For workers in their 40s and 50s facing massive government debt and retirement 15-20 years off, it’s worth asking: Is it time to (Dump) THE 401(K)?
Many Believe It Is…. including some well-known experts
Jim Lorenzen, CFP®, AIF®
In his book, The Retirement Miracle, Patrick Kelly writes about a man who had built-up a 401(k) balance of over $2 million over his career. Then, on the brink of retirement, his world was shattered. It was a September day in 2008. He’d lost about 10% of his nest-egg in a single trading day. By October 7th, he found his balance was down to $1.5 million! By the time he reached his last day of work, his account was down to $1.2 million – actually about $1 million less than what it had been before all this happened.
And, just as an aside, if that wasn’t bad enough, that $1.2 million had an embedded tax liability. If this man was in the 30% combined federal and state tax brackets, $360,000 of that belonged to the state and federal government, leaving him with only $840,000 to retire on – and THAT’s only if taxes don’t go up while he’s in retirement.
Is the 401(k) really an answer to America’s growing retirement crisis? After all, 401(k)-type plans are a little less than 40 years old in this country, created when most people were accumulating assets. They haven’t been around long enough to see what happens when the ‘baby-boom bubble’ begins to drain them.
More than a few experts believe it’s time to shake things up, as you’ll see in this video (there’s a very brief ad in front – it’s quick). There’s also another video (scroll down below this one) I think you’ll find very interesting.
A recent article by Wealth Management Systems, writing for the FPA noted the following:
“Recent research indicated that a third of retirement plan participants were “not at all familiar” or “not that familiar” with the investment options offered by their employer’s plan. The study went on to reveal that individuals who were familiar with their retirement plan investments were nearly twice as likely to save 10% or more of their annual income, compared with those who report having little-to-no knowledge about such investments. Understanding your investment options is essential when building a portfolio that matches your risk tolerance and time horizon. Generally speaking, the shorter your time horizon, the more conservative you may want your investments to be, while a longer time horizon may enable you to take on slightly more risk.”
Here’s another one I think you’ll find very interesting.
The 401k Failure
How familiar with their options are 401(k) investors? Not very, apparently. Many now believe it’s time to move from a stock market-based system to something that’s insurance-based. While this may not be the right path for everyone, it certainly appears it is for most, as the following clips from FrontLine, 60-Minutes, and others.
According to The Power of Zero, by David McKnight (with a forward by Ed Slott, a CPA and well-known retirement expert, and a back cover endorsement by David Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States), an insurance-based approach makes far more sense, particularly if properly designed. And, there are a number of advantages.
The insurance-based approach to funding retirement you saw in the video clips, does seem to have it’s benefits.
Indexed Universal Life: A Life Insurance Retirement Plan is one 401k Alternative.
• No contribution limits
• No Pre-59-1/2 withdrawal penalties AND no mandatory distributions
• Tax Free Income at retirement
• Zero Loss From Market Crashes – with annual reset locking-in gains!
• Tax Free to heirs
• Self-funding option in case of disability
• Protection from market loss – You never lose money
It also doesn’t create or increase taxation of Social Security benefits, provides protection from lawsuits in many states, has no minimum age or income requirement, avoids probate, and – this is a big one – provides accurate return figures, an issue I’ve discussed in other writings.
Not bad.
There’s a lot more to this,of course. And, it pays to do your homework. Talk to your advisor – or talk with me! You can schedule your introductory phone call and begin now.
Jim
