Thursday, March 22, 2012

Using Solo 401k Plans For Retirement Savings

By Petra Berg


Solo 401k Plans are a retirement account for those who are self-employed. These retirement accounts are also known as single participant or self-directed plans. These accounts are for those business owners who file taxes as a sole proprietors, and who do not have employees, though a spouse may also contribute retirement savings.

These accounts provide a way for a self-employed person to save money in a tax advantaged manner. The money saved in the retirement account is not subject to taxation while invested. The money taken from the account in retirement may be taxed depending on the type of account.

There are two basic types of accounts available: traditional and Roth. A traditional plan uses before-tax money. In retirement, the person who owns the account will then pay taxes on the money withdrawn from the account. A Roth plan uses after-tax money. With this plan, the person contributes money already taxed as income. This means that in retirement, the owner will not need to pay income taxes on the money withdrawn from the account.

The plan allows for a flexible contribution amount as there is not a minimum contribution amount. This allows the plan's owner to contribute large amounts when business is good and to stop contributions when business is lean. There is a maximum contribution amount. This amount varies and is set annually by the IRS.

Though there are some exceptions, a person generally must reach the age of 59 and a half before being allowed to withdraw money from the plan without paying a penalty. The penalty is 10% of the withdrawn amount. This is in addition to any income tax due on the money taken from a traditional plan.

Solo 401k Plans offer the owner a wide variety of investment choices. These investment choices include stocks, bonds, real estate, precious metals, and other commodities. These retirement accounts provide a simple and effective way for the self-employed to save for retirement.




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