for their employees, and some other situations. The tax benefits in qualifying plans were intended to encourage lower-to-middle income earners to save more, high income-earners already having high savings rates. , the maximum qualifying annual income was $230,000. So, for example, if a company declared a 25% profit sharing contribution, any employee making less than $230,000 could deposit the entire amount of their profit sharing check (up to $57,500, 25% of $230,000) in their ERISA-qualifying account. For the company CEO making $1,000,000/year, $57,500 would be less than 1/4 of his $250,000 profit sharing cut. It is for high earners like the CEO, that companies provide "DC" (i.e. deferred compensation plans). Non-qualifying A nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plan is a written agreement between an employer and an employee wherein the employee voluntarily agrees to have part of their compensation withheld by the company, invested on their behalf, and given to them at some pre-specified point in the future. NQDC refers to a specific part of the tax code that provides a special benefit to corporate executives and other highly compensated corporate employees. Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation is also sometimes referred to as deferred comp (which technically would include qualifying deferred comp but the more common use of the phrase does not), DC, non-qualified deferred comp, NQDC or golden handcuffs. "Most large companies" have a NQDC that takes compensation until some future date. Income tax is deferred until the recipient receives payment. Depending on the firm and employee, DC can be optional or mandatory, contributions may come only from salary, or may allow gains from stock options. At some firms it is mandatory for all salary in excess of $1 million/year. The benefit feature of NQDC plans vary. Some plans provide matching contributions, which can be awarded at the board's discretion or by a formula. The contributions in the plan may earn a guaranteed minimum rate of "investment," or at a premium over the market rate. Nonqualifying differs from qualifying in that: Employers may also pick and choose which employees they provide deferred compensation benefits to rather than being required to offer the same plan to all employees. NQDC has the flexibility to treat different employees differently. The benefit promised need not follow any of the rules associated with qualified plans (e.g. the 25% or $44,000 limit on contributions to defined contribution plans). The vesting schedule can be whatever the employer would like