Saturday, August 17, 2013

A Brief Overview Of 401K Retirement Plans

By Essie Craft


When looking for a savings plan for the future, various men and women discover that there are many choices available, and subsequently become bewildered. However, many such individuals quickly find that 401k retirement plans are a perfect option. Below are some helpful suggestions concerning this type of retirement tool and an explanation of how it works:

A 401k is a kind of savings program that was developed to offer an income for men and women when they no longer wish to work. They are designed to allow both the employee and the employer to contribute. Certain corporations will match the amount their workers choose to put into the fund. Others put a cap on this amount, but will still place a percentage into the fund on their employee's behalf.

A 401k fund is associated with 3 types of contributions: elective, matching, and nonelective contributions. Matching contributions, as their name indicates, are set up in such a way that the employer matches the dollar amount placed in the account by the worker.

An elective contribution is take-home pay that one chooses to place in his or her 401k before it is taxed. Nonelective contributions are deposited by one's employer into his or her account. However, the latter cannot be converted to cash.

There are limitations with regard to the total amount that one can invest into such a plan each year. It is wise for individuals to check with the Internal Revenue Service to get the precise numbers, as they do change from time to time. After a person reaches fifty years of age, he or she is typically allowed to make additional contributions into his or her plan in order to better prepare for upcoming retirement.

When evaluating the different options available, consumers should carefully consider investing in a 401k. One of the benefits of such a fund is that it is considered very safe when compared with riskier alternatives, including stocks or investing in property or other tangible items that may not appreciate as one anticipates. Any individual who is offered a 401k will probably benefit from it after he or she retires.

Early enrollment in such a plan is usually always in one's best interest. This is due to the fact that the longer one contributes to such a fund, the more cash will be available when the person ceases to work. For this reason, those who are seeking employment should ask all prospective employers if such a plan is part of the company's benefits package.

401k retirement plans are an excellent option for virtually any individual. For this reason, consumers are wise to begin contributing money to such a plan as soon as the opportunity arises. Those who need clarification about programs of this type, or who do not quite understand how they work, should avail themselves of the services of a financial planner. The latter can detail the advantages and disadvantages associated with such programs, and the kind of individual who will best benefit from retirement funds of this type.




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