Limits as Indexed by COLA

[Tom Poje]

As I read it,

EGTRRA changed things a little bit

The adjustments are now based using the quarter starting July 1, 2001.

The CPI-U for this period was

July 2001 177.5

Aug 2001 177.5

Sept 2001 178.3

Total 533.3

Currently the values are

Feb 2003 183.1

Mar 2003 184.2

Apr 2003 183.8 -just released today, it actually dropped

Total 551.1

so the indexed rate for the 401(A)(17) limit would be

200,000 * (551.1 / 533.3) = 206,675

EGTRRA says the increase will be in increments of 5000, so based on that the comp limit will be 205,000 next year.

Of course, the actual values used will be based on the data for the period July - Sept 2003, but this gives an idea how things currently stand.