sep-ira PLAN FOR PARNERS

[MA343]

Can a partner set up his own SEP-IRA PLAN SEPARATE FROM THE PARTNERSHIP PLAN

[dmertz · Accepted solution]

Not for making contributions with respect to self-employment income from the partnership.  SEP contributions with respect to self-employment income from the partnership must be made to a plan established under the partnership and the contributions to the respective SEP IRAs for all partners must be the same percentage of net self-employment earnings.

If you have a separate business that for retirement-plan purposes that is not required to be combined with the partnership due to being a controlled or affiliated service group, you could make SEP contributions from that separate company.  These contributions could be made to the same SEP IRA as the SEP contributions made by the partnership under the partnership's plan or to a different SEP IRA.  Using a separate SEP IRA might make keeping track of everything easier.  (If you have a separate business that must be treated as a controlled or affiliated service group, you must make the proper percentage of SEP contribution under the partnership's plan from your net earnings from that business, limited to the statutory maximum combined total.  Employers in a controlled or affiliated service group are treated as a single employer for retirement-plan purposes.))