All retirement plans will not be the identical. In reality, there’s such all kinds of retirement plans that it’s value it to learn up in your decisions. Right here’s a quick have a look at the totally different plans and what they’ve to supply.

The Conventional 401(okay). Most individuals have such a retirement financial savings plan, and it really works like this. The plan is funded with pre-tax {dollars} taken out of your paycheck (by means of payroll deductions). For those who’re fortunate, your organization will match your stage of contribution and even make a contribution in your behalf – in spite of everything, the employer contributions are tax-deductible.

The I.R.S. will presently allow you to put as much as $16,500 a yr in a Conventional 401(okay); COLA changes might drive that restrict larger sooner or later. The I.R.S. additionally permits catch-up contributions (further contributions from these aged 50+), with a present annual restrict of $5,500. In 2010, the overall quantity put right into a 401(okay) by you and your employer can’t exceed $49,000.1

There are a number of variations on the normal 401(okay) theme …

The Secure Harbor 401(okay). A byproduct of the Small Enterprise Job Safety Act of 1996, the Secure Harbor plan combines the most effective options of the normal 401(okay) and a SIMPLE IRA, making it very engaging to a enterprise proprietor. With a Secure Harbor plan, an owner-operator can keep away from the large administrative bills of a conventional 401(okay) and revel in larger contribution limits. The Secure Harbor plan permits for employers to make matching or non-elective contributions. Usually, employers match contributions dollar-for-dollar as much as 3% of an worker’s revenue.2

The SIMPLE 401(okay). Designed for small enterprise house owners who don’t need to cope with retirement plan administration or non-discrimination assessments, the SIMPLE 401(okay) is on the market for companies with lower than 100 staff. Like a Secure Harbor plan, the enterprise proprietor should make totally vested contributions (as much as 3% of an worker’s revenue). However the most pretax worker contribution to a SIMPLE 401(okay) is $11,500, and staff with a SIMPLE 401(okay) can’t have one other retirement plan with that firm.2

The Solo 401(okay). Mix a profit-sharing plan with a daily 401(okay), and you’ve got the Solo 401(okay) plan, a retirement financial savings automobile designed for sole proprietors with no staff aside from their spouses. These plans presently allow you to contribute as much as $49,000 yearly plus $5,500 in catch-up contributions for a complete of $54,500 in case you are 50 or older.3

The Roth 401(okay). Think about a Conventional 401(okay) fused with a Roth IRA. Right here’s the large distinction: you contribute after-tax revenue to a Roth 401(okay), and whenever you attain age 59½, your withdrawals might be tax-free (supplied you’ve had your plan for greater than 5 years). The annual contribution limits are the identical as these for a Conventional 401(okay) plan.4

You’ll be able to roll Roth 401(okay) belongings right into a Roth IRA whenever you retire – and also you don’t need to make necessary withdrawals from a Roth IRA whenever you flip 70½. With a regular 401(okay), you need to roll over the belongings to a conventional IRA and make the required withdrawals.4

The DB(okay). The DB(okay) is an outlined profit retirement plan with a few of the options of a 401(okay). Corporations with fewer than 500 staff are beginning to put them into place. They provide plan individuals a retirement financial savings plan with the potential for a small revenue stream sooner or later, mimicking the pensions of years previous. The pension revenue equals both a) 1% of ultimate common pay occasions the variety of years of service, or b) 20% of that employee’s common wage throughout his or her 5 consecutive highest-earning years.5,6

After which there are SEP-IRA, SIMPLE IRA and Keogh plans …

The SEP-IRA. This employer-funded plan offers companies a simplified automobile to make a contribution towards employees’ retirements (and optionally, their very own). The employer contributions are 100% vested from the beginning, and the employer can complement the SEP-IRA with one other retirement plan. In 2010, these plans have a $49,000 most contribution restrict, and a person’s private contribution restrict relies on such elements as service, efficiency, and wage. These plans don’t allow catch-up contributions.3,7

The SIMPLE IRA. This is sort of a SIMPLE 401(okay) – a small enterprise retirement plan with necessary employer and optionally available worker contributions and a present $11,500 annual contribution cap. However on this plan, there’s one huge distinction for the enterprise proprietor. If the enterprise just isn’t doing effectively, the proprietor can cut back plan contributions. The employer contributions are nonetheless 100% vested from the start, and $2,500 catch-up contributions are presently allowed for workers 50 and older.3,8

The Keogh Plan. The Keogh is designed for small unincorporated companies. There are outlined profit, cash buy and profit-sharing variations; the outlined profit variation is a professional pension plan providing a set profit quantity. In 2010, the annual contribution restrict for a profit-sharing Keogh is $49,000.9

Do you know you had so many decisions? In case you are an employer, you could not have realized you’ve gotten such an array of decisions in retirement plans. However you do, and asking the suitable questions might symbolize step one towards implementing the suitable plan in your future or your organization. Make sure you ask a professional monetary advisor or enterprise retirement plan marketing consultant about your choices at this time.