Retirees May Need Personal Loans in Addition to 401(k)s

Using a 401k account

Wise moves made today will pay off tomorrow

Consumers may need personal loans to manage through retirement if they aren't careful with their 401(k) accounts. A 401(k) account allows a working person to save for retirement, invest the savings and defer taxes until after retirement when, in most cases, the account holder's income will be subject to a lower income tax rate.

To make contributions to the fund, an investor opts to have a portion of his or her paycheck paid directly into the 401k account. Many employers offer the additional benefit of matching an employee's contributions by depositing additional money or by making profit-sharing contributions to the plan. Regardless of the added benefits, the basic 401(k) account is a simple and effective way for an employee to squirrel away money for retirement.

The downside of 401(k) investing

Although the idea is a good one, there are certain things a 401(k) provider doesn't usually tell its depositors. Here are some of the most important things to know:

1.  Investment companies make big money on 401(k) accounts, even when account holders do not. The number of 401(k) investors has risen sharply in the past few years. According to Cerulli Associates, a research and consulting firm specializing in the financial services industry, that number has risen to 50 million providers. Though the companies are more and more efficient as a result of the increased competition, that doesn't necessarily mean account holders see the financial benefit. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Retirees May Need Personal Loans in Addition to 401(k)s“