There is an old adage that says “numbers don’t lie.” So when it comes to figuring out how much money do you need to retire, you need to understand basic math, a few retirement concepts, and some financial retirement concepts. This is where you may wish you had paid more attention to your high school math teacher. (more…)
Once your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) is calculated, the Social Security Administration applies a percentage, called a Replacement Rate, to arrive at your monthly social security statement of benefits amount. The average Replacement Rate is 40 percent. However, the rate tends to be higher for low-income workers and lower for higher income workers. In this progressive way, lower-paid workers—who in theory would have less opportunity to save—get proportionally more of their incomes replaced by Social Security. (more…)
With respect to investments, the first task of the corporate sponsor is to set return objectives and broad definitions of characteristics for the investment portfolio that receives the corporate contribution. Setting investment objectives by the corporation for the investment manager or managers was not always considered an important function of the corporate sponsor; objective setting frequently was left to the discretion of the investment manager. However, as funds have grown in size, setting investment objectives has assumed increased importance; written objectives are prepared and then reviewed at regular intervals. Unfortunately, objectives often are stated in very vague terms, such as obtaining the maximum return consistent with prudence. Nevertheless, this problem is getting increased attention, and more specific directions may be expected in the future. (more…)
Employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plans in which the benefit is defined by account value rather than monthly lifetime retirement income. Cash balance plans are often referred to as “hybrids” because they have some of the characteristics of traditional “defined benefit” (DB) pension plans and some of the characteristics of “defined contribution” (DC) plans, such as 401(k). In general, traditional defined benefit plans promise qualified employees an income benefit for life (or some other period) starting at “normal retirement age,” without regard to how much (or little) the employer must contribute to the plan to fund the benefit. Defined contribution plans, on the other hand, promise only how much the employer will contribute to a qualified employee’s account from time to time until the employee retires but they make no promises with regard to investment earnings or results, let alone a monthly income benefit for life. (more…)
Approximately one-fifth (20 percent) of post retirement income sources today comes from qualified retirement plan assets. Within 20 years, that number will increase to just under one-third (30 percent) of post retirement income. These are broadly defined as assets on which you have not yet paid retirement income taxes, though there is one exception in the Roth IRA. (more…)
The financial crisis in the world has been on edge especially those who are related to private pension funds whether voluntary or with a solidarity contribution on the part of the state. Of course, in Colombia things are not as severe as in the United States, but with such a tremendous financial position the risk is latent, it does not entail a red alert, even more if one takes into account the disturbing news January 2008 when the Superintendency of Banks reported that the pension and severance (more…)
Defined contribution plans have several characteristics involving the following factors:
• Some plans allow you to defer a portion of your compensation and contribute it to the retirement fund, (more…)
If you are an employee and your employer has established a 401k plan, it is a mistake to not participate and not contribute as much as possible. When you put your money investing in a 401k, you wish to get your money’s deserving for your investment. Your main goal is by the time your retirement come so that you can retire comfortably. (more…)
Private pension plans are different in several respects from the policy of optimal risk sharing plans. The economic environment is different with pension funds and are much riskier and having more dynamic nature than conventional pension funds investment. Therefore, the retirement contracts that work well in practice might be able to deviate from the optimal contracts in pension funds. (more…)
Another old adage says that we should learn from the mistakes of others. When it comes to retirement planning, there are many legal, tax, and retirement saving mistakes you can make as a business owner, retirement plan trustee, or plan participant. (more…)