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2008 401K Deferral Limits

If you're looking up 2008 401K Deferral Limits help, you're sure at the right place! This webpage is full of advice and explanations on how 401k's work plus there are all kinds of tips, tricks and frequently asked questions you can go over and review. We hope you find this page to be helpful and informative for you! Picking and choosing the right retirement program can be hard if you don't know what you should be looking for, so we've set this page up with as much 401 k information as we could get for you and made sure it's helpful to you. Here you go...

What's a 401k plan? Here's A Quick Overview...

Employer-sponsored retirement plans are normally grouped into 2 major categories: Defined Benefit (DB) and Defined Contribution (DC).
In a DB plan, the employer promises to pay a defined amount to retirees who meet certain eligibility criteria. In other words, the plan defines the benefit to be received. In its most typical form, a DB plan pays a lifetime monthly benefit to retirees who reach specific age and service requirements. Benefits are usually linked to the amount of service and based on final average salary. Employees can reasonably rely on a known and expected benefit level; although protection against post-separation inflation is usually limited and/or uncertain. The plan sponsor may also provide an alternative lump-sum "cash-out" of the benefit entitlement. Until relatively recent times, the DB was the dominant form of employer-sponsored retirement program.

In DC plans, the plan defines the contributions that an employer can make, not the benefit that will be received at retirement. The terminating employee receives the proceeds in a current or deferred lump sum or annuity. Since the benefit is not defined, the retirement outcomes are not known in advance.

2008 401K Deferral Limits Tips:

Should you ever take a loan from you 401(k) plan? Here's a brief discussion of pros and cons. The pros are that it's convenient (no credit check or lengthy approval process), the interest rate is relatively low (a few points over the prime rate), and you pay the interest to yourself (not a bank or credit card). The cons are that your money is not growing for you while it is out of your account, there may be fees involved, the loan must be paid back immediately if you change jobs, and a loan default is treated as an early withdrawal (with taxes and penalties due). Given the total lack of job security that most workers have in 2005, there are considerable risks to this type of loan.

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Important 401(k) Rules:

401k Rules Regarding Contribution:

* In 2005, the cap for individual contribution was $14,000.This number increased to $15,000 in 2006, and after 2006, the cap adjusts annually in $500 increments.
* The maximum total amount contributed to your 401k plan is the lesser of 100% compensation or $42,000.
* If you’ll be age 50 or older by the end of the year, you may make an additional “catch-up”contribution each year. The maximum “catch-up”contribution was $4,000 in 2005 and $5,000 in 2006 and goes up each year.
* For highly compensated employees (those with income in excess of $95,000 in 2005), they may not be allowed to contribute at the maximum rate in the company.
* You can only contribute money to your 401k plan by automatic payroll deduction.
* You may not get your employer’s match if you leave your employer in less than three years. However, more and more companies have began offering immediate vesting to their employees

401k Rules Regarding Loans:
Not all 401k plans allow you to borrow from your 401k plan. And if it is allowed, the most you can borrow is the lesser of 50% of your vested balance or $50,000.

* You have to repay your loan in 5 years, unless the loan isused to purchase your primary residence.
* The interest you pay on your loan is subject to double taxation---you pay the interest with after-tax money and it is subjected to taxes when you eventually withdraw it.
* When you leave your company, you may have to pay back the outstanding balance in full. Otherwise, the outstanding amount will be subject to a possible 10% early withdrawal penalty.
* If you default on your loan, the outstanding balance is also subject to a possible 10% early withdrawal penalty.

Reasons why 401ks are a smart idea:

A company match can help your investments grow

Some companies offer a match as an incentive to join the company retirement plan. It means that the company will contribute a certain amount to your account for every dollar that you contribute, up to a certain limit. The match formula can vary. To receive the matching contribution, the plan may require that you work a specified number of years. It makes good sense to take advantage of a company match by setting aside the maximum amount required to qualify for a matching contribution. If your employer offers a matching contribution, your retirement savings have the potential to grow that much faster. In order to maximize an employer match, you might want to consider spreading your contributions throughout the year so you receive a match every month (subject to IRS limits).

**Disclaimer** The information on this page is as accurate as we could get it but is meant for information purpose only. It's not meant to be legal advice in which you use to make financial decisions. For any legal or financial matters, you should seek out a certified 401k or investment company or individual.

Other words associated with this page and topic would be: matching 401k plan, ira rollover