The Best Retirement Savings Accounts to Consider
What is the safest retirement account?
The safest place to put your retirement funds is in low-risk investments and savings options with guaranteed growth. Low-risk investments and savings options include fixed annuities, savings accounts, CDs, treasury securities, and money market accounts. Of these, fixed annuities usually provide the best interest rates.
The Best Retirement Savings Accounts to Consider
When it comes to securing a comfortable retirement income, it pays to carefully consider the variety of available investments. Retirement savings accounts are usually the most popular and beneficial option due to their tax-free savings benefits and the fact that you won’t have to start withdrawing funds until you hit a certain age. Here we outline some of the most popular retirement savings accounts available to help you make the right decision for you.
Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) are one of the most popular retirement savings accounts. IRAs can be traditional or Roth and come with different tax characteristics associated with them. Traditional IRAs are tax-deductible, meaning you can deduct contributions from your gross income when filing a tax return. However, withdrawals made during retirement are taxed at ordinary income rates. Conversely, Roth IRAs offer tax-free withdrawals during retirement, although contributions are typically not tax-deductible.
401(k)s are sponsored by employers and are usually the most advantageous type of retirement plan for employers offering them. Typically employers will match contributions with a certain percentage, allowing employees to benefit from the additional contribution. One caveat to note however is that withdrawals from accounts before the age of 59 and a half are heavily penalised by the IRS.
For self-employed individuals, SEPs (Simplified Employee Pensions) offer tax-deductible contributions as well as a convenient way to manage savings. SEPs let you set up a contribution plan and then let the custodian manage all the details such as choosing investments. SEPs also benefit from the ability to be funded with a higher contribution cap than individual IRAs.
Finally, for those interested in more conservative investment opportunities, annuities offer the added benefit of guaranteed income streams during retirement. Annuities are the only retirement savings vehicle offering this type of guarantee. Annuities come in a variety of types and fee structures, from fixed rate to more complicated variable annuities, so it’s important to understand the trade-offs between them before investing in one.
In conclusion, when it comes to retirement savings accounts there is no single best option for everyone. Different accounts come with different tax requirements and investment allowances, so it pays to do your research and ensure you understand the details of each account before making a decision.