Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

Can my employer limit my maximum 401k contribution amount (below the IRS limit)?
On thing the questioner should do is review the Summary Plan Description (SPD) for the 401(k) plan.  This MAY have details on any plan imposed limits on salary deferrals.  If the SPD does not have sufficient detail, the questioner should request a complete copy of current plan document and then review this with someone who knows how to read plan documents. The document for a 401(k) plan CAN specify a maximum percentage of compensation that a participant in the 401(k) plan can defer REGARDLESS of the maximum dollar deferral limit in Internal Revenue Code Section 402(g).  For example, the document for a 401(k) plan can provide that participants can elect to defer any amount of their compensation (salary) BUT not to exceed ten percent (10%).  Thus, someone whose salary is $50,000 per year will effectively be limited to deferring, at most, $5,000.  Someone making $150,000 will effectively be limited to deferring, at most, $15,000.  This is true regardless of the fact that the 2013 dollar limit on salary deferrals is $17,500.  This is also true regardless of whether or not a participant may want to defer more than ten percent (10%) of compensation. This "plan imposed" limit on salary deferral contributions is permissible assuming it is applied in a nondiscriminatory manner.  This plan imposed limit is entirely separate from any other rules or restrictions on salary deferral amounts that might be as a result of things like the average deferral percentage test.