A retirement plan that does not meet the IRS (or ERISA) requirements for favorable tax treatment. Non-qualified retirement plans are funded by employers and are more flexible than, but do not have the tax benefits of, qualified retirement plans. Benefits are paid at the retirement age in the form of annuities, which are taxed as ordinary income tax, or in lump sum payments, which can be transferred into an IRA to defer taxes. opposite of qualified retirement plan.