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Employee Benefits

Executive & Equity Compensation

Regardless of an employer’s size, designing and implementing an effective executive compensation package can present challenges as well as opportunities. With careful attention, every employer can seize upon a number of available retirement and severance package designs to provide an appropriate mix of incentives and rewards to executive-level employees.

Butzel Long attorneys specializing in employee benefits work with their clients to help ensure that each one has the ability to optimize tax benefits for the employer and employee alike, without breaching the laws regarding the deferral of compensation. Our professionals also assist their clients in drafting and implementing compensation packages that provide equity incentives to align executive interests and shareholders interests.  All aspects of short and long term compensation programs are coordinated to ensure compliance with legislative and regulatory environment and corporate best governance practices, including the funding, design, administration, participant and shareholder communications and distribution of benefits.

Experience

Advised clients on strategies for addressing Code Section 409A specified employee status for international employees
Advised large manufacturing clients regarding Code Section 409A compliance for executive supplemental deferred compensation plans, deferred compensation plans and in-kind benefit programs
Advised publicly traded auction house on addition of restricted stock units to existing equity compensation plan to minimize accelerated FICA tax implications for retirement age participants
Advised tier one automotive supplier with documents and legal implications of merging multiple nonqualified deferred compensation plans with rabbi trusts into single national plan with single rabbi trust
Assisted clients with correction methods for failing to properly withhold FICA taxes for nonqualified deferred compensation programs