The Three Critical Areas of Succession Planning

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succession-9-4-17.pngLeaving is an inevitable part of life. Everybody ages and, whether by choice or by circumstance, we won’t forever be doing what we are doing today. This law is true for your bank as much as it is for yourself. It is essential to take steps now to prevent the inevitable transitions that are in the future. As individuals, we are constantly questioning whether we are prepared for the next stage of life. “Have I saved enough for retirement?” “Is my estate in order?” As directors, we need to be making similar plans for our bank’s future.

Succession planning can be broken down into three areas: management succession, board succession and ownership succession.

Management Succession
When succession planning is first addressed by a bank, typically management succession is what comes to mind. This naturally includes the chief executive officer’s position, but should also include other vital roles in the bank such as chief financial officer, chief operating officer and your bank’s senior lending officers.

Some banks are challenged when trying to start a formal succession plan: “Who should you include and how should you start?” Banks should start with the most predictable event possible, the eventual retirement of current executives. Not all current executives will necessarily know the exact date they plan to retire, but an age range of 65 to 67 is a good start. As far as whom to include in the plan, it is important to remember that it is not necessary to name a successor now. Identifying a small pool of potential successors is often sufficient. But what banks need to remember is that part of a successful succession plan is ensuring that the people in your plan are still at the bank when you need them. Many banks are incorporating executive benefit/BOLI plans that have golden handcuffs in order to retain all potential successors in the succession plan.

Knowing what you should plan for is always beneficial, but when designing a formal succession plan, banks need to address other contingencies besides the eventual retirement of the current management team. Death, disability and other unexpected events may create a critical situation for those banks that don’t have an emergency succession plan in addition to their long-term succession plan. Depending on the readiness of those involved, the person who takes over running the bank in case of an emergency may very well not be the same person who is the identified successor in the long-term plan.

Board Succession
One of the most challenging aspects of succession planning is board succession. Many banks have mandatory retirement ages typically ranging from age 70 to 75. If your bank does not currently have a mandatory retirement age, you can use nonqualified benefit plans to provide a benefit to those who you may require to retire at a specific age. This can facilitate their retirement from the board in a respectful and dignified way. You may also consider grandfathering the existing board members from a new policy you wish to implement. If that step is taken, the bank still needs to recruit young directors in preparation for the succession of the aging board. In the current regulatory environment, the role of the director is much more involved than in previous years. Often, the most successful banks have diversity on their boards, including various ages and backgrounds, to bring different perspectives regarding the strategic direction of the bank. One concept that seems to be successful for many of our clients is creating an advisory board made up of younger, successful, local business men and women to assist the bank in spreading its marketing footprint. They also typically provide great insight into the needs of the younger generation of bank customers. And many of them bring potentially profitable customers to the bank. As directors reach the mandatory retirement age, the board may recruit full-time directors from the advisory board, which makes for a much smoother transition.

Ownership Succession
Though many owners do not share their ownership succession plan with the rest of the board or key members of management, it is helpful to know how to plan for the succession of the bank. Utilizing nonqualified benefit plans for key management is beneficial in keeping the management team in place during the ownership succession of the bank.
Open communication is a key factor when considering all forms of succession planning. The more people are aware of the planning that banks are doing, the more comfortable both employees and customers will be during any portion of a transition of succession.

Compensation Planning In Today’s Talent Market

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How do banks attract young employees and retain key executives? David Fritz Jr. and Patrick Marget of Executive Benefits Network explain that bank compensation plans should appeal to multiple generations and outline how Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) can offset compensation costs.

  • Challenges in Attracting & Retaining Employees
  • Focusing on Long-Term Incentives
  • BOLI’s Role in Compensation Planning

General Account BOLI Sales Dominate Market in 2016

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BOLI-5-15-17.pngIn 2016, bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) sales fell $804 million from 2015 to $3.244 billion, but the percentage of banks with BOLI policies increased to 62.2 percent, up from 60.5 percent the year before.

These are some of the findings from two separate reports on the BOLI market. The key reasons for the decline was in the purchase of both Hybrid Separate Account (HSA) and Variable Separate Account (VSA) products, where banks hold a portion of the investment risk. General Account (GA) products, where the cash surrender values (CSVs) are supported by the insurance company, dominated the BOLI market in 2016 with sales amounting to $2.948 billion or 90.9 percent of the total BOLI purchases that occurred last year, according to market research firm IBIS Associates. HSA sales amounted to only $149.3 million in 2016 with VSA sales trailing slightly behind at $147.2 million. VSA purchases declined by $347 million between 2015 and 2016 due to the lack of any large case sales. Larger banks tend to be the main purchasers of VSA products.

New Premium & Case Sales
The percentage of BOLI premiums invested in GA products has grown from 31.5 percent in 2012 to 90.9 percent in 2016. In contrast, HSA purchases have decreased in recent years. This is due to more GA product options, higher yields, and the high comfort level bankers have with the general credit-worthiness of GA carriers. VSA purchases have been somewhat erratic during the past few years and are still well below the volumes recorded earlier this decade. This is due to the lower current yields, the reduced number of carriers offering these products, and the increased complexity of the product when compared to GA or HSA products.

New Premium (In Millions)

  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 5 Year Average
General Account $1,391 $1,896 $2,480 $3,050 $2,948 $2,353
Hybrid Separate Account $884 $1,009 $698 $494 $149 $647
Variable Separate Account $2,138 $274 $36 $504 $147 $620
Total $4,413 $3,179 $3,214 $4,048 $3,244 $3,620

Source: IBIS Associates

During the past five years, the number of individual BOLI sales has been relatively steady. The range during this period has been narrow with a low of 1,017 in 2015 and a high of 1,235 in 2013. The numbers below reflect the new BOLI cases that carriers have reported on their books.

New Case Sales

  2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 5 Year Average
General Account 709 897 901 909 1,017 887
Hybrid Separate Account 350 329 272 104 68 225
Variable Separate Account 62 9 2 4 9 17
Total 1,121 1,235 1,175 1,017 1,094 1,128

Source: IBIS Associates

Holdings by U.S. Banks
The CSV of BOLI policies held by banks stood at $161.8 billion as of December 31, 2016, reflecting a 3.6 percent increase from $156.2 billion as of December 31, 2015, according to the Equias Alliance/Michael White Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) Holdings Report™. The report revealed that:

  • Of the 5,913 banks in the survey, 3,680 or 62.2 percent reported holding BOLI assets as of December 31, 2016, and total BOLI CSV increased by $5.62 billion (3.6 percent) from $156.18 billion as of December 31, 2015, to $161.80 billion as of December 31, 2016.
  • With a balance of $72.46 billion (44.8 percent of all BOLI CSV) as of December 31, 2016, VSA BOLI continues to lead when measured by dollar amount. At the same time, only 464 or 7.9 percent of all banks hold VSA assets.
  • Nearly thirteen hundred (1,261) or 21.3 percent of all banks reported holding HSA assets as of December 31, 2016. These banks held $17.40 billion in HSA assets, representing 10.8 percent of total BOLI assets.
  • The type of BOLI assets most widely held by banks as of December 31, 2016 was GA policies. Of the 3,680 banks reporting BOLI assets, 3,537 (96.1 percent) of them held $71.94 billion in general account life insurance assets, representing 44.4 percent of total BOLI assets as of December 31, 2016.

BOLI Growth Continues
BOLI remains appealing to banks for several reasons:

  • It provides attractive tax-equivalent yields compared to alternative investments of a similar risk and duration;
  • The bank receives book value accounting so that changes in the market values of the underlying investment portfolio do not flow through to the bank.
  • The bank receives the life insurance proceeds tax-free upon the death of an insured employee; and
  • The bank can use the earnings to help offset and recover employee benefit costs, including non-qualified plans used to attract and retain key employees.

BOLI currently offers a net yield ranging from approximately 2.50 percent to 3.75 percent. For a bank in the 38 percent tax bracket, this translates into a tax equivalent yield of 4.03 percent to 6.05 percent. Thus, BOLI remains an attractive investment alternative for banks.

Rates Are Lower for Longer: How Do I Find Yield for My Bank?

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BOLI-11-2-16.pngAs U.S. Treasury bond yields worsen, the banking industry finds itself in a familiar position. Bank portfolio managers would like better yield, but regulations restrict banks from going down the credit stack or out the curve to reach for yield. Net interest margins are at all-time lows and regulations compel us to manage regulatory risk first—price, rate and repayment risks are now secondary. Banking as we know it has changed, and not necessarily for the better. But there is a silver lining.

In December 2015, the Federal Reserve raised the funds rate 25 basis points. Immediately, foreign purchasers starving for yield drove prices to new highs, resulting in yields that were lower than before the Fed increased the rate. In early 2016, several countries moved to negative rates. Should the Fed raise rates again soon, more foreign deposits will find Treasury bonds even more compelling again.

Long term, given that the U.S. national debt stands at $19.5 trillion, the U.S. Treasury can’t afford rates to be appreciably higher. The recession of 2007, the war on terror and expansion of social programs has greatly limited options. Most economists agree that the treasury debt market will remain in the lower-for-longer phase for quite some time. Ouch. So, what to do?

Lending is the first most obvious answer but regulations remain confounding. Many bankers feel as if they are only able to grow by stealing market share. Multiple banks chasing the same high quality loans exacerbate spread compression. Agency debt and mortgage-backed securities have yields basically stuck in the 1.70 percent to 1.75 percent range. Municipals remain relatively attractive, but the laborious process, small sizes, ongoing care and price sensitivity make them less compelling.

The judicious use of Bank Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) could be a winning answer. Hear me out—with crediting rates (yield) at nearly 4 percent the concept has merit. Most money center banks and many super regionals maintain BOLI holdings at maximum allowable percentages. Yields are compelling, counterparty risk is stable and price risk is minimal. Interestingly, large banks are more likely than small banks to use the maximum allowable BOLI. Community bankers sometimes forget this break is available to all banks regardless of asset size.

BOLI has a positive effect upon your efficiency ratio as it provides additional tax-free dollars for employee benefits. Since efficiency ratio equals expenses divided by revenue, every additional dollar of revenue results in an ever-larger denominator, hence the ratio shows an immediate positive impact. BOLI is purchased at par and is always held at par eliminating price risk. Given the current cheapness of the asset, BOLI can be surrendered within a year (net of taxes and penalties) and still provide a higher return than mortgage-backed securities.

BOLI can be viewed as outsourcing a portion of your portfolio. Choose a provider that only uses insurance carriers that are A+ rated or better and that employ seasoned, capable portfolio managers. In the event of an untimely loss of an insured employee, the insurance payments help the family and assist the institution to pay for costs related to replacement.

Recently, I met with the president of an $8 billion asset bank who commented, “I really thought I didn’t want to discuss my BOLI holdings. Then I realized it’s a $100 million asset on my books and I’d better get interested in how to optimize it!” We are currently completing a review of his policy holdings.

In the current market, the BOLI asset is extraordinarily cheap. It is a high yielding, low risk asset with a superb degree of price stability. Does it solve every answer? No. Will BOLI always be this cheap? No. But given recent advancements by insurance carriers and asset managers, it is a financial tool that really demands a hard look.

The Bank-Owned Life (BOLI) Insurance Market is Changing: Here’s How

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BOLI-10-24-16.pngBank-owned life insurance (BOLI) has undergone a number of changes since it was first introduced in the early 1980s. The number of carriers offering BOLI was a handful in the 1980s, increased to 20 or so in the 1990s and 2000s, and since has decreased to 8 to 10 active carriers as a number of insurers have exited the market or are currently sitting on the sidelines due to the low rate environment.

As competition for attractive investments has increased due to low yields, many carriers have moderately increased duration. Interestingly, several carriers have reduced purchases of below investment grade securities as the yield spread available for them has decreased to the point where the investment return does not justify the increased risk.

On the sales front, in the first six months of this year, there was a 10 percent increase in the number of banks purchasing BOLI compared to a similar period in 2015. Despite the increase in BOLI purchases, there was a decline in the number of banks purchasing the hybrid separate account product as most banks opted for general account.

As the financial crisis passed and banks become more comfortable with the long-term credit quality of carriers, data shows that fewer banks selected hybrid account policies than in the past, which have a mix of variable and general account properties.

Some aspects of the market have, however, remained consistent over time: there have been steady annual increases in both the amount of BOLI assets held by banks and in the percentage of banks holding BOLI assets.

The focus of this article is to look more closely at the state of the market as of June 30, 2016, including changes that have occurred between June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2016 to help track market trends.

New Purchases of BOLI
IBIS Associates, an independent market research firm, publishes a report analyzing BOLI sales based on information obtained from insurers that market BOLI products. According to the IBIS Associates BOLI Report for the period January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016:

  • During the first six months of 2016, 553 banks purchased BOLI. The 553 banks included institutions purchasing it for the first time as well as additional purchases by banks that already own BOLI. This was a 10 percent increase over the 502 banks that purchased BOLI during the same time period in 2015.
  • New BOLI premium from banks amounted to $1.78 billion as of June 30, 2016. During a similar six month period in 2015, the total was $2.10 billion or $320 million higher. The difference is attributable to one large variable separate account purchase in the first half of 2015 ($400 million).
  • General account purchases dominated the market during the first half of 2016. Of the $1.78 billion in new BOLI premium, $1.65 billion (92.8 percent) was invested in general accounts. Hybrid product purchases amounted to $75.8 million (4.3 percent) while variable separate account purchases (where the investment risk is held by the policyholders and investment gains flow directly to them rather than the insurance carrier) were only $51.4 million (2.9 percent).
  • During the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2014, 226 banks purchased a hybrid product while for the period July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2016, the number of banks with a hybrid product increased by just 42 banks.

The reasons cited by bankers for purchasing BOLI are that it provides competitive returns with superior credit quality. Current BOLI net yields are in the range of 3.00 percent to 3.75 percent which generates tax equivalent net yields of 4.85 percent to 6.05 percent for a bank in the 38 percent tax bracket. Income generated by BOLI can help offset the increasing costs of a bank’s benefit programs.

Status of Market
Based on a review of FDIC data, the September 2016 Equias Alliance/Michael White Bank-Owned Life Insurance Holdings Report, shows that as of June 30, 2016:

  • BOLI assets reached $159.0 billion reflecting a 3.8 percent increase from $153.1 billion as of June 30, 2015. Banks with between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets had the largest percentage increase in BOLI assets during this timeframe with 8.3 percent growth.
  • Of the 6,058 banks in the survey, 3,713 (61.3 percent) now report holding BOLI assets. This percentage has grown year after year. There is, however, a wide discrepancy in the percentage of banks holding BOLI by size category. For example, only 39.9 percent of banks with under $100 million in assets hold BOLI while 81.9 percent of banks with $1 billion to $10 billion in assets hold BOLI.

In summary, the positive trends in new purchases, growth in assets and usage of BOLI by banks continued in the first half of 2016.

Addressing Problems with SERPs in Benefit Plan Designs

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SERPs-8-5-16.pngSupplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) are a valuable compensation tool that banks can use to attract and retain executive talent. SERPs are nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements that are non-elective, meaning the company is responsible for contributions to the plan. Unfortunately, improper design of these plans can result in significant expenses for banks without providing the intended retention value. As a result, SERPs have gained a lot of negative press (particularly during the economic downturn), but if used properly, they can be a powerful tool in compensation. Here’s what you need to know about executive retirement benefits and how banks can avoid the common issues that arise with SERPs.

SERPs have some lingering reputational issues, although this isn’t entirely fair. Many banks do their due diligence and pay close attention to the expenses they will incur as a result of their benefit plans, but this hasn’t always been the case. When SERPs rose in popularity, many banks entered into inappropriately designed plans without understanding their implications. A poorly designed SERP can accelerate vesting schedules in the event of early retirement or cause banks to pay benefits in excess of 100 percent of final salary. Problems also arise due to IRC Section 280G (which deals with golden parachutes) in the event of a change of control. Additionally, many of these SERPs were designed solely with the placement of Bank Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) in mind, ignoring the strategic purpose and future impact. Fast forwarding to 2016, we see a number of problems related to SERP plans. The primary concerns are the following:

  • Banks absorbing mortality risks for lifetime benefit plans.
  • Defined benefit structures whereby a SERP benefit is contingent upon a final pay calculation.
  • Not considering 280G excise tax concerns in the case of M&A activity.
  • Unreasonable benefit structures that are either too lucrative or conservative.
  • Equity-based SERP designs.

Many boards have been soured by a bad experience and vowed to never implement another SERP plan at their bank. From a strategic perspective, this is a mistake that will hinder the bank’s ability to retain and recruit the talent necessary to stay competitive.

The real problem isn’t SERPS—its poor design. A SERP isn’t the answer to all the retention or recruitment issues, but it is a tool that should be used to complement the other components of compensation. SERPS themselves are not the problem; poorly designed SERPs are. Let’s address a few key design considerations:

  • Know what your expense is going to be. The benefit should be fixed day one, plain and simple.
  • Understand the potential 280G impact, regardless of the probability of a change in control.
  • Know that financing tools exist to reduce plan expense and provide a lifetime benefit with a fixed cost through proven methodologies. Explore all financing options—BOLI is not the only tool available for bankers.
  • Understand the strategic purpose behind the benefit plan structure, and conduct peer compensation studies to ensure that the benefit and compensation are reasonable and competitive.
  • Make sure the bank is protected in the event of premature death, but don’t allow life insurance to drive the design of your plan.

If your plan does not incorporate some of these features, it’s time to take a hard look at your plan design. Although IRC 409A (which regulates the tax treatment for nonqualified deferred compensation plans) imposes limitations on plan design changes, there are a number of strategies to help reduce the general plan expense, mortality risk concerns, 280G exposure and other issues without violating IRC 409A. There are hedging vehicles in the market to generate efficiencies at the benefit expense level. Consult with a compensation professional to help you navigate these waters.

Many banks continue to use SERPs effectively. A bad experience should not deter you from exploring the plan’s positive benefits. That said, a SERP can be complex and should be designed objectively by compensation professionals. If you explore all financing tools to make sure the bank is getting the most efficient design, your bank will be in an excellent position to accomplish your goals.

Key Trends in the BOLI Market in 2016

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BOLI-market-6-22-16.pngIn 2015, the percentage of banks with bank-owned life insurance (BOLI) increased, the majority selected a General Account (GA) product and the cash surrender value of policies rose.

These are some of the conclusions drawn from the latest research from the Equias Alliance/Michael White Bank-Owned Life Insurance Holdings Report. Of the 6,182 banks in the U.S. operating at the end of last year, 60.5 percent now report holding BOLI assets. This percentage has consistently grown year after year. Further, the percentage of banks in each size category holding BOLI assets increased from the end of 2014 to the end of 2015 with banks in the $1 billion to $10 billion asset category having the highest percentage of BOLI at 82.5 percent.

BOLI assets reached $156.2 billion at the end of 2015, reflecting a 4.4 percent increase from $149.6 billion as of December 31, 2014. The growth in BOLI holdings is attributable to a variety of factors including an increase in the value of those holdings, first-time purchases of BOLI by banks, and additional purchases by banks already having BOLI on the books.

Holdings by Product Type
The highest dollar amount of BOLI assets continues to be held in Variable Separate Accounts (VSAs), where the investment risk is held by the policyholders and investment gains flow directly to them rather than the insurance carrier. VSA assets totaled $71.95 billion representing 46.1 percent of all BOLI assets as of December 31, 2015, down slightly from 47.6 percent at the end of 2014. At the same time, only 480 or 12.8 percent of all banks with BOLI reported holding VSA assets, down from 14.2 percent a year ago. Typically, only larger banks hold VSA assets because of the investment risk noted previously. The average amount of VSA assets held by these 480 banks is substantially larger than the average amount of General Account (GA) or Hybrid Separate Account (HSA) assets held by community banks due to the size differential between the banks.

The type of BOLI assets most widely held by banks in 2015 was GA. A GA’s cash surrender values are supported by the assets of the insurance company. Nearly 96 percent of banks with BOLI reported GA BOLI assets. In comparison to GA products, HSAs have not been available for purchase nearly as long. Since 2011, the number of banks using HSA products increased by 47 percent to 1,280. The above BOLI holding percentages exceed 100 percent since some banks have more than one type of BOLI product.

New Purchases of BOLI in 2015
According to a report from IBIS Associates, Inc., an independent market research firm, BOLI sales last year increased to $4.048 billion which were attributable to purchases by approximately 500 banks. This was 26 percent higher than the $3.214 billion reported in 2014 and was primarily due to a major increase in VSA premium which rose from $35.6 million in 2014 to $504.0 million in 2015. This was due, in part, to a few very large VSA purchases that may not be duplicated in future years.

Why BOLI Remains Popular
Feedback we have received from our clients suggests that the reasons BOLI remains appealing as an investment for banks has not changed in recent years:

  • It provides tax advantaged investment income not available with traditional bank investments, as well as attractive yields compared to alternative investments of a similar risk and duration
  • The growth in the cash value of the BOLI policies generates income for the bank and its shareholders
  • The bank receives the life insurance proceeds tax-free upon the death of an insured employee who elected to participate in the plan; and
  • The bank can use the income to pay for one or more non-qualified benefit plans to help attract and retain key executives, or use the income to help offset and recover employee benefit costs such as health care and retirement expenses.

Since BOLI currently offers a net yield ranging from approximately 2.25 percent to 3.75 percent, depending upon the carrier and product, BOLI remains a popular investment option for many financial institutions. For a bank in the 38 percent tax bracket, this translates into a tax equivalent yield of 3.62 percent to 6.05 percent.

Finally, based on our experience, banks owning BOLI policies remain very satisfied with their previous purchases and would consider making additional purchases in the future.

The Four Habits of Successful Bank Compensation Committees

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compensation-committee-6-17-16.pngCompensation committees are responsible for setting the foundation of a bank’s compensation program, subsequently impacting the bank’s underlying culture. The banking industry is more competitive than ever, so attracting and retaining top talent should be the number one priority. With a compensation committee that is educated on industry trends and modern-day compensation best practices, your bank will be on its way to developing programs that attract and retain top talent. Here are the top four best practices a bank’s compensation committee should consider.

1. Committee Members Should Take Steps to Stay Educated
Your committee members are responsible for staying aware of compensation trends. They need to always be in-the-know of complications, IRS penalties, and other factors with unintended consequences or expenses that can impact both the bank and the executives. Committee members should regularly review market trends in executive compensation; staying aware of banking trends as well as trends in other industries will better position the bank for success in recruiting, rewarding, and retaining talent. Your board should also be educated by the committee regarding your compensation philosophy and how the committee functions.

A few areas the compensation committee has direction over include equity grants, incentive structure, benefits, qualified plans, board compensation and other aspects of compensation. The directors should have a full understanding of structuring compensation plans, and if not, the committee should consult an adviser.

2. Establish the Duties and Responsibilities of Each Committee Member
In addition to staying educated, members of the compensation committee must have a framework for their efforts. This involves establishing the duties and responsibilities of each member, but before you begin, you’ll need to develop a compensation philosophy if you don’t already have one. Without an established compensation philosophy, your compensation committee will lack direction, clarity, and consistency regarding compensation practices. In addition to putting your philosophy in print, you should ensure that everyone on your committee understands it and is able to relay its message. The philosophy should be comprehensive as well as consistent with the culture of your bank, the interests of your shareholders and market trends.

3. Review the Committee’s Performance Quarterly
Quarterly, you should hold a meeting to assess the success of your committee. Check on what’s working and what isn’t with regards to committee function, meeting processes and other aspects. It’s important to look at whether you’re hitting benchmarks—and whether you’re attracting and retaining the talent you need to hit those benchmarks. There’s always room for improvement, so discuss what the committee may need to change in order for your bank to be more successful with recruiting and retention.

4. Engage Expert Consultants When Necessary
There’s a delicate balance that must be struck with compensation; it needs to be competitive enough to retain executives but as efficient as possible to drive shareholder value. With the increasing competition for talent and the rising costs of benefits like health care plans, many banks have been pre-funding benefits through plans such as bank-owned life insurance (BOLI). Choosing the best insurance carriers and structuring pre-funding plans is something that requires outside help from qualified consultants.

Professionals can help you determine competitive compensation packages and discern what investments will bring you the greatest return for the lowest risk.

If you don’t feel your compensation committee is hitting the mark, it’s time for something to change. Rewarding talent and funding those rewards is a complicated topic, so outside help from a compensation consultant who specializes in banking may be helpful to bring direction to your committee. If your committee follows these four best practices, you’ll be on a path to success applying your finest approach to compensation and benefits plans.

What Are the Best Ways to Fund Your Retirement Plans for Executives and Directors?

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retirement-plan-4-20-16.pngNonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans continue to be important tools to help banks attract, reward and retain top talent in key leadership positions. In order to retain their critical tax deferral benefits, such plans must remain unfunded. For tax purposes, a plan is “funded” when assets have been unconditionally and irrevocably transferred for the sole benefit of plan participants. Formal funding of qualified plans, such as a 401(k), does not subject the participants to immediate taxation—participants can defer taxes until they actually receive such income. However, qualified plans have limitations on the level of benefits that can be provided and these limits can lead to substantial shortfalls in expected retirement income for executives and other highly compensated persons. NQDC plans came about specifically to help offset those shortfalls.

The restrictions on funding NQDC plans leads plan sponsors to search for solutions to finance or economically offset the costs of providing enhanced benefits to NQDC plan participants. When you hear someone refer to “funding a NQDC plan,” this is what they mean. Economic, or informal, funding means that the bank acquires and owns the particular asset of that funding method and that at all times such assets are subject to the claims of the bank’s creditors. Our objective for this article is to review and compare the financial statement impact of various methods for economically funding such plans. In our examples we use a Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (SERP) and the following funding methods: 1) unfunded; 2) bank-owned annuity contract; 3) bank-owned life insurance (BOLI); 4) a 30-year, A-rated corporate bond; and 5) a 30-year, bank-qualified municipal bond. The same investment allocation and same cost of money were used in scenarios two through five.

  1. Unfunded
    A benefit plan is implemented and no specific assets are earmarked to generate income to offset the expenses. The bank accrues an accounting reserve for the benefit liability as required under GAAP and makes payments out of general cash flows. This method is simple and has often been used when the bank does not have additional BOLI capacity.
  2. Bank-Owned Annuity Contract
    The bank purchases a fixed annuity contract (variable annuities are not a permissible purchase for banks) on the lives of the plan participants. While the primary advantage of purchasing an annuity is that the cash inflows from annuity payments can be set to match the cash outflows for benefit payments, because corporate-owned annuities do not enjoy the tax deferral benefits of individually owned annuities, there is a mismatch of income taxation (annuity) with income tax deductions (benefit payments). Fixed annuity contracts with a guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefit provide a specified annual payment amount commencing when the executive reaches a certain age (usually tied to retirement). Payments are made for the life of the annuitant. Fixed annuity contracts generally do not respond to movements in interest rates.
  3. Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI)
    The bank purchases institutionally priced life insurance policies on eligible insureds to generate tax-effective, non-interest income to offset and recover the cost of the benefit plan. When properly structured and held to maturity, earnings on BOLI policies remain tax-free, eliminating the tax mismatch issue. The tax-free nature of BOLI earnings often allows the bank to exceed the yields on taxable investments on a tax-equivalent basis. Top BOLI carriers structure their products so that they do respond to market rate movements, albeit on a lagging basis.
  4. 30-Year, A-Rated Corporate Bond
    A 30-year, A-rated corporate bond is a simple and transparent investment vehicle. Because investment earnings are taxable as earned, and benefit payments are not deductible until paid, the tax mismatch is the primary disadvantage. Corporate bonds do respond to market rate movements, leading to potential volatility in market values.
  5. 30-Year, Bank-Qualified Municipal Bond
    A 30-year, bank-qualified municipal bond is similar to a 30-year corporate bond except the earnings are tax free.

In summary, key to the funding analysis is evaluating the best investment for the bank that will mitigate the impact of the plan expenses and liabilities on the bank’s financial statements with bank-eligible investments. The following table summarizes the projected net financial statement impact of the five methods discussed above in both today’s interest rate environment as well as the projected impact in a rising rate environment. As you can see, BOLI and a 30-year bank-qualified municipal bond offer some of the better ways of funding the plan over time.

Funding Your NonQualifed Deferred Compensation Plan

  Projected Life of Plan Net Income(Expense)*
Method of Funding Today’s Rate Environment Rising Rate Environment
Unfunded $(772,439) $(772,439)
Bank-Owned Annuity Contract $(164,229) $(439,597)
Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI) $190,369 $1,598,371
30-Year A Rated Corporate Bond $(114,989) $(235,872)
30-Year Bank-Qualified Municipal Bond $221,007 $701,441

*Based on $500,000 single premium investment. Current rates are as of March 2016. For more detailed information as well as the relevant assumptions used, please contact David Shoemaker at [email protected] or 901-754-4924.

Equias Alliance offers securities through ProEquities, Inc. member FINRA & SIPC. Equias Alliance is independent of ProEquities, Inc.

Mitigating Risk When Choosing a BOLI Carrier for Your Community Bank

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BOLI-3-9-16.pngIf your community bank is considering revamping your benefits offerings, you’ve probably thought about Bank-Owned Life Insurance (BOLI). Purchasing BOLI is one of the lowest risk ways for banks to fund the cost of their benefits, and for a community bank struggling to compete with commercial banks for top talent, this may be a strategic financial decision. While BOLI is a long-term investment, it generates tax-free interest, making it extremely appealing to community banks. As with any investment, the decision to purchase a BOLI portfolio must be carefully considered so you can get the most return with as little risk as possible. Here are some ways to ensure you choose the right BOLI carrier and get the most out of your policy.

  1. Document every part of the process to ensure compliance. Regulations require careful attention, and national bank regulators provide a roadmap for the pre-purchase due diligence and ongoing risk management of BOLI. Before beginning the process of selecting a BOLI carrier, keep in mind that every step your community bank takes needs to be documented. From when you first purchase BOLI and throughout the life of your policy, documentation is absolutely critical for regulatory compliance, so you should frequently review reports of the performance of your BOLI assets. If any process isn’t documented, then in the eyes of regulators, it doesn’t exist. If you’re unsure of the proper protocol, working with a consultant who understands the regulatory process can help you with any issues that arise.
  2. Conduct a financial analysis of BOLI carriers. When choosing between BOLI carriers, you need to look at a variety of metrics to make the best decision. In the past, some banks’ decision making was reliant on ratings from independent agencies, and while ratings are still important, they are not the only thing you need to consider. By conducting a financial analysis of the carrier, you can get a clearer picture of whether the purchase will keep risk low while providing the yield your bank needs to fund competitive benefits. Here are financial metrics that can help you narrow down your options to a shortlist of low-risk choices:

    • Financial strength: Looking at the carrier’s balance sheet and income statement can help you determine the company’s financial strength, as can ratings from outside agencies.
    • Asset quality: By reviewing publicly available information about the carrier’s assets, you can identify any unusual trends and verify the carrier’s claims paying ability.
    • Risk-Based Capital: Review the carrier’s level of capital over time, compared to the regulatory required amount.
    • Investment philosophy: How does the carrier approach their investment portfolio; what techniques do they use for asset liability matching?
    • Experience in the BOLI market: How long has the carrier been active in the BOLI industry, and have they built a reputation for success in that time?
    • Ownership structure: Is there a parent company that could provide support in time of distress? Does the carrier have a stock or mutual ownership structure?
  3. If you need help, work with an executive benefits consultant. Choosing the right BOLI package for your community bank is an important decision and there are many compliance and regulatory issues that some banks just don’t feel comfortable navigating on their own. Working with an expert is the best way to make the most profitable, lowest-risk decision and to ensure regulatory compliance. Your consultant must understand the operating environment of your bank and your strategic interests in order to help you reach your financial goals and fund your benefits package. While selecting a BOLI carrier and deciding how to fund your purchase is complicated and may require outside help, it is an option that has enabled many community banks to offer more competitive benefits to employees.