26 CFR § 1.401(a)-2

26 CFR · Internal Revenue

§ 1.401(a)-2 — Impossibility of diversion under qualified plan or trust.

26 CFR § 1.401(a)-2

TitleTitle 26: Internal Revenue PartPart 1: Income Taxes

SourceeCFR (current through Mar 20, 2026)

This text of 26 C.F.R. § 1.401(a)-2 (Impossibility of diversion under qualified plan or trust.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

26 C.F.R. § 1.401(a)-2 (2026).

Text

§ 1.401(a)-2 Impossibility of diversion under qualified plan or trust.

(a)General rule. Section 401(a)(2) requires that in order for a trust to be qualified, it must be impossible under the trust instrument (in the taxable year and at any time thereafter before the satisfaction of all liabilities to employees or their beneficiaries covered by the trust) for any part of the trust corpus or income to be used for, or diverted to, purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of those employees or their beneficiaries. Section 1.401-2, a pre-ERISA regulation, provides rules under section 401(a)(2) and that regulation is applicable except as otherwise provided.

(b)Section 415 suspense account. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, a plan, or trust forming part of a plan, may provide

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

§ 1.401(a)-2 Impossibility of diversion under qualified plan or trust.

(a) General rule. Section 401(a)(2) requires that in order for a trust to be qualified, it must be impossible under the trust instrument (in the taxable year and at any time thereafter before the satisfaction of all liabilities to employees or their beneficiaries covered by the trust) for any part of the trust corpus or income to be used for, or diverted to, purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of those employees or their beneficiaries. Section 1.401-2, a pre-ERISA regulation, provides rules under section 401(a)(2) and that regulation is applicable except as otherwise provided.

(b) Section 415 suspense account. Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this section, a plan, or trust forming part of a plan, may provide for the reversion to the employer, upon termination of the plan, of amounts contributed to the plan that exceed the limitations imposed under section 415(c), to the extent set forth in rules prescribed by the Commissioner in revenue rulings, notices, or other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see § 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter).

[T.D. 7748, 46 FR 1696, Jan. 7, 1981, as amended by T.D. 9319, 72 FR 16894, Apr. 5, 2007]