With pension plans increasingly rare, most people turn to employer-sponsored 401(k) plans to secure their retirement.
These plans, administered not by the company, but by large investment and financial management firms, are highly secure. Some companies also offer a percentage of matching contributions by the employer.
But there is more than one kind of 401(k).
The first is type is a 401(k) program that defers taxes on contributions and earnings until you make withdrawals at retirement. At that time, you can elect to pay tax on the withdrawals.
The second type is the Roth version. With the Roth version, your contributions are made with after-tax money. That means when you hit retirement age, you can withdraw your savings with no tax hit.
Some financial gurus claims the Roth 401(k) is the best choice because you can pay taxes on your money slowly. According to Dave Ramsey, you'll avoid potentially higher tax rates in the future and access your savings free and clear.
Whatever plan you choose, the key is to start making contributions early and make them consistently throughout your working life.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.