Wise moves made today will pay off tomorrow

Consumers may need personal loans to manage through retirement if they aren’t careful with their 401(k) accounts. A 401(k) account allows a working person to save for retirement, invest the savings and defer taxes until after retirement when, in most cases, the account holder’s income will be subject to a lower income tax rate.

To make contributions to the fund, an investor opts to have a portion of his or her paycheck paid directly into the 401k account. Many employers offer the additional benefit of matching an employee’s contributions by depositing additional money or by making profit-sharing contributions to the plan. Regardless of the added benefits, the basic 401(k) account is a simple and effective way for an employee to squirrel away money for retirement.

The downside of 401(k) investing

Although the idea is a good one, there are certain things a 401(k) provider doesn’t usually tell its depositors. Here are some of the most important things to know:

1.  Investment companies make big money on 401(k) accounts, even when account holders do not. The number of 401(k) investors has risen sharply in the past few years. According to Cerulli Associates, a research and consulting firm specializing in the financial services industry, that number has risen to 50 million providers. Though the companies are more and more efficient as a result of the increased competition, that doesn’t necessarily mean account holders see the financial benefit.

2.  The 401(k) account rarely offers top funds. The reason for this is simply that asset managers may not have top funds in each category. For example, a company may offer a great large-cap stock fund option but a mediocre small-cap one. In a recent Yahoo Finance article, Morningstar research director Russel Kinnel said, “If you see some lousy funds from the company that’s providing the plan, that’s probably why.”

3.  “Target-date funds” may not be accurate. As required by last year’s Pension Protection Act, 401(k) accounts have “target dates” as default options. Each 401(k) account allocates assets according to the account holder’s expected retirement date and becomes more conservative as the date nears. Research shows that some target-date funds may not earn enough for retirement. Kinnel added, “Retirees may need to supplement funds with personal loans, family help or part-time work to make it through their monthly expenses.”

4.  Account holders who quit their jobs may have to pay to keep their 401(k) at the former-employer company. A Hewitt study showed that 32% of people who quit their jobs ended up leaving their 401(k) accounts with their old employers. Leaving the account where it is may seem like an easier option than filing the intensive paperwork required for a transfer, but the hidden costs of doing so can be overwhelming.

5.  Roth IRAs may be more beneficial than 401(k) plans, although few employers offer them. Whereas traditional 401(k) accounts have tax-deferment features, Roth IRAs are taxed up-front rather than at the time of withdrawal. Only about 5% of retirement plans available through employers offer the Roth IRA option. The Roth IRA isn’t for everyone, but it can substantially benefit certain categories of employees.

Other savings may create more wealth

Other kinds of savings may create more wealth than retirement accounts. The 401(k) continues to be a work in progress and lawmakers are currently scrutinizing fees and procedures. Until the rules are finally settled, other savings vehicles may offer higher returns. In the same Yahoo Finance article, Brent Glading of the Glading Group said, “For those who are not averse to risk, high-end stocks and bonds can be great investments that offer a bigger return in a shorter amount of time…they aren’t for the faint of heart though. Only serious investors with a stable vision should even try to manage them.”

The 401(k) put to the test

The 401k account is a unique savings vehicle that offers a tax-deferred way to save money for retirement. Though many employees are relying on the accounts to carry them through their retirement years, analysts say that many account holders are not saving enough. They may need to rely on family help, personal loans or other types of savings to make it through retirement.

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Most people don’t. With more and more Americans retiring early in order to pursue other careers or small business opportunities, this question is being investigated more than ever. Myths abound, which lead people to believe that they must immediately roll all of their retirement savings into a single IRA account or, at least, cash out of their 401k plan all at once. This, of course, is not true, but without the benefit of good wealth education, few people actually know what their retirement plan options are.

Consider the following suggestions:

Suggestion Number One

If you were born before 1936 and have participated in your 401k for at least five years, it is possible that you qualify for an excellent tax strategy commonly referred to as a ten-year averaging. Such requires that you first withdraw your entire retirement savings at once. Upon doing so, you will figure your taxes on this amount by dividing the total by ten and then adding an additional $2,480 to the sum. Next, research the 1986 rate for single taxpayers and multiply that amount by ten. The resulting figure tells you how much you owe in taxes for your withdrawal using this option. If your 401k value is less than $400,000 in total, you may find that you can save a lot on taxes by using this ten-year averaging calculation.

Two things to note if you plan on using this strategy: First, the IRS will only allow you to use it once and, second, you can’t roll over part of your 401k and use ten-year averaging on the remaining amount. However, the benefit to using this strategy on your complete withdrawal is that taxes were a lot less in 1986 than they are now and using the rate for single taxpayers from that year will offer you far more savings.

Suggestion Number Two

Some companies allow retirees to leave some or all of their money in an existing 401k plan. Find out your company’s policy on doing so if you believe this will be of benefit to you.

Suggestion Number Three

Roll your money over into one or more IRA accounts. You can do this an unlimited number of times in as many IRAs as you like. Take the time to investigate this option on your own or with a qualified financial planner to determine if doing so fits your retirement needs. This might be an especially good idea if your company will allow you to leave some money in your 401k and roll over just a portion of the rest.

Suggestion Number Four

People who will be fifty-five years or older in the year that they retire may also consider cashing out of their 401k all at once or in part without penalties. Of course, ordinary taxes will be due on distributions, but, depending upon how much is in your account, this may be a smart option.

While these suggestions are meant to give you guidance on what to do with your 401k account when you retire, they should not be used in lieu of or to substitute the advice of a qualified professional. Also, do keep in mind that senior citizens age seventy and six months are required by law to begin taking money from all retirement accounts at this time. The only exception to this is money in a Roth IRA or if money is in a 401k with a company that still employs the person, provided that the employee does not own more than five percent of the company in question.