Taking Advantage of Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

作为财务顾问，我们经常被问到如何最好地为退休储蓄?  In most cases, the answer is simple, start with your employer-sponsored plan.  Why?  雇主赞助的合格退休计划，如401(k)是一些最强大的退休储蓄工具. 如果你的雇主提供这样的计划，而你没有参加，你应该参加. Once you’re participating in a plan, try to take full advantage of it.

Understand your employer-sponsored retirement plan

在你利用雇主的计划之前，你需要了解这些计划是如何运作的. 尽可能地阅读有关该计划的所有信息，并与雇主的福利官交谈. 你也可以向财务规划师、税务顾问和其他专业人士咨询. Recognize the key features that many employer-sponsored plans share:

• Your employer automatically deducts your contributions from your paycheck. You may never even miss the money — out of sight, out of mind.
• You decide what portion of your salary to contribute, up to the legal limit. 你通常可以在一年中的特定日期或根据需要更改供款金额.
• With 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), SARSEPs, and SIMPLE plans, you contribute to the plan on a pre-tax basis. 在你的雇主预扣所得税之前，你的捐款从你的工资中扣除.
• Your 401(k), 403(b), 或者457(b)计划可以让你进行税后罗斯供款——没有预先的税收优惠，但合格的分配是完全免税的.
• 你的雇主可能会将你的全部或部分供款匹配到一定的水平. 通过在公司服务多年，你通常会获得雇主的这些钱.
• Your funds grow tax deferred in the plan. 在你把钱从这个计划中取出之前，你不用为投资收益纳税.
• 如果你从这个计划中取钱，你将支付所得税（可能还有提前提款罚款）.
• You may be able to borrow a portion of your vested balance (up to $50,000) at a reasonable interest rate.
• Your creditors cannot reach your plan funds to satisfy your debts.

Contribute as much as possible

你为退休存的钱越多，你就越有可能舒适地退休. 如果可以，尽量将供款上限提高到法定限额（或计划限额，如果较低）。. If you need to free up money to do that, try to cut certain expenses.

为什么要把你的退休金放在雇主的计划里，而不是放在别的地方? 一个原因是你对雇主计划的税前缴款会降低你当年的应税收入. 这意味着当你向该计划缴款时，你可以省下税款——如果你属于高税率阶层，这是一个很大的优势. For example, if you earn $100,000 a year and contribute $10,000 to a 401(k) plan, you’ll pay income taxes on $90,000 instead of $100,000. 罗斯供款不会降低你当前的应税收入，而是将你的供款和收入进行合格的分配, 在您满5年持有期并年满59岁半后进行分配, become disabled, or die — are tax free.)

Another reason is the power of tax-deferred growth. 你的投资收益年复一年地增长，只要在计划中就不用纳税. Over the long term, 这样你就有机会在雇主的计划中赚到一笔可观的钱. 你的结余应该比那些以同样的回报率投资相同金额的应税投资的人大得多.

例如，假设你参加了雇主的递延纳税计划（账户A）. You also have a taxable investment account (Account B). Each account earns 6% per year. 你的税率为24%，每年年底向每个账户存入5,000美元. After 40 years, the money placed in a taxable account would be worth $567,680. During the same period, the tax-deferred account would grow to $820,238. Even after taxes have been deducted from the tax-deferred account, the investor would still receive $623,381. (注：此示例仅用于说明目的，并不代表具体的投资.)

Capture the full employer match

If you can’t max out your 401(k) or other plan, 你至少应该尽量达到雇主所能匹配的限额. 雇主供款基本上是免费的，一旦你被授予（与你的雇主确认何时授予）。. By capturing the full benefit of your employer’s match, you’ll be surprised how much faster your balance grows. If you don’t take advantage of your employer’s generosity, you could be passing up a significant return on your money.

例如，你的年薪为3万美元，你所在的雇主有与之匹配的401(k)计划. The match is 50 cents on the dollar up to 6% of your salary. Each year, you contribute 6% of your salary ($1,800美元)加入该计划，并从雇主那里获得相应的900美元捐款.

Evaluate your investment choices carefully

大多数雇主赞助的计划给你提供共同基金或其他投资选择. Make your choices carefully. 为雇主的计划选择合适的投资组合可能是你享受舒适退休生活的关键之一. That’s because over the long term, varying rates of return can make a big difference in the size of your balance.

Note: Before investing in a mutual fund, carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses of the fund. 这些信息可在招股说明书中找到，招股说明书可从基金处获得. Read it carefully before investing.

Research the investments available to you. How have they performed over the long term? How much risk will they expose you to? Which ones are best suited for long-term goals like retirement? 你可能也想从金融专业人士那里得到建议(要么是你自己的, or one provided through your plan). 他或她可以根据你的个人目标帮助你选择正确的投资, your attitude toward risk, how long you have until retirement, and other factors. 你的财务专家也可以帮助你协调你的计划投资与你的整体投资组合.

Know your options when you leave your employer

When you leave your job, 你在前雇主的退休计划中的既定余额是你自己的. You have several options at that point, including:

• Taking a lump-sum distribution. Before choosing this option, 考虑到你要支付所得税，可能还要为你的提款支付罚款. Plus, you’re giving up the continued potential of tax-deferred growth.
• Leaving your funds in the old plan, growing tax deferred. (Your old plan may not permit this if your balance is less than $5,000, or if you’ve reached the plan’s normal retirement age — typically age 65.)如果你对这个计划的投资很满意，或者你需要时间来决定如何处理你的钱，这可能是个好主意.
• 将你的资金转到个人退休账户或新雇主的计划（如果该计划接受转期）. 这也可能是一个适当的举动，因为如果你做得好，就不会有所得税或罚款(如果你在滚动之前收到资金，你的旧计划将扣除20%的所得税, 当你投资新计划或个人退休账户时，你需要自付这笔钱。). Plus, your funds continue to potentially benefit from tax-deferred growth.

In closing, you have several options to choose from when saving for retirement.  通常情况下，从雇主赞助的计划开始是一个很好的起点.

At Austin Asset, we are Fee-Only Financial Advisors. 我们寻求通过真实和持久的关系为全国快3信誉最好的老平台带来清晰和目的. For Life.