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الخميس، 21 مارس 2019

Current Alternatives To 401k Retirement Plans

By James Bell


In some cases, people begin planning for retirement during their 20s and 30s. Whereas, others wait until there 40s and 50s. Regardless as to when an individual sets up a retirement plan, it should be noted that while 401k retirement accounts are the most popular, there are alternatives to 401k plans which can provide better results. For example, a CD incurs interest over a specific period of time during which individuals can not withdraw funds. Once the account matures, most people transfer the funds to an existing portfolio which includes other retirement accounts.

401k plans became the standard retirement account for a number of Americans in the 1980s. The account was named after the 401k IRS code. In most cases, these accounts are still the most simple and straight forward when it comes to setting up a plan. Whereas, if employed, an employer often works with the employee to set up contribution amounts which fit into the employee's budget.

The upside to this type of account is that most people can allow the account to run on autopilot once the plan has been established. For, by contributing a fixed amount on a monthly basis, most employers match that amount as long as the individual's salary never diminishes over time. In some cases, if an individual leaves a job, the company will allow the individual to withdraw the funds which were put into the account by the individual. Whether matched funds are also distributed is often based company policies and procedures.

As with all types of investment accounts, there are upsides and downsides to 401k plans. For one, while an account can run on autopilot, the individual must assure that deposits are being made as scheduled. Whereas, if the salary of the employee doubles, the increase puts the individual at a disadvantage and most likely in a higher tax bracket.

A good alternative to a 401k retirement plan is that of an Individual Retirement Account, also known as an IRA. In addition, if an employer does not offer a 401k, then individuals can join small business owners and the self-employed in setting up this type of retirement account. In most cases, these accounts offer tax advantages during retirement which vary depending on whether the individual opts for a Roth or traditional IRA.

In some cases, individuals have multiple types of retirement accounts in a portfolio. Depending on the value of the holdings, contributions may not be tax deductible when it comes to filing income tax. Although, when having more than one holding, monies in the portfolio will continue to grow on a tax free basis.

A basic investment account is another alternative. In this case, individuals provide a cashier's check to a broker whom then oversees and manages money in the retirement accounts and portfolio. One drawback of this type account is that profits are often taxed as capital gains. Still, most individuals pay taxes at a reduced tax rate over that of income earned through an employer.

One of the most important aspects of any investment account is that the money is left in the account. For, most often not only do these accounts have penalties for early withdrawals, the less money in the account, the less interest will be gained over time. As such, to assure that funds continues to grow, it is important to only make withdrawals in a dire emergency.




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