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	<title>Retirement Tool &#187; Retirement Planning</title>
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	<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com</link>
	<description>Retirement Planning for Women</description>
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		<title>Retirement planning sounds so far ahead, but you need to start as soon as possible</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/retirement-planning-sounds-so-far-ahead-but-you-need-to-start-as-soon-as-possible/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/retirement-planning-sounds-so-far-ahead-but-you-need-to-start-as-soon-as-possible/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Aug 2010 00:45:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retirement planning for Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[compounding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[early retirement plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[investment growth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement planning for women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[save for retirement]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=83</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For most people, retirement seems so far ahead. Every few women start thinking about their retirement planning until children are out of the house. Mostly in their late 40s and 50s. But keep one thing in mind, the earlier you start, the easier it is. It&#8217;s a simple number game. The longer you save and [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>For most people, retirement seems so far ahead. Every few women start thinking about their retirement planning until children are out of the house. Mostly in their late 40s and 50s. But keep one thing in mind, the earlier you start, the easier it is. It&#8217;s a simple number game. The longer you save and invest, the less you have save every month. Because you have all the years for growth and compounding.</p>
<p>Retirement planning should       start early and continue throughout your lifetime. Here are four reasons       why saving matters to women – and especially to you!</p>
<ul>
<li>Women are more likely to work  in         part-time jobs that don&#8217;t qualify for a retirement plan. And  working         women are more likely than men to interrupt their careers to  take care         of family members.  Therefore, they work fewer years and  contribute less toward their retirement, resulting in lower lifetime  savings.</li>
<li>Of the 62 million wage and salaried         women (age 21 to 64) working in the United States, just 45 percent participated in a retirement         plan. Remember, even small amounts can earn interest and add up over         time.</li>
<li>On average, a female retiring  at age         65 can expect to live another 19 years, 3 years longer than a  man retiring at the same age. Savings can increase a woman&#8217;s         chances of having enough money to last during her retirement.</li>
<li>By and large, women invest more         conservatively than men.  Choose carefully where you put your money and         learn how to make your investments grow.</li>
</ul>
<p><small>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</small></p>
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		<title>Roth on Roids For IRA &#8211; Retirement Plan Investing &#8211; CPA Or Lawyer Viewpoint</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/roth-on-roids-for-ira-retirement-plan-investing-cpa-or-lawyer-viewpoint/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/roth-on-roids-for-ira-retirement-plan-investing-cpa-or-lawyer-viewpoint/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:46:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IRA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=70</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Rocco Beatrice With a Roth IRA on Roids, you could contribute $5,000, $20,000, $50,000 and $100,000 depending on how much money you have and how much you want to contribute and when you want to begin to withdraw your money. It is powerful wealth building tool. When I heard about this from Roccy DeFrancesco, [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By Rocco Beatrice</p>
<div id="body">
<p>With a Roth IRA on Roids, you could contribute $5,000, $20,000, $50,000 and $100,000 depending on how much money you have and how much you want to contribute and when you want to begin to withdraw your money.</p>
<p>It is powerful wealth building tool. When I heard about this from Roccy DeFrancesco, I was completely overwhelmed because I spent my lifetime looking for tax-advantaged products that are safe, legal, that you can use, with very little risk. You are not going to get this from your lawyer or your accountant. Your lawyer&#8217;s stock-in-trade answer is &#8220;possibly, maybe or I&#8217;ll look into it.&#8221; And even if he knows he&#8217;s not going to tell you because, traditionally, he works on both sides of the fence.</p>
<p>Your accountant and lawyer would typically not look to at any type of these products because he could become an IRS target. Whenever there is a criminal investigation, his papers would be the first thing they go after, summonses. I work with accountants and I teach them and this is their usual stance on the matter. I teach lawyers and accountants for credits. They&#8217;re generally intimidated. For the price of preparing your income tax return, they&#8217;re not going to look at these types of wealth-building tools. The wealth-building strategies of this investment retirement planning are completely legal. You do not have to hide your money. You do not have to go offshore. You do not have to provide a lot of documentation, and you do not have to report your requirements to the feds.</p>
<p>With a Roth IRA on Roids the following basic information would be required: your age; how much money you wish to deposit into your account; when you wish to withdraw from the account. Based on this information, a specific financial chart can be drawn for you.</p>
<p>To summarize the main benefits of this wealth-building tool: your money never goes backwards; you&#8217;ll be able to take your money out tax free; there is a guaranteed return. So let&#8217;s discuss how you can fund your account using other people&#8217;s money.</p>
<p>Roccy DeFrancesco&#8217;s wrote a book, &#8220;Home Equity Management.&#8221; The book is very well written. Roccy is a very meticulous guy and I have a lot of respect for him. The book describes how you can reposition your home equity. Let us look at your home equity for a moment. If you are in your home with a 95% mortgage, does your mortgage diminish the value&#8217;s home? The answer is, &#8220;No.&#8221; If your home is fully mortgaged it would not diminish the value. But, if you live in an area like California, with mud slides, or Florida with hurricanes and tornadoes and you own 100% of your home (i.e. not mortgaged) then whose problem would it be if your house slides down the hill or it goes under water? It would be your problem. On the other hand, if it&#8217;s heavily mortgaged, then it would not be your problem. It would be an insurance problem and it would be a mortgage company problem.</p>
<p>So what is the relation of your home equity with your Roth on Roids? If you leverage your home equity and reposition it to fund your IRA account then, effectively, your money is sitting in this account and in investment opportunities and it&#8217;s safe. Real estate is the only leverageable asset class. Everybody understands that you buy real estate with 5% down, 10% down, depending on how well financed you are. It&#8217;s the only leverage that is recommended, people accept, people understand, the banks do it. So by repositioning your home equity in order for you to fund your account, financially you are using other people&#8217;s money. And this could also be accomplished with commercial real estate. If you have equity in commercial real estate, refinancing it in order for you to reposition your assets definitely makes a lot of sense. At the end of the day, you still have the same assets. If you have equity in your home or commercial estate, that&#8217;s an asset. If you have equity in Roth on Roids, or other investment opportunities, together they are the same number. You&#8217;re just repositioning. You are relocating your assets. That&#8217;s all you&#8217;ve done.</p></div>
<div id="sig" class="sig">
<p>Best IRA Rescue provides services on your Roth IRA, IRA investments &amp; traditional IRA and will help you reduce your inherited and beneficiary independent retirement account taxes in your estate assets. Roth on ROID™ is your advanced Roth IRA retirement planning strategy. It is Cash Value Life Insurance and one of the best IRA tax-savings strategies with benefits of a guaranteed death benefit, guaranteed principal, tax-free growth, and tax-free distributions from policy loans. Traditional IRAs and ROTH IRAs cannot invest in life insurance. Please contact us if you have any questions. Rocco Beatrice, CPA, MST, MBA</p>
<p><a href="http://bestirarescue.com/" target="_new">Best IRA Rescue-Roth IRA</a> Other article: <a href="http://roth-ira.bestirarescue.com/whats-better-401k-or-roth-ira.html" target="_new">What&#8217;s Better 401k Roth IRA?</a><br />
Boston, MA: 71 Commercial Street #150 Boston, MA 02109<br />
Costa Mesa, CA: 543 Victoria Ste. J, Costa Mesa, CA 92627<br />
toll-free: 888-93ULTRA (888-938-5872) tel: +1.508.429.0011 fax: +1.508.429.3034</p>
<div>
<p>Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com">EzineArticles.com</a></div>
</div>
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		<title>Self Directed IRA Account &#8211; The Best Retirement Plan For Business Savvy People</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/self-directed-ira-account-the-best-retirement-plan-for-business-savvy-people/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/self-directed-ira-account-the-best-retirement-plan-for-business-savvy-people/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 Jun 2009 19:44:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IRA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plan]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[save for retirement]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=68</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[By Ricky Devel It was in 1975, when an investment option was introduced and grouped in the lists of the individual retirement accounts, which is now commonly known as the Self directed IRA account. Many people who begin to study all the possible retirement investing selections, most of the time don&#8217;t take a good look [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>By Ricky Devel</p>
<div id="body">
<p>It was in 1975, when an investment option was introduced and grouped in the lists of the individual retirement accounts, which is now commonly known as the Self directed IRA account. Many people who begin to study all the possible retirement investing selections, most of the time don&#8217;t take a good look on Self directed IRA accounts. But if you thoroughly examine the whole feature of this IRA, you may deem it as the best and the most effective retirement account for you especially if you prefer an account that provides you the right to take full control of your assets.</p>
<p>When you open a Self directed IRA account, you&#8217;ll be delighted to know about the wonderful opportunities it can give you as a contributor. As its name denotes it, you can build and establish all your investments through your direction and management. You can in real fact house your funds in assets that include real estate market, partnerships, franchises, mortgages and other kinds of investments.</p>
<p>If you are already decided that you want to invest your money in a particular business, the first thing that you should accomplish is to consult a custodian or an administrator, who will facilitate your paperwork needs and will buy the investments and assets that you want to take control of. Remember, that this doesn&#8217;t in any way reduce your power over your Self directed IRA because the management of your assets is ultimately your task.</p>
<p>One of the best investments for a Self directed IRA is the real estate market. You can also grab hold of the chance to lend funds in your retirement plan, so you can invest in some mortgages. Other types of assets that you can obtain through your Self directed account are franchises, companies and partnerships.</p>
<p>The other types of IRAs more often than not are not allowed to invest in industries that are high-risks; this somehow lessens the generation of high profits and gains. But when you have a Self directed IRA account, you can put your funds in non-conventional assets or high-risk businesses as long as they fall under the guidelines of the IRS.</p>
<p>There are numerous kinds of self directed IRA investment options that you can get hold of, especially if you have the comprehensive understanding on how you can run the business you chose to put your money in. Investing in high risks assets can be dangerous, though the gains and profits can be huge, particularly if the assets you&#8217;ve got perform very well in the market.</p>
<p>Many people are afraid to go for self directed account because they find it to be quite complex, but if you are a business savvy individual and you like taking risks then this may be the best individual retirement account for you. Another significant factor that you should have when you open this account is an all-inclusive and comprehensive business plan, so you can manage your investments well.</p></div>
<div id="sig" class="sig">
<p>Always keep in mind that the success and profit generation of the <a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Self-Directed-IRAs" target="_new">Self directed IRA account</a> relies on you solely. Learn the <a href="http://hubpages.com/hub/Self-Directed-Investments" target="_new">self directed investments</a> basics before starting on any IRA or investment plan.</p>
<div>
<p>Article Source: <a href="http://ezinearticles.com">EzineArticles.com</a></div>
</div>
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		<title>I Want To Catch Up On My Retirement Planning What Should I Do?</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/i-want-to-catch-up-on-my-retirement-planning-what-should-i-do/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/i-want-to-catch-up-on-my-retirement-planning-what-should-i-do/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 May 2009 15:13:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[catch up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=64</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Good question and even better, you’re thinking in the right direction about your future which is someday retiring. If you’re one of those people who haven’t saved any or very much money for your retirement, it’s never too late for you to start now! It’s important that you do start and soon. It doesn’t take [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Good question and even better, you’re thinking in the right direction about your future which is someday retiring. If you’re one of those people who haven’t saved any or very much money for your retirement, it’s never too late for you to start now! It’s important that you do start and soon. It doesn’t take long for age to slip up on you fast if you know what I mean! So, just get started on your retirement planning now while you’re thinking about it. You may want to consider some of these tips and information to get you started:</p>
<p>1) If the employer you are working for offers a 401K plan wherein you contribute a percentage of your earnings towards retirement, consider signing up for this plan! In most instances, the employer may match a percentage of the contributions you make to your 401K account. Your contributions can be made on a pre-tax basis which will help your money grow faster in your account.</p>
<p>2) You may want to consider taking a second job to add more income for your retirement. This will assist you in increasing the amount of money for your retirement fund. If you’re able to fit a second job into your schedule, make sure this would be feasible for you and your family without causing problems.</p>
<p>3) Save more of your money by cutting back on some of your expenses. You may want to reduce the number of times you eat out, go to the movies, shop, and any other areas you can cut back on to save towards your retirement.</p>
<p>4) Consider saving your change! That’s right, save your change. You would be surprised at the amount of money you can accumulate in a small amount of time by saving your change. Your change could be set aside for your retirement fund. So, start putting your coins away for your future!</p>
<p>5) Reduce or eliminate your spending on your credit cards. The less you pay on your credit cards, the more money you’ll have to save towards your retirement. So, if you can pay cash for that item you need to purchase, do that instead of charging it to your credit card. You’ll not only save yourself interest charges, but, you’ll have extra money to put away for your retirement.</p>
<p>6) If you have a home and are using it as a cash machine or atm by taking out your home equity via loans or a credit line, stop what you’re doing! Your home is one of your largest investments and will most likely be a retirement vehicle for you. You’ll either want to have your home paid off prior to retirement or be in a position to sell your home to obtain the equity to use as retirement income. If you have your home equity tapped out, then you will not be in the position during your golden years to enjoy your retirement. You’ll probably be still paying a mortgage that you may not be able to afford and will not have much money in your retirement fund.</p>
<p>It’s better late than never when it comes to starting your retirement planning. So, go ahead, start working on catching up with your retirement planning today, you’ll be glad you did!</p>
<p><strong>About The Author</strong></p>
<p>Nocita Carter is a writer and web designer that creates websites providing informative tips on various subject matter including personal finance tips on your personal finances at <a href="http://www.personal-finance-tips-for-you.com">http://www.personal-finance-tips-for-you.com</a>  ; dating tips at <a href="http://www.mydating-tips.com">http://www.mydating-tips.com</a>  and your choice of ebooks at <a href="http://www.ebook-corner-for-you.com">http://www.ebook-corner-for-you.com</a></p>
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		<title>Other retirement plans: Employee Stock Ownership Plan,</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/other-retirement-plans-employee-stock-ownership-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/other-retirement-plans-employee-stock-ownership-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:49:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=62</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a form of defined contribution plan in which the investments are primarily in employer stock. A Money Purchase Pension Plan is a plan that requires fixed annual contributions from the employer to the employee&#8217;s individual account. Because a money purchase pension plan requires these regular contributions, the plan [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> An Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) is a form of defined contribution plan in which the investments are primarily in employer stock.</p>
<p>A Money Purchase Pension Plan is a plan that requires fixed annual contributions from the employer to the employee&#8217;s individual account. Because a money purchase pension plan requires these regular contributions, the plan is subject to certain funding and other rules.</p>
<p>A Cash Balance Plan is a defined benefit plan that defines the benefit in terms that are more characteristic of a defined contribution plan. In other words, a cash balance plan defines the promised benefit in terms of a stated account balance. In a typical cash balance plan, a participant&#8217;s account is credited each year with a &#8220;pay credit&#8221; (such as 5 percent of compensation from his or her employer) and an &#8220;interest credit&#8221; (either a fixed rate or a variable rate that is linked to an index such as the one-year treasury bill rate). Increases and decreases in the value of the plan&#8217;s investments do not directly affect the benefit amounts promised to participants. Thus, the investment risks and rewards on plan assets are borne solely by the employer. When a participant becomes entitled to receive benefits under a cash balance plan, the benefits that are received are defined in terms of an account balance. The benefits in most cash balance plans, as in most traditional defined benefit plans, are protected, within certain limitations, by federal insurance provided through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). </p>
<p><em>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</em></p>
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		<title>A 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution plan</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/a-401k-plan-is-a-defined-contribution-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/a-401k-plan-is-a-defined-contribution-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:47:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=60</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution plan that is a cash or deferred arrangement. Employees can elect to defer receiving a portion of their salary which is instead contributed on their behalf, before taxes, to the 401(k) plan. Sometimes the employer may match these contributions. There are special rules governing the operation of a [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A 401(k) Plan is a defined contribution plan that is a cash or deferred arrangement. Employees can elect to defer receiving a portion of their salary which is instead contributed on their behalf, before taxes, to the 401(k) plan. Sometimes the employer may match these contributions. There are special rules governing the operation of a 401(k) plan. For example, there is a dollar limit on the amount an employee may elect to defer each year. An employer must advise employees of any limits that may apply. Employees who participate in 401(k) plans assume responsibility for their retirement income by contributing part of their salary and, in many instances, by directing their own investments.</p>
<p><em>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</em></p>
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		<title>About Profit Sharing Plan or Stock Bonus Plan</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/about-profit-sharing-plan-or-stock-bonus-plan/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/about-profit-sharing-plan-or-stock-bonus-plan/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:47:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement For Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stock bonus plan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=58</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Profit Sharing Plan or Stock Bonus Plan is a defined contribution plan under which the plan may provide, or the employer may determine, annually, how much will be contributed to the plan (out of profits or otherwise). The plan contains a formula for allocating to each participant a portion of each annual contribution. A [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A Profit Sharing Plan or Stock Bonus Plan is a defined contribution plan under which the plan may provide, or the employer may determine, annually, how much will be contributed to the plan (out of profits or otherwise). The plan contains a formula for allocating to each participant a portion of each annual contribution. A profit sharing plan or stock bonus plan include a 401(k) plan.</p>
<p><em>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</em></p>
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		<title>What is a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP)?</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/what-is-a-simplified-employee-pension-plan-sep/</link>
		<comments>http://www.retirement-tool.com/what-is-a-simplified-employee-pension-plan-sep/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:46:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retirement plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=56</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) is a relatively uncomplicated retirement savings vehicles. A SEP allows employees to make contributions on a tax-favored basis to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) owned by the employees. SEPs are subject to minimal reporting and disclosure requirements. Under a SEP, an employee must set up an IRA to accept the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP) is a relatively uncomplicated retirement savings vehicles. A SEP allows employees to make contributions on a tax-favored basis to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) owned by the employees. SEPs are subject to minimal reporting and disclosure requirements. Under a SEP, an employee must set up an IRA to accept the employer&#8217;s contributions. Employers may no longer set up Salary Reduction SEPs. However, employers are permitted to establish SIMPLE IRA plans with salary reduction contributions. If an employer had a salary reduction SEP, the employer may continue to allow salary reduction contributions to the plan.</p>
<p><em>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</em></p>
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		<item>
		<title>A defined contribution plan</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/a-defined-contribution-plan/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:45:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement For Women]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[defined contribution plan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=54</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A defined contribution plan does not promise a specific amount of benefits at retirement. In these plans, the employee or the employer (or both) contribute to the employee&#8217;s individual account under the plan, sometimes at a set rate, such as 5 percent of earnings annually. These contributions generally are invested on the employee&#8217;s behalf. The [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A defined contribution plan does not promise a specific amount of benefits at retirement. In these plans, the employee or the employer (or both) contribute to the employee&#8217;s individual account under the plan, sometimes at a set rate, such as 5 percent of earnings annually. These contributions generally are invested on the employee&#8217;s behalf. The employee will ultimately receive the balance in their account, which is based on contributions plus or minus investment gains or losses. The value of the account will fluctuate due to the changes in the value of the investments. Examples of defined contribution plans include 401(k) plans, 403(b) plans, employee stock ownership plans, and profit-sharing plans. </p>
<p><em>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>A defined benefit plan promises a specified monthly benefit at retirement</title>
		<link>http://www.retirement-tool.com/a-defined-benefit-plan-promises-a-specified-monthly-benefit-at-retirement/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 14 May 2009 20:44:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>megdilts</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement Planning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[defined benefit plan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.retirement-tool.com/?p=52</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A defined benefit plan promises a specified monthly benefit at retirement. The plan may state this promised benefit as an exact dollar amount, such as $100 per month at retirement. Or, more commonly, it may calculate a benefit through a plan formula that considers such factors as salary and service — for example, 1 percent [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A defined benefit plan promises a specified monthly benefit at retirement. The plan may state this promised benefit as an exact dollar amount, such as $100 per month at retirement. Or, more commonly, it may calculate a benefit through a plan formula that considers such factors as salary and service — for example, 1 percent of average salary for the last 5 years of employment for every year of service with an employer. The benefits in most traditional defined benefit plans are protected, within certain limitations, by federal insurance provided through the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC). </p>
<p>Source: U.S. Department of Labor</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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