Rev. Rul. 98-53, 1998-46 I.R.B. 12.

                       Internal Revenue Service
                                 Revenue Ruling

                       COVERED COMPENSATION TABLES; 1999

                          Published: November 16, 1998

Section 401. - Qualified Pension, Profit-Sharing, and Stock Bonus Plans, 26 CFR 1.401(t)-1: Permitted disparity with respect to employer-provided contributions or benefits.

  Covered compensation tables; 1999. The covered compensation tables for the 1999 calendar year for determining, contributions to defined benefit plans and permitted disparity are set forth.

  This revenue ruling provides tables of covered compensation under § 401(1)(5)(E) of the Internal Revenue Code (the "Code") and the Income Tax Regulations, thereunder, for the 1999 plan year.

  Section 401(1)(5)(E)(i) defines covered compensation with respect to an employee, as the average of the contribution and benefit bases in effect under § 230 of the Social Security Act (the "Act") for each year in the 35-year period ending with the year in which the employee attains social security retirement age.

  Section 401(1)(5)(E)(ii) of the Code states that the determination for any year preceding the year in which the employee attains social security retirement age shall be made by assuming that there is no increase in covered compensation after the determination year and before the employee attains social security retirement age.

  Section 1.401(1)-1(c)(34) of the regulations defines the taxable wage base as the contribution and benefit base under § 230 of the Act.

  Section 1.401(1)-1(c)(7)(i) defines covered compensation for an employee as the average, (without indexing) of the taxable wage bases in effect for each calendar year during the 35-year period ending with the last day of the calendar year in which the employee attains (or will attain) social security retirement age. A 35-year period is used for all individuals regardless of the year of birth of the individual. In determining an employee's covered compensation for a plan year, the taxable wage base for all calendar years beginning after the first day of the plan year is assumed to be the same as the taxable wage base in effect as of the beginning of the plan year. An employee's covered compensation for a plan year beginning after the 35-year period applicable under § 1.401(1)-1(c)(7)(i) is the employee's covered compensation for a plan year during which the 35-year period ends. An employee's covered compensation for a plan year beginning before the 35-year period applicable under this § 1.401(1)-1(c)(7)(i) is the taxable wage base in effect as of the beginning of the plan year.

  Section 1.401(1)-1(c)(7)(ii) provides that, for purposes of determining the amount of an employee's covered compensation under § 1.401(1)-1(c)(7)(i), a plan may use tables, provided by the Commissioner, that are developed by rounding the actual amounts of covered compensation for different years of birth.


  For purposes of determining covered compensation for the 1999 year the taxable wage base is $72,600.

  The following tables provide covered compensation for 1999:


                        1999 Covered Compensation Table
Calendar Year of Birth    Calendar Year of Social     1999 Covered Compensation
                          Security Retirement Age                              
1907                                1972                                 $4,488
1908                                1973                                  4,704
1909                                1974                                  5,004
1910                                1975                                  5,316
1911                                1976                                  5,664
1912                                1977                                  6,060
1913                                1978                                  6,480
1914                                1979                                  7,044
1915                                1980                                  7,692
1916                                1981                                  8,460
1917                                1982                                  9,300
1918                                1983                                 10,236
1919                                1984                                 11,232
1920                                1985                                 12,276
1921                                1986                                 13,368
1922                                1987                                 14,520
1923                                1988                                 15,708
1924                                1989                                 16,968
1925                                1990                                 18,312
1926                                1991                                 19,728
1927                                1992                                 21,192
1928                                1993                                 22,716
1929                                1994                                 24,312
1930                                1995                                 25,920
1931                                1996                                 27,576
1932                                1997                                 29,304
1933                                1998                                 31,128
1934                                1999                                 33,060
1935                                2000                                 34,992
1936                                2001                                 36,888
1937                                2002                                 38,772
1938                                2004                                 42,468
1939                                2005                                 44,328
1940                                2006                                 46,176
1941                                2007                                 47,988
1942                                2008                                 49,752
1943                                2009                                 51,456
1944                                2010                                 53,124
1945                                2011                                 54,768
1946                                2012                                 56,364
1947                                2013                                 57,936
1948                                2014                                 59,352
1949                                2015                                 60,684
1950                                2016                                 61,920
1951                                2017                                 63,060
1952                                2018                                 64,116
1953                                2019                                 65,112
1954                                2020                                 66,060
1955                                2022                                 67,752
1956                                2023                                 68,544
1957                                2024                                 69,240
1958                                2025                                 69,852
1959                                2026                                 70,404
1960                                2027                                 70,884
1961                                2028                                 71,316
1962                                2029                                 71,664
1963                                2030                                 71,988
1964                                2031                                 72,264
1965                                2032                                 72,480
1966 or later                       2033                                 72,600


               1999 Rounded Covered Compensation Table
Year of Birth           Covered Compensation
1934                           33,000
1935 - 1936                    36,000
1937                           39,000
1938                           42,000
1939 - 1940                    45,000
1941                           48,000
1942 - 1943                    51,000
1944 - 1945                    54,000
1946 - 1947                    57,000
1948 - 1949                    60,000
1950 - 1952                    63,000
1953 - 1954                    66,000
1955 - 1959                    69,000
1960 - 1964                    72,000
1965 or later                  72,600


Drafting Information

  The principal author of this revenue ruling is Todd Newman of the Employee Plans Division. For further information regarding this revenue ruling, call (202) 622-6076 between 2:30 and 3:30 eastern time (not a toll free number) Monday thru Thursday. Mr. Newman's number is (202) 622-8458 (also not a toll free number).


Rev. Rul. 98-53, 1998-46 I.R.B. 12.