When most people think about retirement, they think about freedom, leisure … and a fixed income. Although we all look forward to the day that we hang up our hat for the last time, retirement also comes with the very scary prospect that our income will be fixed for the rest of our lives. Perhaps you think you’ve saved enough to live comfortably, but perhaps you’re also worried that inflationary forces, skyrocketing healthcare costs and unexpected expenses will erode your nest egg. On top of all of these worries, you also need to think about how your retirement savings will get taxed. Let’s explore how Uncle Sam will come calling for his share of your retirement nest egg as you age:
You will never stop paying taxes:
During our working lives, we don’t think much about the heavy tax burden we pay – because we have money constantly flowing in. But the taxes we pay on almost all of our purchases start to feel like much more of a financial strain when we’re living on a fixed income. Unfortunately, sales taxes are not determined by the amount of income we have coming in; everyone pays the same percentage.
You must pay taxes on your tax-deferred retirement savings plans:
If you’ve been squirreling away a portion of your income in a 401(k) or similar tax-deferred retirement savings plan, Uncle Sam is going to come calling as soon as you start withdrawing that money. You will be hit with heavy taxes as you withdraw that money; there are no two ways around it.
The more you withdraw, the more you will be taxed:
Tax-deferred retirement savings plans are designed to be accessed gradually, which gives us some control over our tax burden. But what happens if you have an emergency or unexpected expenses that require you to access big chunks of your tax-deferred income all at once? Unfortunately, the answer is that the more money you withdraw, the higher your tax bracket.
Uncle Sam doesn’t care if you outlive your retirement savings:
Most of us plan for our financial futures by estimating how many years we’ll live in retirement, then withdrawing from our retirement savings accordingly. But when you outlive your retirement savings, guess what – Uncle Sam doesn’t care. You won’t get any special tax treatment just because you’re running low on money.
The last thing anyone wants to worry about as they grow old is seeing their nest egg eroded by taxes. Fortunately, there is an alternative way to build wealth for retirement: Investing in a whole life insurance policy. With a properly structured whole life insurance policy, you can borrow against your policy’s cash value to create a steady cash flow that will last you the rest of your life. And best of all, Uncle Sam has limited ability to interfere, as you’re entering into a private contract with a mutually owned life insurance company.
For more information about how to lower your tax liability in your retirement years, visit Paradigm Life to learn more about knowing the secrets to a strong retirement.