Secure a Steady Stream of
Income After Retirement
For many of us, working is how we secure our money.
Go to work, get paid, spend money, repeat.
This ideology is so ingrained in our culture and in ourselves that we don’t realize it’s there. We do it, we teach our children to do it, and generations before us have done it. And it seems to work for most of us.
But what happens when you want to stop working but still need income?
That’s where retirement income comes into play.
Types of Retirement Income
Social Security
Social Security is a federal government program that you pay into that “provides you with a source of income when you retire or if you can’t work due to a disability.” (USA.gov) Started in the 1930s, social security was never meant to be your sole income after retirement. It was meant to be just enough money to keep you out of the poor house (back when there were actual poor houses). Today, social security is more of a supplement to whatever other retirement income you may have.
Pensions
A pension is mainly paid for by a former employer to a former employee. The employee adds money to the plan while the employee is working for them. Once the employee retires, the employer then distributes that money to the employee in monthly increments. Pensions have almost completely gone away in the United States. A few Unions still offer pensions, but the number of employers offering pensions are on the decline.
Annuities
An annuity is a type of income contract where an insurance company pays you regular payments after you have either paid a lump sum or made regular payments. The amount and frequency of the payments depend on the specific contract. Annuities are tax free while accumulating (when you put money in) but any growth (money earned by the account beyond your investment) is taxable.
401K
A 401K is a retirement savings and investment plan that is offered by many companies to their employees. Part of an employee’s paycheck is put directly into an investment account and matched, either fully or partially by the employer. 401Ks are expensive to the employer, require a massive amount of reporting to the IRS, and the employee will have to pay taxes on the money once it is distributed.
Do Better
with Iron Horse Financial
In helping clients prepare for and coast through retirement for over 20-years, Iron Horse Financial
has discovered the plan that is best for most is a Protected Retirement Plan.