401K Plan,401K IRA and other retirement options before You

401K Plan,401k roll over and 401K IRA are very hot words of the today and here we are going to see what they are and what else are the other options that an individual has. Every Individual want to retire peacefully and would like to have financial freedom.The money you invest in social security systems is not sufficient for all your future needs and you need extra money.For that sake you have different investment options which not only save the tax but also the money for the retirement.

IRA means Individual Retirement Account and it is one of the federal options given by the American government to its citizens.Another option which can be used either by you as a self employer or by your employer is a qualified plan.It is a plan through which you can get tax benefit as described in section 401 of US tax code. There are other options like tax-deferred annuities (TDA) and qualified annuity plans. They also give you a tax exemption but basing on section 403 which is slightly different from 401.

Saving money by putting in these saving schemes is important and taking them out and invest properly to get better deals on retirement is also important.That is why certain rules are laid down to take this money out and it is called as 401k withdrawal and distribution. You shall follow this complex rules to get the best benefits at retirement and your kids also shall do the same after you.Other wise you have to pay the penalties and some times they are very costly.

Under 401K section the contributions made by the employers are tax deductible and they get this big advantage for them.The returns as well as investments in this plans are taxed until you take that money out and you are going to get very long time for that ,may be the retirement date.The returns of this plans are protected from the claims of creditors.

The employer shall give this opportunity to all its employers and can not offer huge amounts only to particular people.They can not stop you if you want to resign,retire and take your money from the qualified investment plans.

The most common type of qualified plans under four not one section are


  1. Profit-sharing plans, which include 401(k) plans and Roth 401(k) plans
  2. Stock bonus plans
  3. Money purchase pension plans
  4. Employee stock ownership plans
  5. Defined benefit plans
  6. Target benefit plans, and
  7. Plans, called “Keoghs,” for self employed people.
Qualified Plan

It is a kind of retirement savings plan offered employer to its employees through US tax law 401k.It is called qualified which satisfies all the rules of section 401k.This not only allows you accumulate money for his remaining life and gives you opportunity to postpone tax payments until you withdraw that money.

Profit Sharing Plan

This plans help the employee to share the profits of the company and invest that money for retirement.It is not in the spirit of its name that the company need not acquire profit from the business and they can contribute to the fund on their wish at every year by some amount.The money invested by the owner will be distributed among its each employee as some percentage of their total life time investment.The maximum percentage of one year investment shall not cross 25% of his total investment planned.There is exception for this rule if the employee is at more than Fifty years age.

401K Plans

It is a special profit sharing plan which is named with reference to the particular section in US laws.Here you can direct some of your salary into this account and you need not pay tax for that money until you withdraw that invested money.Thus you are buying the time and postponing the tax payments.The employer may or may not contribute for this plan and it is the choice of the employer.Some of them pay matching amounts with employee and some of them pay in terms of fixed percentage per year and some of them pay none.

Roth 401kPlans

There is one major difference between regular 401k plan and 401k Roth plan.The contributions made by the employees is a portion of their salary and they get tax exemption at the moment.Not only that.The final money after retirement is also not taxable.For this you need to satisfy certain rules.

Stock Bonus Plans

It is also a kind of profit sharing type but the employer shall share the profit without exception to its employees.They have to allot the equal number of shares to his retirement benefit amount as a bonus and it will give dual advantage to the employee.

Money Purchase Pension Plans

It is also a profit sharing system where the contribution by the employer is compulsory and not a choice.This will be certain percentage like ten present of total value per year. The maximum that employer can invest is $45000 per year in each account.It is less flexible to the employer.

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