Qualified plans have tax-deferred contributions from the employee, and employers may deduct amounts they contribute to the plan. Nonqualified plans use after-tax dollars to fund them, and in most cases employers cannot claim their contributions as a tax deduction.

What is the difference between a transfer and a rollover? A transfer is used to move funds from one institution to another without changing the account type. A direct rollover is used to move funds from an employer plan to another account type like an IRA, without having to pay taxes.