The real title of this edition is: The 401k Trap – Have a 401k Strategy.
It has become clear that there is more to saving in a 401k than…simply saving in a 401k. Last year, amidst no travel and not being able to see clients and friends face-to-face, two colleagues and I took 5 months to write an actionable guide to the critical need – due to potentially higher taxes in the future – for a strategy around 401k saving TODAY. For Everyone. The name of the paper is: The 401k Trap.
For those who are just getting started saving in a company 401k or 403b, the strategies we suggest could make a huge difference in 10 years and beyond; for those who have been saving in a 401k for 15-20 years or more, a strategy may be even more urgent.
The key reason is taxes. It is true that no one knows for sure where tax rates will be in 5-10-20 years from today. But with history as a guide and the fact that tax rates on the federal level are near all-time lows, the conclusion can be drawn that tax rates will only be higher in the intermediate- and long-term future. This state of affairs will punish those who have done the hard work of saving large balances in pre-tax 401k and IRA accounts.
Here is the Table of Contents – please email me at kdebbs@msfsolutions.com for a copy of the paper.
- Oh, How Times Have Changed!
- Longevity
- 401k Today
- Risk of Increased Government Spending
- An Aging Population
- Dirty Little Secret
- Historic Tax Brackets
- Surprise
- The Earlier the Better
- The Debt Clock
- The Wake-Up Call
- Bonus Checklist
Thank you for reading, stay safe and TGIF!