Helpful Advice For 401K Retirement Planning Grand Prairie

By Linda Ruiz


Putting money aside for your retirement is one of the best things you can do to ensure that your golden years are happy years. If Social Security or Medicare are no longer available by the time you retire, you will need to have enough money saved to cover your own financial needs. You should learn as much as you can about 401k retirement planning Grand Prairie.

The best way to prepare is to start saving as early as possible and keep saving all throughout your working years. If you think saving is too difficult, then start small with as much as you can and try to increase your savings amount each month and whenever you get a raise or cash windfall, such as a tax rebate. The sooner you begin to save, the more time your money will have to grow with compound interest. Saving should be a priority above everything else.

You also need to know how much money you will need in retirement. Many financial experts in Grand Prairie TX recommend that a person saves at least seventy percent of their preretirement income to maintain their standard of living when they stop working. You may need less than this amount if you are able to scale back your spending and live on less on a monthly basis.

If you decide to open an IRA account, there are two options you an use. One is the traditional IRA account, and the other is a Roth IRA account. The option that you choose will determine your taxes to be paid and the amount of contributions you can make. You must also remember that the value of your funds will be affected by inflation as well as taxes. IRAs can be set up so that the funds are automatically deducted from your checking account each time you get paid.

Very few companies today offer traditional pensions plans. However, if your employer does offer this, you may be covered by their plan. Speak to your human resources personnel to see if you are covered and what your potential benefits are worth. If you leave your job, find out if your pension benefit will remain in place. You may also be entitled to benefits from pension plans held by your spouse.

You also need to ensure that your withdrawals from your portfolio are tax-efficient. To preserve your nest egg, it is normally a good idea to draw money from your taxable accounts first. This will allow your tax-advantaged accounts, such as the 401(k), to compound longer.

The important thing is to save as much money as you can as early as possible. It is never too late to start saving for retirement. However, if you start sooner, you will give your money more time to grow. Many people use compound interest to accumulate wealth. This is a process whereby gains in one year build upon the gains made in previous years, so your savings is always growing.

You should always avoid touching your retirement money, because if you do, not only will you lose the money but you will also lose any tax benefits for having the funds stashed away. You may also have to pay heavy withdrawal penalties.




About the Author: