How are forfeitures under profit-sharing plans typically utilized?

Under profit-sharing plans, forfeitures are typically allocated to other participants or used to cover plan expenses. When a participant terminates their employment before they are fully vested in their account balance, the unvested portion (the forfeiture) reverts back to the plan.

These forfeitures can then be redistributed among the remaining plan participants, thereby increasing their individual shares, or can be applied to pay for certain administrative costs related to managing the plan. This method helps ensure that the benefits within the plan remain effective for all participants and can contribute to the overall funding of the plan.

Returning forfeitures to the employer does not align with standard practice, as the objective of a profit-sharing plan is to benefit participants. Immediate distribution of forfeitures to remaining participants is also not a common practice since such distributions typically occur upon the actual termination of the plan. Finally, investing forfeitures back into the company is not typically part of a profit-sharing plan's mechanics, which are designed primarily to benefit employees rather than fund the employer directly.