Friday 10 June 2011

What You Can Expect From A Solo 401k

By Michael Elliot


A Solo 401K is designed as a plan for the retirement of people who work for themselves. It has the same tax-deferred benefits as a regular 401k plan intended for employees.

If you work as a freelance contractor, or have a small business that does not hire employees on a regular status, you may meet the qualifications for a Solo 401K. It would not matter whether your business is a corporation or not, and if you are part of a partnership, you can also qualify provided you and your partners are the only employees of your company. Your spouse may also qualify if he or she works for the business.

A Solo 401K is more beneficial than other retirement plans for self-employed individuals for a number of reasons. For one, your contributions to a Solo 401k could be higher compared to other plans. The amount you put into the plan as well as the profits it makes are tax-deferred and would give you more opportunities for tax deductions. Also, how much you can contribute to your 401K plan could vary yearly. This would help you cope with your business' changing income. If your company makes less profit in one year compared to others, you have the option to contribute less or nothing at all to your 401k account for that year.

You can also make a loan, tax-free, using your Solo 401K account as collateral. It allows loans of up to 50% of your balance, for any purpose. Normally, the loan has to be paid in five years, but the deadline could be longer if the money will be used to purchase a home.

If you think that a time would come that you would need to hire employees, perhaps a Solo 401k is not your best option. Get the advice of a plan provider on other plan options that may be more suited to your needs.




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