THE WIKI COMMUNITY

Wednesday, 1 September 2010

Is Having A IRA Or 401K The Same Thing?

By Arthur T. McCain

By having a 401k plan the money will come from the hours you work. Most people find that it is much less painless to have the money taken out from their paycheck so they don't have to part with the cash a later date.

Unless you have a dire emergency you are strongly advised to leave the funds to mature until you retire, otherwise you may be forced to pay a stiff penalty for the privilege of accessing your money early.

An IRA is another retirement plan that you can get on your own. Whatever option you choose for your retirement plan, the most important thing it to start saving as soon as possible. Whether you go for a 401(k) or a traditional or Roth IRA, you need to take the time to weigh up the pros and cons to see which plan suits your future dreams and lifestyle.

This may seem obvious but a lot of people either overlook their 401(k) entitlement or they actually refuse to sign up. This is a big mistake. At the end of the day even a bad 401 (k) is better than no entitlement. Most employers will also offer to match the funds you put in every month. So by refusing to sign up to your company scheme you might as well be throwing money way!

Another point to be wary about is if you company offers incentives for you to invest in their stock. This is a judgment call and you are the best person to determine whether you think the firm will be profitable and give you a yield on your shares in the future. The worst thing you can do is buy your own company shares out a of a sense of loyalty of because you are given a big discount.

It is really never too early to formulate a detailed retirement plan, however before you take a dive; you should make sure that the water is clear. Investing for retirement process requires a detailed planning to get the results you desire. I am sure that with few tips I provide you here, you can just start making most out of your retirement planning.

Say for example you get $ 50,000 in one year and make a contribution of $16,500, and then you'd have to give federal income tax on $33,500 only. Income taxes in the states vary. After you cross 50 years of age, you are permitted a catch up contribution of extra $5000 every year.

A Roth IRA is one of the best ways to save for retirement outside of your 401K. It is funded with after tax dollars making it so that you will not have to pay taxes when it is used. You can also use the money you deposited without penalty before age 59. These options make this a great way to save.

Many people will be working longer than individuals in the past, but we will also be living longer. Find something you enjoy doing and consider making a part time business out of it and this will give you further options during your golden years. As long as you plan for the future, you will be headed in the right direction.

An IRA is a great option because you don't pay any tax on your savings until you decide to withdraw the funds. You can also offset your IRA contributions against any taxes owed. You can open an IRA at virtually any bank so it's a very convenient way to manage your money. A newer type of IRA is the Roth IRA. In this case you pay taxes on your savings but you don;t pay a penalty in federal taxes when you decide to withdraw.

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