. Therefore, the contribution otherwise called for under the plan may not coincide with an amount that can be invested in retirement bonds. Accordingly, the plan must provide that the contributions on behalf of an individual employee for any year shall be rounded to the nearest multiple of $50.
(2)
Since the employee's rights to any bonds purchased for him under a qualified bond purchase plan must be nonforfeitable, a qualified bond purchase plan must, in order to conform to the requirements of section 401(a)(4) with respect to the early termination of the plan, restrict the contributions on behalf of any employee to the amount which could be allocated to him under paragraph (c) of § 1.401-4.
(1)
The term “employee” includes an employee as defined in section 401(c)(1) and paragraph (b) of § 1.401-10, and the term “employer” means the person treated as the employer of such individual under section 401(c)(4) ;
(2)
The term “owner-employee” means an owner-employee as defined in section 401(c)(3) and paragraph (d) of § 1.401-10 ;
(3)
The term “earned income” means earned income as defined in section 401(c)(2) and paragraph (c) of § 1.401-10; and
(4)
The term “retirement bond” means a United States Retirement Plan Bond, as described in section 405(b) and Treasury Department Circular, Public Debt Series—No. 1-63.