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Executive pension plan (EPP) meaning

What does Executive pension plan (EPP) mean?
An executive pension plan (EPP) is an employer-arranged occupational pension set up for a particular director or selected employee, typically as a single‑member, defined contribution arrangement often provided via an insurer. It is a descriptive market term rather than a term defined in legislation. In the UK (England & Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), an EPP operates as a registered pension scheme under the Finance Act 2004. In Ireland, it is an occupational pension scheme approved by Revenue, commonly called an executive pension or one‑member arrangement. Across all these jurisdictions, the concept is broadly consistent, though tax and regulatory rules differ. Key features include: employer contributions (with possible employee contributions) benefiting from tax relief within statutory limits; investment of contributions with benefits depending on investment performance; trust-based governance (often using an insurer’s master trust or a standalone trust); and retirement, death and transfer options determined by the applicable pensions tax regime and scheme rules. EPPs are used to provide targeted retirement benefits for directors or key employees where a wider workforce pension is unsuitable. While many new arrangements now use personal pensions, SIPPs, SSASs or master trusts, legacy EPPs remain common and may carry valuable protected rights and transfer considerations.
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View the related Practice Notes about Executive pension plan (EPP)

PRACTICE NOTES
Pensions glossary for family and matrimonial finance lawyers: schemes, tax reliefs, state pension, auto-enrolment, offsetting, PPF, valuation, drawdown and post-2024 lifetime allowance changes

A-day 'A-day' is the widely used term for the broad pension tax 'simplification' reforms that began on 6 April 2006. The changes covered: how much pension contribution was allowed, the kinds of schemes an individual could invest in, the sums that could be taken (and when), and the choices available for any remaining fund. A-day also introduced the annual allowance and the (now abolished) lifetime allowance. See: Annual allowance and Lifetime allowance. AFPS AFPS: Armed forces pension scheme; see Practice Note: Public sector pensions and family proceedings. Accrual rate The speed at which pension benefits build as pensionable service is completed in a final salary scheme, eg 1/60 for each year of pensionable service. Accrued benefits The benefits earned in respect of service up to a specified date. Added years Extra pension provided by adding further years of pensionable service in a salary-related scheme. Such additional years are secured via transfer payments or through additional voluntary contributions/augmentation...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK pensions glossary for private client and family lawyers

Accrual rate The speed at which pension entitlement builds as pensionable service is completed within a final salary arrangement, e.g. 1/60 for each year of pensionable service. Accrued benefits Benefits relating to service built up to a given date, measured with reference to current earnings or projected future pay. A-day ‘A-day’ is the widely used term for the broad pension tax ‘simplification’ reforms that came into force on 6 April 2006. These changes followed a 2004 government policy to rationalise the British tax system as it applied to pension schemes. The objective was to cut the volume of legislation accumulated under successive administrations, folding the previous eight tax regimes into a single regime for all personal and occupational pensions. Key areas covered included: how much pension contribution was allowed; the range of schemes an individual could invest in; how much an individual could withdraw (and when); and what could be done with the remaining fund. A-Day...

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