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10 Smart Reasons to Enroll in Your Employer's Retirement Plan

Many employers provide access to a tax-advantaged retirement savings program to help their employees prepare for their financial future. If you’ve yet to take advantage of this opportunity, read on to learn why contributing to a retirement savings plan may be a smart move.
The Power of Time – By making regular contributions to your employer's retirement plan, you have the potential to develop a sizeable nest egg over the long term.
Tax Advantages -
Pre-tax Savings – Traditional Retirement Accounts
By deferring compensation into a traditional retirement account, you realize immediate tax savings on your contributions. Before any income taxes are taken out, your paycheck is reduced by the amount you decide to invest. Therefore your total taxable income is less.
Tax-deferred Growth Potential – Traditional Retirement Accounts
Taxes on any investment earnings in a traditional retirement account are deferred as well. This way, you don’t pay taxes on anything that your deferred compensation earns until it is distributed. While withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income, the impact may be minimized as many investors find themselves in a lower tax bracket at retirement.1
Tax-free Growth Potential – Roth Retirement Accounts
While Roth account contributions are made with after-tax dollars, both contributions and earnings may grow tax-free.
Tax-free Retirement Income – Roth Retirement Accounts
Qualified Roth account distributions are tax-free.2
Automatic Payroll Deductions – The amount you decide to defer each pay period can automatically be withheld from your paycheck and deposited into your retirement account.
Built-in Dollar Cost Averaging3 – Since the amount you contribute is deducted from your paycheck at regular intervals, dollar cost averaging is built in to your investment plan. With dollar cost averaging, you buy more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high. Over time, the average amount paid (average cost) for each share may be less than the average price per share.
Optional Matching Employer Contributions – Your employer may elect to match a certain percentage of your retirement plan contributions. This can be a major incentive to participate, as the amount your employer contributes to your account is money you receive above and beyond your regular salary. If you don’t participate in the plan, or don’t contribute enough to be eligible for the full employer match, you may not be taking full advantage of your benefit options.
Potential Catch-up Contributions – Many retirement plans include provisions for catch-up contributions to help older participants and those nearing retirement save even more on a tax-advantaged basis.
A Variety of Investment Options – Retirement plan participants may choose from a wide variety of investment options, including a selection of nationally recognized mutual funds, and you can change your investment mix as your needs change.
Access to Your Savings – Some §403(b), §457 and §401(k) plans offer a loan provision4 that enables participants to borrow from their account for certain types of expenses, with principal and interest paid back into the account. SIMPLE IRA and SARSEP participants can access their accounts at any time by taking a distribution. However, penalties may apply to distributions taken before age 59½.1
Access to Professional Investment Management Services – Most retirement plan participants have access to professionally managed investment portfolios, with either insurance or mutual fund companies. Through your Legend Group financial advisor, you have the opportunity to participate in Legend Advisory Corporation's professional investment management services. These programs were designed to make professional asset allocation techniques, investment selection and ongoing investment management available to individual investors. Several diversified5 portfolio options are offered, each managed by a team of experienced investment professionals.
Guidance from a Professional Financial Advisor – Your Legend Advisor is available to help you as you work toward building your financial future. He or she can answer your questions, work with you to develop a viable investment strategy and assist you in selecting the investment options that may best reflect your needs. Your Advisor can also provide information about your state retirement plan, and offer ongoing guidance as you work to reach your investment goals.

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1Distributions from a traditional retirement account are subject to ordinary income taxes in the year distributed. Distributions prior to age 59½ may incur an additional 10% penalty.

2In order for the Roth §403(b) account to be distributed tax-free, it must be funded for a minimum of five years and the account holder must have attained age 59½. A participant would also qualify for tax-free distributions if the account was held for five years and the account owner became disabled (under the strict definition of disability of §72(p) of the IRS code). Furthermore, in the event of the account holder's death, beneficiaries would receive tax-free distributions if the account was held for at least five years. Otherwise, the distribution would be treated as part return of principal and part taxable earnings. A 10% premature withdrawal penalty may apply to the earnings.

3Dollar cost averaging does not assure a profit and does not protect against a loss in declining markets. Investors should consider their ability to purchase shares continuously during periods of falling share prices. The principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost.

4Defaulting on a loan from a retirement plan constitutes a distribution from that plan. Distributions from a retirement plan are subject to federal income tax and may incur an additional 10% penalty if the participant is under the age 59½. Loans may affect cash values and death benefits.

5Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against market loss.

Legend Equities Corporation and its affiliates do not provide tax information or advice.

Before investing in a mutual fund, consider its investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully. The prospectus, which contains this and other information about the mutual fund, can be obtained by contacting Legend Equities Corporation. Please read the prospectus carefully before you invest or send money.