Posts Tagged ‘income taxes’

To Borrow or Not to Borrow against a 401K

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

Question -

Because of the credit crunch, is this a good time to consider borrowing against a 401(k) savings as a means of paying off other loans? My current 401(k) planning investment return is 5 percent, and the interest I will be paying on it is 9 percent.

401K

To borrow or not borrow against a 401K.

Answer -

If you only really consider the numbers in the situation, taking out a loan against your 401(k) in order to pay off a high interest credit card or some other higher interest debt may seem like a no brainer decision. This is because you would be paying yourself back the interest by paying back a 401(k) loan, but with credit card debt or a high interest loan you would be paying as much as 15 percent or more straight to the bank. Plus in today’s market, the 9 percent that you speak of is more than you would make if you were just keeping the money to sit in your account.

With that said, however, most 401k planning experts would shudder at the mere idea of raiding tomorrow’s intended nest egg to fund the financial indiscretions of today. This kind of thing may work out in terms of pure numbers, experts will gladly agree, but that does not make this a good idea, or even one worth putting consideration into. Financial planners generally agree that there are a number of concerns to touch on before you ever make a decision as large as this one, for example:

What if you leave your company?

If you leave your company for any reason at all, you generally only have 30 days to pay back the entire loan in full; otherwise you will have to pay ordinary income taxes on the withdrawal along with a 10-percent IRS penalty, assuming you are under the age of 59 and a half.

The bottom line here is that this is a pretty foolish move in most if not all situations, even if you are desperate to pay off a high interest credit card or some other high interest debt that has been accrued. If you are likely to rack up more debt in the process, have concerns relating to job security, or are paying off loans that are tax deductible or low interest, then this is definitely a foolish way to go. On the other hand, there are scenarios where this could allow you to come out financially ahead, but they tend to be few and far between. If you’re not sure, then it would be wise to sit down with an investment advisor or financial advisor who can help you weigh your options.

Before you take out any loan you should sit down with an expert that can help you review your choices. You just may discover that there is a better, less risky and less costly option that you have not yet explored for this particular situation.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-11-10 20:58:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Child Savings and Investment

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
What are you doing about your child's savings?

Are you investing for your child?

Having children is not cheap by any means these days, especially when you consider the long term basis. The older your children get, the more they will end up costing you, especially when you consider education costs which are rising with every passing year. It may seem easy to put saving and investing for your child’s future off, since higher education is so far away when your kids are young, but it is absolutely vital that you start saving now if you want to make sure that your children have everything they need in life, even far into the future. Surveys are luckily beginning to suggest that as a whole, we are beginning to realize how important it is to save ahead of time for the future. Saving and investing for the future of your children is a necessary parental responsibility. Here is some basic information on how to save for your children, and a look at some of the available financial products that may help you with this process.

* Bank Accounts –

The first step that many parents take toward saving for the futures of their children is to open a savings account on the behalf of each child, making small cash deposits over time. Most banks have accounts that are designed specifically to tailor to children, often offering a higher interest rate and other incentives like savings club memberships for kids, piggy banks, badges and other toys. Even if you are not sure how often you will be able to make deposits, it is still a good idea to set a deposit account up as soon as possible so that it is there any time you want to put money aside. It is surprising how quickly this money can add up if you are diligent about depositing it.

* Tax –

Children are subject to income taxes on their bank accounts just as adults are. They do receive a tax allowance, and they will not be taxed on the interest as long as their total income does not exceed this allowance over the span of the financial year. This only applies to savings accrued by relative or friend gifts so the money that you deposit will be naturally subject to the tax amount.

* Trust Funds for Children –

Trust funds are a unique way for parents to invest money into their children’s futures, creating a fund that belongs to the child but only after they reach a certain age. Most trusts last until the child turns 18, meaning as soon as they reach adulthood they will have access to a savings fund of money that will help them with purchases like buying a car, going to school and so on. Money can be invested into these funds every year, and you can choose between savings funds, shares funds and stakeholder funds depending on your needs and the needs of your family.

There are lots of other possibilities when it comes to savings methods for your children, including bonds, savings accounts, trust funds, investments, shares and stocks. Some are not designed specifically for children, but all can benefit the child as long as you are willing to manage them on the behalf of your children until they are old enough to handle the management their own selves.

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Originally posted 2008-12-18 05:17:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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