Author: Andrew Marx
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The Pension Protection Act of 2006 was passed last month and it means the Roth as a 401(k) will exist as a permanent account option, in addition to a traditional 401(k) or 403(b) offered by your employer. That affects how you might put money into retirement accounts going forward.
Did I just lose your attention?
I know for many people, a lot of this information blows right over them like a light breeze. While I don't expect you to jump for joy at hearing about retirement options, you still should have a basic understanding of how the Pension Protection Act can affect your future.
Let me see if I can make it palatable.
As soon as you enter the full time work force, you should begin to contribute towards your retirement. You have options. One is to contribute through your employer's 401(k) or 403(b) plan. The whole point of your employer offering this benefit is that the amount can be withdrawn from your paycheck pre-tax, and in many cases, your employer will contribute their own money to add to your investment funds. That is a spectacularly good deal. My employer's contribution to my 403(b) is around $4,000 annually. That money supplements my paycheck, not now, but when I am ready to retire. That money is not taxable until I retire and make withdrawals from the account.
However, you do not have to go through your employer to contribute towards your retirement. Enter the IRA (Individual Retirement Accounts) and the Roth IRA. Most people can contribute to both the IRA and the 401(k). Traditional IRA accounts are dollars you invest, then get a tax break on those funds at the end of the year and it is the equivalent of a pre-tax investment, like the 401(k).
Roth was created to give you an alternative to traditional IRAs. The principle difference is that Roth contributions are taxed income. Since you pay taxes on it before you invest the funds, you do not have to pay taxes on it when you withdraw the funds at retirement age. The basic concept is that simple. Pay taxes on the contribution now, while your tax bracket is probably lower than it will be, and as long as you follow the rules for the account, do not pay taxes on that same money again.
Roth also exists as a 401(k) account that you can contribute through your employer, an alternative to the traditional 401(k) described earlier. The difference is that the Roth 401(k) uses already taxed dollars to contribute to the plan. The same concept as the Roth IRA, you do not then pay taxes on that contribution when you retire as long as you follow certain rules. The Roth 401(k) was originally designed to phase out after 2010, but the Act makes it a permanent option. That makes it more attractive for employers to offer it, and more employers will do so.
What you should do right now if you are interested in more information is go to your employer's benefit office and find out what kind of retirement plans they offer, most likely a 401(k) or 403(b). Ask them about eligibility criteria for the plans. You can separately contact any number of personal investment companies like Scottrade and Vanguard to open up an IRA or Roth IRA.
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Andrew Marx is a prolific author and his expertise includes the practical and legal aspects of personal finance and higher education. His body of work is published at http://www.smartremarx.com/
