What Are Annuity Living Benefits?
Many variable annuity contracts offer “living benefit” guarantees. For an additional cost, the contract holder may be able to purchase guarantees regardless of the account value. Adding a guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefit to a variable annuity contract could allow the contract owner to withdraw a fixed percentage (usually 5% to 7%) of the premiums paid until 100% […]
What Is a Split-Annuity Strategy?
A split-annuity strategy involves purchasing two types of annuity contracts: immediate and deferred. The immediate annuity would provide a current income stream during the early years of retirement, and the deferred annuity would have the potential to provide a future income stream. In retirement, most people rely on a combination of Social Security, retirement plans, […]
Why Do People Buy Annuities?
Annuities are insurance-based financial vehicles that can provide many benefits sought by retirement-minded investors. There are a number of reasons why people buy annuities. Deferral of taxes is a big benefit, and so is the ability to put large sums of money into an annuity — more than is allowed annually in a 401(k) plan or an IRA — […]
What Is a 403(b) Plan?
A 403(b) plan is a special tax-deferred retirement savings plan that is often referred to as a tax-sheltered annuity, a tax-deferred annuity, or a 403(b) annuity. It is similar to a 401(k), but only the employees of public school systems and 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to participate in 403(b) plans. Employees can fund their accounts […]
What Is a Roth 401(k)?
The arena of employer-sponsored retirement plans has been dominated by 401(k) plans that are funded with pre-tax contributions, which effectively defers taxes until distributions begin. However, Roth 401(k) is funded with after-tax money just like a Roth IRA, allowing retirees to enjoy qualified tax-free distributions once they reach age 59½ and have met the five-year […]
What Is an IRA Rollover?
If you leave a job or retire, you might want to transfer the money you’ve invested in one or more employer-sponsored retirement plans to an individual retirement account (IRA). An IRA rollover is an effective way to keep your money accumulating tax deferred. Using an IRA rollover, you transfer your retirement savings to an account […]
What Is a SIMPLE?
There are many types of employer-sponsored retirement plans. One that may appeal to small businesses and to self-employed individuals is the savings incentive match plan for employees (SIMPLE) because, as the name implies, it is easy to set up and administer, and employers are allowed to take a tax deduction for the contributions that are […]
What Is a SEP IRA?
A simplified employee pension plan (SEP) is a deferred-compensation arrangement that is similar to a profit-sharing plan. It can be set up by employers and self-employed individuals, as well as sole proprietorships and partnerships. Employers receive tax deductions for plan contributions made to employees’ accounts, and employees do not pay taxes on SEP contributions until […]
How Will I Pay Estate Taxes?
Estate taxes. It’s not enough to simply know they exist and to know strategies to minimize them. When it comes down to it, you need to plan how you and your family will eventually pay them. The Estate Tax Dilemma Estate taxes are generally due nine months after the date of death. And they are […]
Can I Benefit from an A-B Trust?
Married couples have several ways to potentially avoid any estate tax liability when they leave assets to each other. Because of the unlimited marital deduction, no estate taxes are due when one spouse dies and leaves his or her assets to the survivor (as long as the surviving spouse is a U.S. citizen). However, this […]