NUA Qualified For Lucent Employees?

Healthcare Provider Update: Healthcare Provider for Lucent Health Lucent Health serves as a healthcare benefits management company that emphasizes cost management and transparency for employers. They aim to control and mitigate rising healthcare costs through strategic plan design, analytics, and personalized employee engagement to promote wellness. Potential Healthcare Cost Increases in 2026 As we move into 2026, healthcare consumers face potential premium hikes that could surpass previous years, driven largely by the anticipated expiration of federal subsidy enhancements. Preliminary analyses reveal that ACA marketplace insurers may raise premiums by an average of 20%, with certain states suggesting increases that could exceed 60%. This perfect storm of heightened medical costs and aggressive insurance rate hikes might lead to out-of-pocket costs soaring by up to 75% for many, significantly impacting affordability and access to necessary health coverage. The ripple effects of these changes could disproportionately affect middle-income Americans, urging proactive considerations for managing healthcare expenses in the coming year. Click here to learn more

In order to help our clients from Lucent understand just how NUA can be used, we'd first like to make sure our Lucent clients understand qualified accounts that this tax trick can be used in and how they differ in tax treatment compared to non-qualified accounts. Qualified accounts (i.e. Traditional 401(k)) are designed to offer individuals added tax benefits. In a qualified account, you can make contributions with pre-tax dollars from your income, which lowers your tax bill for that year. 

'Qualified accounts (i.e. Traditional 401(k)) are designed to offer individuals added tax benefits.'

In addition, no tax is paid on appreciation until withdrawals are made. At the point withdrawals are made (tax penalty for withdrawals before 59½ and required minimum distributions [RMDs] after 70) both appreciation and invested amounts are taxed as ordinary income.

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On the other hand, we'd like to point out to our Lucent clients that non-qualified plans are those (i.e. a standard brokerage
account) that are not eligible for tax-deferral benefits. Investments are paid
for with after-tax dollars. When appreciated shares are liquidated (a gain is
“realized”), the difference between cost basis (original cost at purchase) and sales price is taxed at either short-term or long-term capital gains rate depending on how long they were held, in addition to taxes paid on dividends the year they are received. Funds from non-qualified accounts are neither subject to early withdrawal penalties nor RMDs.