A defined contribution (DC) plan is a retirement plan in which the amount of the employer's and/or employee's contributions are defined, but the retirement benefit depends on the investment performance of the account.
Common DC plan types:
| Plan Type | Who Can Use | |---|---| | 401(k) | For-profit companies | | 403(b) | Non-profits, schools, hospitals | | 457(b) | Government and some non-profit employees | | SEP-IRA | Self-employed, small businesses | | SIMPLE IRA | Small businesses (≤100 employees) | | Profit-sharing | Any employer | | Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) | Any employer |
Key features: - The employee bears the investment risk — account balance at retirement is not guaranteed. - Contributions are generally tax-deductible for employers; pre-tax or Roth for employees. - Accounts are individually owned and portable (can roll over when changing jobs). - No PBGC coverage (unlike defined benefit plans).
SIMPLE IRA (2025 limits): Employee elective deferrals: $16,500; catch-up (50+): +$3,500.
403(b) vs. 401(k): Very similar contribution limits ($23,500 in 2025); 403(b) allows an additional catch-up for employees with 15+ years of service (up to $3,000/year for 5 years).
> Exam tip: DC plan = employee bears investment risk; DB plan = employer bears investment risk. The trend has been a massive shift from DB to DC plans over the past 40 years. PBGC does NOT cover DC plans.