In many cases, an annual bonus is nothing more than a base salary in disguise. A CEO with a $1 million salary may also receive a $700,000 bonus. If any of that bonus, say $500,000, does not vary with performance, then the CEO's salary is really $1.5 million. Bonuses that vary with performance are another matter.
An executive bonus plan, also known as a Section 162 plan, is a compensation strategy that provides additional benefits to key employees or executives. This plan is a type of life insurance where the employer pays the premiums as a bonus.
An executive bonus plan, also known as a Section 162 plan, is a compensation strategy that provides additional benefits to key employees or executives. This plan is a type of life insurance where the employer pays the premiums as a bonus.
An executive benefit plan, used effectively, can be a valuable tool to attract and retain key executives. Executive bonus plans are simple in design and easy to implement. The executive bonus plan works as follows: The company provides the key executive with a bonus that is taxable as income to the recipient.
Executive bonus plans are typically offered to C-suite employees such as chief executives, chief operations executives, and chief financial officers. Premium payments are usually tax deductible for the employer and considered additional taxable compensation for the employee.
Some common examples of performance bonuses include: Commission-based bonus: Common in sales roles, employees earn a percentage of sales they generate. For instance, a car salesperson might earn a commission for each car sold.
As stated above, most public companies utilize non-discretionary executive bonus plans, as they tie short-term incentives to achieving short-term performance goals. Designing effective Executive Bonus Plans requires careful consideration of performance measures, goal alignment, goal transparency, and legal compliance.
Performance-based rewards are an incentive that employees receive based on their work-related contributions to the company rather than their time with the company. Performance-based rewards can take many forms, including stock options, bonuses, and salary increases.