401k

A 401k is an employer-sponsored, long-term savings plan that is intended to help you sock-away money for your retirement. A 401k offers significant tax breaks and has a few drawbacks. The money you put away now to be used later after 59 ½ years of age or at retirement is not taxed until it is distributed. Some companies match part of the dollars that you stash away. Your retirement savings are increased through these employer matching contributions. You can borrow against a portion of a 401K, as long as you pay it back plus the low interest. Otherwise, if you tap into your savings before 59 ½, you pay penalties for early withdrawal and the early distribution is also treated as regular income for tax purposes.

Prudential EVP Comments on "Deeply Flawed" Retirement System

Bernard Winograd is an executive vice president at the Prudential Insurance Company . Speaking at a recent industry conference, Winograd expressed his views on the existing methods of explaining retirement issues and solutions in the United States: "The retail system in this country of explaining this (retirement) to people is deeply flawed. There are way too many people in the system without adequate training, and there are way too many people with the wrong motives." The "retail" system...

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Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit

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Annuity

Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit

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Seven Solid Financial Tips for Recent Grads

A great list of financial tips to pass along to any young (or older) person, with straightforward advice such as "saving is a form of freedom" and "the key to financial well-being is spending less than you earn:" Don't buy individual stocks. Start contributing to a 401k early. Know what is in your 401k. Make more than the minimum payment on your credit card balance. Your credit score is critically important. Saving is a form of freedom. Buy things cheap - the easiest way to save money is by not...

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401k

TIPS

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Saving

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401k

TIPS

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Saving

Many Rules and Pitfalls with Early Withdrawals from 401k and IRA

The financial crisis has taken a heavy toll on the personal finances of most people. A natural reaction is to consider withdrawing funds from a tax advantaged saving plan such as a 401k or IRA. The reality, though, is that funds from such sources can be extraordinarily expensive when all of the penalty fees and tax implications are taken into account. The rules are complex and generally depend on a person's age and the type of plan involved. Some high-level points to consider: The federal...

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Retirement Experts Working on 401k Plans that Allow for Test Drive of Annuities

Retirement experts are working through the Retirement Security Project in Washington to develop concepts that would increase annuity ownership within 401k plans. Concepts include providing 401k participants with the ability to test drive annuities through an "automatic trial income strategy." In other words, at retirement about half of a person's plan assets would be placed in a trial income plan that would pay out a monthly annuity income for two years. Participants would then have the ability...

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Retirement Crisis Brewing with Lump Sum Distributions of 401(k) Plans

"Unlike traditional pensions, which provide participants with a steady stream of income for as long as they live, 401(k) plans generally pay out benefits as lump sums. Lump-sum payments mean that retirees have to decide how much to withdraw each year. That's really hard to do, because people don't know how long they are going to live. If they live longer than expected, they face the horrible prospect of running out of money in old age...The way to have the highest standard of living in...

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