SIMPLE IRA matching contribution flexibility

Hello again,
For SIMPLE IRA matching, is it possible to START with 1% matching and keep at 1% for the first 2 years and increase it later?
According to the form 5304, it appears to be possible to “reduce” , but it’s not clear if “starting with reduced matching” is possible. Thank you!

2 a Matching Contributions
(i) For each calendar year, the Employer will contribute a matching contribution to each eligible employee’s SIMPLE IRA equal to the
employee’s salary reduction contributions up to a limit of 3% of the employee’s compensation for the calendar year.
(ii) The Employer may reduce the 3% limit for the calendar year in (i) only if:
(1) The limit is not reduced below 1%; (2) The limit is not reduced for more than 2 calendar years during the 5-year period ending with the
calendar year the reduction is effective; and (3) Each employee is notified of the reduced limit within a reasonable period of time before the
employees’ 60-day election period for the calendar year (described in Article II, item 2a).



  • Yes, matching can be increased by so indicating in the annual notice to be issued by 11/2. 
  • It appears that 1% could be used for the first year, but that is treated as a reduction from 3% since the years prior to the first year are treated as if the plan existed with a 3% match. Therefore, starting at 1% would be treated as one of the two allowed reduction years in the 5 year period. 3 of the next 4 years would need to have a 3% match.  The 5 year period includes the current year plus 4 prior years even if the SIMPLE did not exist in those 4 prior years. 

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