WHAT IS A 457 TAX-SHELTERED ANNUITY?
457 plan is also a tax-deferred retirement plan. In this plan, you can save for retirement while also setting aside funds to supplement your pension benefits.
YOUR PENSION AND 457(B) PLAN WORK TOGETHER.
457B plan can aid you to supplement your pension. 529 plan can offer you the flexibility to change as your needs change if you are currently employed by the state or the Government. If you are looking for help transforming your salary into a more financially stable retirement, then 457B plans are your option to go.
HOW CAN A 457(B) DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN HELP YOU SAVE?
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Your paychecks are used to deduct your savings
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Flexibility- you have to save whatever amount of money works for your budget. Payments can be started/stopped/ increased / decreased at any time.
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You have to opt-out investments you would like to contribute to the program and you can change them whenever you want to.
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You don’t have to pay taxes on these funds until you withdraw from your account. you will be in a lower tax bracket when you are ready to withdraw from your account, ultimately you’ll pay less income tax on this money.
PROS AND CONS OF THE 457 PLAN
PROS
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457(b) plans will allow you to double your contributions if you are within 3 years of average retirement age.
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You can contribute an additional $6,500 if you are at least 50 years old.
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When you are no longer working for the employer, 457(b) distributions can be taken. You will have to wait until you are 70 ½ years old if you continue to work for the employer. You also access your money in case of an emergency.
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Rollover options for 457(b) plans also include rolling into IRA or 401(k).
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(this isn’t applicable to 457(f) plans.)
CONS
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If the contributions are made by your employer to your 457 (b) plan, they will also count towards your maximum contribution
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Governments do not provide matching programs for 457(b) plans most of the time. Savings is entirely up to the employee.
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Employees should work for at least two years according to 457(f) plans. Employee forfeits their right to the plan if he resigns before that.
THE 457 PLAN HAS TWO TYPES.
A 457(b) is offered to state and local government employees, while a 457(f) is for top-level nonprofit executives.
457(B)
You can contribute up to $19,500 in 2021 if you have a 457(b) plan. If you are 50 years old you can contribute up to $6,500 in 2021.
If you are within 3 years of retirement age you might be able to contribute up to $39,000. Your maximum contribution is restricted by previous contributions if you opt this out.
According to IRS, this restriction is the basic annual limit plus the amount of the basic limit not used in prior years (only allowed if not using age 50 years over catch-up contributions).
457(F)
The benefits received directly correlate with the time of service and performance metrics for a 457 (f) plan.
Usually to recruit executives from the private sector, 457(f) plans are used. Employees receive tax-deferred compensation under these plans. There is a substantial risk of forfeiture that your funds may be subjected to. This means the employee will lose all of their benefits if he doesn’t meet the required service duration (usually 2 years). The compensation is guaranteed and taxable as gross income only if the executive meets the performance needs and service requirements.
There is no restriction on the amount of income that can be deferred from being subjected to taxes under 457(f) plans. Any deferred funds are subjected to a substantial risk of forfeiture.
