Planning 4 Your Retirement or Uncle Sam

Are You Planning for Your Retirement or Uncle Sam’s? : 

Are You Planning for Your Retirement or Uncle Sam’s? Your 401(k), 403(b), IRA and Pension Benefits will probably be taxable at a higher rate at retirement

If What You Know to Be True Turned Out Not to Be True, When Would You Want to Know? : 

If What You Know to Be True Turned Out Not to Be True, When Would You Want to Know? “The problem in America isn’t so much what people don’t know; the problem is what people think they know that just ain’t so.”

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning : 

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning Traditional Qualified Plans: IRAs & 401(k)s/403(b)s

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning : 

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning Phase I—Contribution The first phase of retirement planning is the contribution phase. During this phase, we make contributions or deposits into investments or savings vehicles. If the account is a qualified plan, we are allowed to deduct those contributions from our gross income on our tax return or contribute money with pre-taxed dollars. (Otherwise, the contribution would be done with after-tax dollars.)

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning : 

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning Phase II—Accumulation The second phase of our retirement planning overlaps the first phase. In this phase, we can accumulate money through compound in­terest, asset appreciation, or the reinvestment of dividends and capital gains. The accumulation takes place free of tax under qualified plans because any dividends, capital gains, or credited interest stays and compounds with the account and is not reportable as a taxable event on your annual tax return. Therefore, the compounding that takes place in a tax-deferred environment allows greater growth because the “children” of the investments (the interest) also help your account to blossom without being taxed during the accumulation phase. This arrangement may seem ideal—to be able to contribute dollars before being taxed and have them continue to compound and grow without being taxed on the gain during the growth process. Most retirement account advisors focus only on the contribution and accumulation phases. I ask, however, “What about the most important phase, the time when you will use your accumulated money during retirement?”

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning : 

The Four Phases of Retirement Planning Phase III—Distribution The distribution phase is when we withdraw money for retirement income. Under traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, we must now report 100 percent of our distribution on our annual tax return to be taxed. All too often, when we thought we would be in a lower bracket, we find ourselves in a bracket as high—or higher. We are no longer contributing money to IRAs; we have no mortgage interest deductions because our mortgage is paid off; we no longer have children at home (who qualify as dependents); and so on.

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Phase IV—Transfer What if you do not use all of the money before you pass away? What happens to your qualified retirement funds during the transfer of that money to a spouse or non-spousal heir? The transfer phase is often overlooked until it is too late. People don’t want to outlive their money, so they try to keep enough saved in case they need long-term health care. (The fastest-growing age group in American society is the group over age 100.) But we are not getting out of here alive, so when people do die, they usu­ally end up leaving behind some money. If that money is in a qualified retirement plan, the beneficiaries will be subject to income tax when they use the money, and might even be subject to an additional estate tax. Estate tax may be due (based on the size of the estate and the tax laws at the time of death) upon the second of two spouses’ deaths, as the remaining money passes down to non-spousal heirs. Therefore, retirement plan assets may be taxed twice. To avoid this, many financial advisors recommend the heirs use a “stretch IRA,” which means that either the IRA continues to grow tax-deferred or the distributions are stretched out over a long period of time. Under such arrangements, the taxes might be less in each given year than if the entire account were distributed in one year; but string­ing out the tax liability may end up increasing the overall tax that is paid. It may be better to bite the bullet, pay the tax in today’s brackets, and re-position the net after-tax amount into vehicles that will grow from that point forward tax-free.

Tax Bracket: Higher or Lower at Retirement? When You Retire… : 

Tax Bracket: Higher or Lower at Retirement? When You Retire… Do you think your Tax Bracket will be Higher, the Same or Lower than what it is now?

History of the Marginal Tax Bracket : 

History of the Marginal Tax Bracket Tax Foundation- Federal Income Tax Rates 1913-2007

History of the Marginal Tax Bracket : 

C L I NTON G W BUS H G H BUS H REAGAN C A R T E R JOHN SON FORD N I XON J F K E I S ENHOWE R TRUMAN ROOSVELT HOOV E R W I L SON COOLIDGE HARD I N G History of the Marginal Tax Bracket Tax Foundation- Federal Income Tax Rates 1913-2007

Federal Income TaxMarginal Tax Rate History( 1913 – 2009 ) : 

Highest Marginal Tax Rates Lowest Marginal Tax Rates Federal Income TaxMarginal Tax Rate History( 1913 – 2009 )

History of High Tax Rates : 

History of High Tax Rates The last time the “highest” taxes were this low was in 1991 at 31%! The last time the 10% “lowest” rate of today was back in 1941!

Federal Income Tax Marginal Tax Bracket History : 

Federal Income Tax Marginal Tax Bracket History

Hidden (Stealth) Taxes : 

Hidden (Stealth) Taxes Accounts Receivable Tax Amusement Tax Blueberry Tax Building Permit Tax Corporate Income Tax Flush Tax Fountain Soda Tax Fuel Permit Tax Fur Clothing Tax Gasoline Tax Inheritance Tax Liquor Tax Marriage License Tax Medicare Tax Recreational Vehicle Tax Road Usage Tax Septic Permit Tax Service Charge Tax Social Security Tax Sparkler and Novelties Tax Tattoo Tax Telephone Federal Excise Tax Telephone Federal Tax Telephone Federal Universal Service Tax Telephone State and Local Tax Toll Bridge Tax Toll Road Booth Tax Trailer Registration Tax Utilities Tax Vehicle License Registration Tax Vehicle Sales Tax Wagering Tax Watercraft Registration Tax Well Permit Tax

Social Security Benefit Taxation : 

Social Security Benefit Taxation

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LEVEL 1. At this level, no Social Security benefits are taxed. So, 85 cents of each dollar goes to the employee and 15 cents to the IRS. That's a good deal that's rapidly disappearing. LEVEL 2. At this level, 50 cents of Social Security benefits are taxed for each dollar withdrawn. And the likely tax rate is 15 percent. So, 77.5 cents of each dollar will go to the employee and 22.5 cents will go to the IRS. Basically, about two- thirds of the employer contribution goes straight to the IRS. LEVEL 3. Here, 85 cents of Social Security benefits are taxed for each dollar withdrawn, and the basic tax rate is 15 percent. So, 72.25 cents of each dollar goes to the employee and 27.75 cents of each dollar goes to the IRS. About 84 percent of the employer contribution goes to the IRS. LEVEL 4. As with Level 3, 85 cents of Social Security benefits are taxed for each dollar withdrawn, but the basic tax rate is 25 percent. As a consequence, 53.75 cents of each dollar goes to the employee and 46.25 cents goes to the IRS. In effect, the entire employer contribution (33 cents) plus 13.25 cents of the employee contribution goes to the IRS. How this tax mess will affect you depends on your income level and your age. If you are young, odds are your employer contribution will never buy you a slice of bread. It's really a fund for the IRS. BUSINESS & PERSONAL FINANCE, statesman.com Sunday, May 27, 2007

Excise Tax : 

Excise Tax “Those who don't remember history are doomed to repeat it.” Congress in 1986 implemented an additional 15% Tax on Retirement Savings Withdrawals to pay this country's bills. It lasted for 10 years and became known as “an IRA for the IRS.” For heirs, the total for ALL taxes was over 100%! A Court Ruled the Maximum Tax was 100%!

Planning for Success or Failure? Now tell me… : 

Planning for Success or Failure? Now tell me… Are you planning be financially successful or are you planning to be a failure?

There are only Two Main Sources of Income : 

There are only Two Main Sources of Income

Being Financially SuccessfulMeans You Have Accumulated Money to Work for You : 

Your Financial Success & Loss of Tax Benefits May Result Being in the Same Tax Bracket or Most Probably at a Higher Tax Bracket! Being Financially SuccessfulMeans You Have Accumulated Money to Work for You No more Tax-Deferral Plan BUT at RETIREMENT… No more Child Tax Credit No more Mortgage Tax Deduction

Qualified Plans : 

Qualified Plans What’s the Rest of the Story?

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 15% $900 x 35 Years = $31,500 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 2.8 Years of Taxes = $31,500 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 20% $1,200 x 35 Years = $42,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment of $6,000= $1,000,000 In Just 2.8 Years of Taxes = $42,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 25% $1,500 x 35 Years = $52,500 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment of $6,000= $1,000,000 In Just 2.8 Years of Taxes = $52,500 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 2.8 Years of Taxes = $70,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $ 2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 6.22 Years of Taxes = $70,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $ 2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 4.67 Years of Taxes = $70,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $ 2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 3.73 Years of Taxes = $70,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $ 2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment = $1,000,000 In Just 2.8 Years of Taxes = $70,000 and pay tax as long as Principal is not depleted.

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? : 

Qualified PlansWhat’s the Rest of the Story? Annual IRA/401(k) Contribution: Tax Bracket: Total Tax Deferral: $6,000 x 35 Years = $210,000 33.3% $2,000 x 35 Years = $70,000 $6,000 per Year Growing at 7.5% for 35 Years (Tax-Deferred) + 1 Payment of $6,000 = $1,000,000 Retirement Income: Annual Tax Payment: Net Spendable Retirement Income: $75,000 11,250 $63,750 $1,000,000 x 7.5% $75,000 x 15% $11,250 Capital: Rate of Return: Interest Income: Tax Bracket: Annual Tax to Uncle Sam: $1,000,000 x 7.5% $75,000 x 33.3% $25,000 $75,000 25,000 $50,000 $75,000 18,750 $56,250 $1,000,000 x 7.5% $75,000 x 25% $18,750 Number of Years for Paid Taxes to Equal $70,000: 2.8 Years 3.7 Years 6.2 Years

2010 Individual Income Tax Rates : 

2010 Individual Income Tax Rates www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxfacts/Content/PDF/individual_rates.pdf

Whose Future RetirementAre You Saving for? : 

Whose Future RetirementAre You Saving for? Your Retirement? Uncle Sam’s Retirement? or

The Government Knows Exactly How & When to Harvest : 

The Government Knows Exactly How & When to Harvest PREDICTABILITY EXERCISES

Predictability Exercise : 

Predictability Exercise When I have an audience do this exercise, I know exactly what about 80% of them will come up with for their answers. Let's see if you are among the majority.

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Decipher the following three words that are spelled backward: kramneD, tnahpelE, yarG

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Are these the three words you came up with? Denmark, Elephant, Gray How did I do that? I simply created Predictability.

Who is Your Role Model? : 

Who is Your Role Model? Pick your favorite number between 1-9 Multiply it by 3 Add 3 Again multiply by 3 and you'll get a 2 digit number Add the digits together Now with that number, see who your ROLE MODEL is by matching it with the list that follows.

Who is Your Role Model? : 

Who is Your Role Model?

Tax-Deductibility or Net Spendable Income? : 

Tax-Deductibility or Net Spendable Income? Of course, tax deductibility enables you to save more during your working years. But does it actually result in more “net spendable income” during your retirement years?

Best Retirement Plan : 

Best Retirement Plan The Best Retirement Plan might not be the one that accumulates the most money , but the one that produces the most “after-tax income.”

Summing It Up : 

“Retirement planning strategies are no different. Predictably, qualified retirement plans motivate the majority of people to invest in order to get tax-favored treatment during the “Contribution” and “Accumulation” phases of retirement planning. Later, when traditional qualified plans are liquidated and used for retirement, they produce the taxable results that the government predicted and intended. It always sounds better to us when we are shown the tax breaks we can get immediately. But I maintain it doesn't make sense to postpone tax for some perceived advantage in the future.” - Douglas R. Andrew Summing It Up

POSTPONING TAX MAY NOT BE THE BEST IDEA? : 

POSTPONING TAX MAY NOT BE THE BEST IDEA?

Postponing Taxes: Is It the Best Idea? : 

Postponing Taxes: Is It the Best Idea? End of Year Fund: @ 28% Tax Rate: Net After Tax: $502,810 140,787 $362,023 Taxes plus Lost Opportunity Cost: $140,787 Pre-Tax: Interest Rate: Tax Bracket: Post Tax: Interest Rate: Tax Bracket: Annual Pre-Tax Contribution: Assumed Tax Bracket: Annual After-Tax Contribution: $6,000 6.00% 28.00% $4,320 6.00% 28.00% $6,000 28% $4,320 Cost of Money: Tax Paid: No. of Years: 6% $1,680 30

You Have a Choice : 

You Have a Choice Pay Tax on the Seed? Pay Tax on the Harvest? Which Would You Prefer?

Uncles Sam’s Best Savings Bond : 

Uncles Sam’s Best Savings Bond

Slide 48: 

“Uncle Sam’s Money Farm” …and you are one of his farm hands!

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John and Mary Jones’ hope is that maybe someday their ship will come in. One thing they’re sure of, is that when that day comes, the will be there... to help unload it for them.

POSTPONING TAX MAY NOT BE THE BEST IDEA! : 

POSTPONING TAX MAY NOT BE THE BEST IDEA! Because your 401(k), 403(b), IRA and pension benefits will probably be taxable at a higher rate at retirement Where there are no restrictions on how much you can put in? Where you can withdraw money if needed without IRS penalties? Where you are not obligated to put it back unless you want to? Where your retirement funds accumulate tax-deferred ? Where you can access the funds whenever you want to, on a tax-free basis (including the interest or gain), without having to wait until you’re Age 59½? Where if you don't use up your retirement funds before you pass away, they will blossom in value and can be transferred free of income tax to your heirs? In case of Disability, your plan continues to grow because your contributions are paid for you?

Slide 51: 

You Need to Act

We Can Help YouReverse the Situationand Put You in Control! : 

We Can Help YouReverse the Situationand Put You in Control! for viewing the presentation. We hope it helped clarify what Qualified Plans are all about.

SynergiaBusiness Presentations : 

SynergiaBusiness Presentations Joaquin “Duke” G. Wilwayco8301 Ephraim Road, Austin, TX 78717Phone: (512) 799-2999 Fax: (512) 671-6377Email: dgwilwayco@aol.com

You Need to Act : 

You Need to Act