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…)

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…)

Among the variety of retirement plans you can pursue, some qualify for tax deferral by the regulations of the federal government, and others don’t. The federal government passed the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) regulation in 1974. This legislation and its requirements determine whether a retirement plan offered by employers or an employee organization (such as a union) qualifies for tax deferral of investment and interest until retirement age. (more…)

In the simplest sense, a retirement plan is your formula for determining what you want your retirement source of income to be and how you will finance that income. That retirement money doesn’t accumulate overnight; on the contrary, you will probably have to stick to your retirement plan for most of your adult life. Working on your retirement plan is called retirement planning.

Your retirement plan involves at least three things:

Goals : The first step in retirement planning involves setting realistic goals for your retirement. You probably have a vision of what you want your retirement to be like, but you also need to have a reasonable expectation about the lifestyle you’ll have when you retire — a practical and realistic goal of what retirement can be for you. (more…)