I know what tax bracket I am relegated to at the moment. I know about how much I’m going to pay in taxes on the income I’ve labored to receive about 65% of. I know these things in terms of what a dollar means today and would much rather pay that price now than later when I have no idea what tax bracket I’ll be in or how much money I will actually see of my retirement earnings.

Many point out that the laws regarding the Roth IRA could change between now and then. This is very true. At the same time the laws in regards to the 401 (k) could quite possibly change in time as well. In the art form of complication the IRS could put out next years tax code in Greek and the average citizen would not be able to tell the difference, I for one think they already do this in the ultimate practical joke on the people. Bottom line is I would much rather retain the maximum allowable control over my money when I need that money rather than trying to write off the taxes I will gladly pay today.

Putting the taxes off until a later date is like getting a credit card with 0% interest for 12 months. What they don’t put in the big bold print is that after the one year period or the ‘honeymoon’ so to speak is over that number goes up to well over 20%. At this point in time I have no magic crystal ball that can in anyway indicate what my tax bracket will be nor can it indicate that percentage of taxes I will owe five years from now much less 35 when retirement comes knocking on my door. The peace of mind that goes with not wondering if it will be enough after taxes is well worth the inconvenience of paying taxes on those funds today.

If you’re looking for some even better news, try this on for size. By not paying taxes on the final amount you are actually adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to your income if you invest the full amount allowable over the course of the next 50 years. You will still save a huge amount of money if you only make the maximum investment over the course of the next 30 years. Every year you add to those figures helps wildly of course when it comes to the bottom line but if you are looking for a way to maximize your retirement funds, eliminating the taxes on those funds by and large is the way to go.

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Many people invest pretax earnings into their 401(k) funds, which they then have the option to invest in mutual funds of many options. You will find these mutual funds in a wide array of choices from money market accounts to very aggressive and risky stock portfolios. If you work for one of the many companies across the country that offers the option of a 401(k) plan you would be literally robbing your future self not to take advantage of this offering.

There are 3 general types of contributions to 401(k) plans: matching contributions, elective contributions, and non-elective contributions.

Matching contributions are very nice from the standpoint of the employee as the employer matches a predetermined amount of the funds invested by the employee towards this fund. Different companies will offer different amounts for their matching contributions. If your company will match up to a certain percentage of what you invest into your 401 (k) you should take them up on their offer. This is money that will benefit you later in life and should not be thrown away without a darn good for doing so.

An elective contribution is money that you invest before taxes are taken out of your salary. This means that you aren’t paying income taxes on these funds at today’s rate of taxation. Many people believe this is a good plan because the assumption is that you will be in a lower tax bracket upon retirement though there are no guarantees that that will be true. This money is money that you have elected to invest in your 401 (k) plan, rather than bring home in the form of salary, thus the name of elective contribution.

Non-elective contributions are money that employer deposits into your account. In most cases you cannot opt to take this money as cash rather than an investment in your 401 (k) plan.

There are limitations for how much you can invest into your 401 (k) plan on a given year. You should check with the IRS to get the actual numbers as they have changed over time and are likely to continue doing so as the cost of living increases across the country. Once you reach the age of 50 you are allowed to make extra contributions to your plan in order to ‘catch up’ and better prepare for retirement.

When studying your options for retirement financial planning you should carefully consider taking your employer up on any type of assistance they offer in this endeavor. If they offer to match the funds you invest in your retirement you can bet that money has already been deducted in their calculations of your salary. In other words, they are giving you the money you’ve earned in a different manner. The good news is that when the time comes to retire you will be able to appreciate every dollar that has been invested along the way.

We could never hope to simply save the money that we will need in order to retire. Even investments are tricky for the vast majority of the population. For this reason, it is a wise investment plan to take advantage of any opportunity to increase your funds by employers matching your contributions. Take the maximum benefit they will match and if you are seriously worried about your financial future more than your current financial situations, invest the maximum allowable amount each year in your 401 (k) plan.

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The good news is that like many things around the world we are learning from our mistakes and working to create a new and improved 401(k) for employees across the country. With this in mind and the advances that have been made very few people can honestly state that they are worried about the security of their money as a reason not to participate in their company offered 401(k) programs. The problem remains that far too many people believe in the sanctity of a now dieing system for retirement funds.

The truth of the matter is that no matter what, chances are very slim that social security will provide any sort of security for those that are retiring and relying on this as their ‘golden’ years. There have been mistakes along the way and will continue to be. Not only do the administrators of these plans make the mistakes but also by those receiving the benefit of these plans, which can be so very important when, it comes to establishing some degree of security for your financial retirement planning.

Along the way we’ve learned that the penalties for borrowing against your funds can be much more harsh than a mere slap on the wrist. We’ve also learned the cashing out is very rarely a wise decision in the grand scheme of things when it comes to your 401(k) plan. These lessons are hard learned in many cases and cost years if not decades of your retirement plan. Do not make these mistakes unless the stakes truly merit the costs involved.

Don’t be afraid to actually make the investments you feel are necessary in order to maximize the potential of your 401(k). This is your retirement after all and the new rules regarding your 401(k) are putting you in the driver’s seat so to speak. Don’t let yourself and your investment down by not doing the necessary research. If you plan to invest in stocks make sure that you are diversifying your stock holdings and that you have thoroughly researched the stocks in which you are investing.

You should also take the time to research the differences in a traditional 401(k) and a Roth 401(k) and see which one you feel will best suit your needs as a consumer and as an investor. There are marked advantages and disadvantages associated with each and ultimately which is better comes down to a matter of preference as there really is no absolute right or wrong answer to this question.

I strongly encourage you to seek the services of a competent financial planner in order to help you properly diversify your portfolio for long-term investing with maximum potential. I believe you will be amazed at the miracles that the right financial mind can work when it comes to your funds.

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I would like to take this opportunity to encourage you to seek the guidance and advice of a professional financial planner. The resources and knowledge that a competent financial advisor can share with you will be invaluable when it becomes time to make the decision that will affect how your retirement savings are put to work for your retirement. We go to a mechanic for mechanical advice (at least I do) so it only makes sense that we would go someone who has trained in financial matters for financial advice.

Getting back to business, when it comes to financial retirement planning you should find that both IRAs and 401 (k) plans have strengths and weaknesses. There are also limitations as to how beneficial they can be when used in combination with one another as well as their own limitations. Every benefit that aids you in taxes and retirement should be considered carefully before leaping.

Let’s first look at the 401 (k) plan. This is a plan that offers a few benefits that are much preferable to many over other retirement plans. The first thing you might want to consider is that you can invest up to 15% of your salary or a maximum of $15,000 per year (as of 2006). Of course that is assuming that your employer doesn’t have limits on how much you can invest. The money invested in your 401 (k) account is pre tax money so it lowers the amount of taxes you are paying out of each paycheck. Many people also find that because the money is taken from their checks before it arrives it is far less painless to part with. As someone who has closely watched taxes, FICA, and Fido get my money for years I can say that it is no less painful for me but some find it comforting and that is a real benefit. Finally and perhaps the most important thing to consider is that many employers will match a percentage of your contribution up to a certain amount each check. As an employee this is a boost to your investment that is well deserved and hard earned. I hope you appreciate the implications it has on your future earnings. You should keep in mind that the penalties for accessing these funds early are harsh indeed in order to discourage this practice from occurring. Take care that you do not over-invest in these funds to the point that you will need to access them in times other than dire emergencies.

IRAs are another creature all together. You will find much stricter limitations on IRAs than on 401 (k) plans beginning with the fact that if your employer offers a 401 (k) you must make very little money in order to qualify for the tax deductions that this particular retirement fund generally allows. The maximum yearly contribution for your IRA will be $4,000 or 100% of your annual income; whichever is greater up until the age of 49. Once you’ve reached the age of 50 you can invest an additional $1,000 to your fund. The other major drawback when it comes to an IRA is the fact that you must begin receiving payments at the age of 70.5 from your account. You will also be heavily penalized if you make an early withdrawal from these funds.

Whether you choose a 401 (k) plan, a Traditional IRA, or both for your financial retirement investments, I hope you will take the time to discuss the benefits and disadvantages of each with your financial advisor before making your final decision.

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The first and perhaps largest mistakes that people make when it comes to 401 (k) plans is not signing up. Yes you heard that right. What people do not understand is that this is something your employer offers so that you can have some security for your future. It is a manner of saving money for your future that shouldn’t be overlooked or taken for granted. Even a bad 401 (k) plan is better than no 401 (k) and with strict regulations those are few and far between. More importantly, if your company offers to match the funds in your 401 (k) plan not taking them up on that offer is literally tossing money in the garbage can.

The next big mistake when it comes to your 401 (k) is risking too little. Rewards come with risk. If you aren’t taking any risks with your investment then you are by and large throwing money down the drain. In addition to that, it is nearly impossible to meet your retirement goals without taking some risks, and some hits along the way. This doesn’t mean you should be reckless but along the way you are going to need to take some calculated risks in order to receive the bigger payouts that most of us hope for when investing in their retirement funds.

Risking too much. There are many risks involved when investing in the stock market. There are a few that deserve a little more mention than others. First of all, stocks present a fairly large risk, particularly to the uninitiated. While it is true that great rewards are most often the product of great risks you do not want to risk the bulk of your retirement by investing it all in stocks. Another thing you want to avoid doing if at all possible is investing in your company stock. We’ve seen too many lives destroyed when companies go under taking the financial stability of their employees along with them. Many companies offer incentives to employees for investing in their stock, which may be tempting but I recommend investing as little as possible in your company stock whenever possible as this could lead to problems down the road.

Finally, the worst thing you can do for the health of your 401 (k) is borrow against it. There are so many ways in which this could go wrong and the penalties for this are more than a little prohibitive. They are designed to be that way so that you will use the funds for their intended purpose. If you absolutely have no other option is the only way I would recommend borrowing against your 401 (k) and I would seriously consider selling a kidney before doing that.

When it comes to your financial retirement, 401 (k) mistakes can be far more costly than you may realize. Work to avoid these common mistakes and you should be well on your way to a successful retirement.

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