Get to Know Your Choices

Finding Your Perfect Plan

Choosing the right retirement plan can be overwhelming. With so many options, each with its own features, it's important to pick one that best suits your financial goals and lifestyle. Understanding these plans helps make a choice that supports your long-term retirement security. For more information on each plan, the IRS website is a valuable resource.

Plan Types

Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs):

Personal savings plans that offer tax advantages for setting aside money for retirement.

Roth IRAs

An IRA allowing contributions with after-tax dollars, with the potential for tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement under certain conditions.

401(k) Plans

Employer-sponsored plans where employees can save and invest a portion of their paycheck before taxes are taken out.

SIMPLE 401(k) Plans:

A version of the 401(k) plan designed for small businesses, allowing both employer and employee contributions.

403(b) Plans:

 Tax-deferred retirement plans for employees of certain tax-exempt organizations.

SIMPLE IRA Plans (Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees):

A plan allowing both employer and employee contributions, designed for small businesses.

SEP Plans (Simplified Employee Pension):

 A plan that allows employers to make retirement contributions to a Traditional IRA established in the employee's name.

SARSEP Plans (Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension):

A SEP plan set up before 1997 that includes a salary reduction arrangement.

Payroll Deduction IRAs:

An IRA set up by an employer to allow employees to contribute through payroll deductions.

Profit-Sharing Plans:

A plan that allows employers to make discretionary, tax-deductible contributions to their employees' retirement savings.

Defined Benefit Plans:

Traditional pension plans with a promised payout at retirement, typically based on salary and years of service.

Money Purchase Plans:

A type of defined contribution plan where employer contributions are fixed and based on a percentage of each year's earnings.

Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs):

Plans where a company contributes its stock or cash to buy its stock for the benefit of the employees.

Governmental Plans:

Retirement plans established and maintained by the federal, state, or local government for its employees.

457 Plans:

Deferred compensation plans available to certain state and local government employees, as well as some non-profit organizations.