I previously discussed my employer-sponsored pension plan where I contribute 6.45% of my paycheck and the state agency I work for matches this contribution with another 6.45%. I will be vested in this plan after five years. However, while researching for that article I found that only 31% of employees were offered a pension plan […]
I work for the state of Texas and about once a year I get a statement from our Employment Retirement System. Each month I contribute 6.45% from my paycheck towards a pension and the state agency matches this contribution. Among other things, the most exciting part of the statement is the chart where it details […]
The IRS and the Social Security Administration released a bunch of 2012 limits for us to sort through. Here are the limits that I find most meaningful to readers. And when I say most meaningful, it really boils down to the ones that impact your paycheck: retirement contributions, health plan contributions, and social security taxes […]
A lot of what we do is plan for retirement by accumulating money. However, there’s some planning that goes into the decumulation phase too. And it’s where one of my favorite retirement planning calculators excels: the Optimal Retirement Planner (ORP). There’s a lot of advice floating around to access your taxable accounts first, then your […]
I have recently taken a lot of interest in our annual Social Security Estimated Benefits statements we receive around our birthdays each year. For one, it’s exciting to keep a rolling tally of how much I have earned, and to (hopefully) see my earnings to continue to increase. Also, it’s nice to see a tangible, […]
To Roth 401k or Not to Roth 401k?
Posted byRoth 401ks have been around for a few years now, but have been recently increasing in popularity. In fact, my employer has just opened up an opportunity for its employees to invest in a Roth 401k in addition to the traditional 401k. I had heard rumors about these plans for a few years but have […]
The Social Security program is the largest government program in the world and the single greatest expenditure in the federal budget. The actual name for Social Security is the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program. It consists of many parts, including guaranteed income to the retired, disabled, and qualified survivors, insurance in the […]
Roth IRA Conversion Guide
Posted byRoth IRA conversions are the trendy thing to do in 2010 since the income limits disappeared. If you’re considering a traditional IRA conversion to Roth IRA this year, here’s a guide of Roth conversion articles to help you navigate conversion rules and the pros and cons of Roth IRA conversions. Roth IRA Conversion Rules 2010 […]
Since the number of Roth IRA conversions per year is unlimited, and we have the ability to unconvert the Roth IRA conversions, there’s a fantastic strategy to Roth IRA conversions to minimize your taxes! We previously explored roth conversion strategies like increasing your basis to avoid taxes, but if you’re ready to convert the taxable […]
Should You Do a Roth Conversion?
Posted byThis is the final article is a series on Roth IRA conversions. We’ve been talking about Roth IRA conversions all week. To recap, the 2010 Roth conversion rules mark the first year that there is no income limit for Roth IRA conversion eligibility. Because of that, many people have access to a Roth IRA for […]