A simplified employee pension plan (SEP) is a deferred-compensation arrangement that is similar to a profit-sharing plan. It can be set up by employers and

There are many types of employer-sponsored retirement plans. One that may appeal to small businesses and to self-employed individuals is the savings incentive match plan

If you leave a job or retire, you might want to transfer the money you’ve invested in one or more employer-sponsored retirement plans to an

The arena of employer-sponsored retirement plans has been dominated by 401(k) plans that are funded with pre-tax contributions, which effectively defers taxes until distributions begin.

David Wray, the president of the Plan Sponsor Council of America, once said that the purpose of profit-sharing plans is “to generate goodwill and a

A money purchase plan is a type of defined-contribution plan that is similar to a profit-sharing plan, except that the contribution amounts are fixed rather

A 403(b) plan is a special tax-deferred retirement savings plan that is often referred to as a tax-sheltered annuity, a tax-deferred annuity, or a 403(b)

Annuities are insurance-based financial vehicles that can provide many benefits sought by retirement-minded investors. There are a number of reasons why people buy annuities. Deferral

A split-annuity strategy involves purchasing two types of annuity contracts: immediate and deferred. The immediate annuity would provide a current income stream during the early

Many variable annuity contracts offer “living benefit” guarantees. For an additional cost, the contract holder may be able to purchase guarantees regardless of the account

Many Americans realize the importance of saving for retirement, but knowing exactly how much they need to save is another issue altogether. With all the

John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss

Named after Section 1035 of the Internal Revenue Code, a 1035 exchange allows life insurance policy owners (and annuity contract owners) to exchange an old

Birthdays may seem less important as you grow older. They may not offer the impact of watershed moments such as getting a driver’s license at

Investing in your own business makes sense. Many businesses achieve significant growth each year. However, when you consider that many small businesses fold every year,

There are a variety of retirement planning options that can meet your needs. Your employer funds some; you fund some. Bear in mind that, in

People have traditionally seen Social Security benefits as the foundation of their retirement planning programs. The Social Security contributions deducted from workers’ paychecks have, in

Estimating your future Social Security benefits used to be a difficult task, but not any longer. For an estimate of your projected benefits, go to

A self-employed retirement plan is a tax-deferred retirement savings program for self-employed individuals. In the past, the term “Keogh plan” or “H.R. 10 plan” was

If you want to limit potential losses while participating in the potentially attractive returns of a market-driven investment but would also like a guaranteed return,

When it comes to receiving the fruits of your labor — the money accumulated in your employer-sponsored retirement plan — you are faced with a

Traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs) can be a good way to save for retirement. If you do not participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan or

A 401(k) plan is a self-directed, qualified retirement plan established by an employer to provide future retirement benefits for employees. Employee contributions are made on

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are more valuable than ever. The money in them accumulates tax deferred until it is withdrawn, typically in retirement. Distributions from a

Most people have good intentions about saving for retirement. But few know when they should start and how much they should save. Sometimes it might

Roth IRAs are tax-favored financial vehicles that enable investors to save money for retirement. They differ from traditional IRAs in that taxpayers cannot deduct contributions