Cortburg Speaks Retirement

After-Tax Contributions: A Smart Strategy for Retirement Savings

• Miguel Gonzalez, MBA, AIF®, CPFA®, CRC® • Season 2024 • Episode 231

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Unlock the power of after-tax contributions to boost your retirement savings and reduce taxes in retirement. In this episode, Miguel Gonzalez, CRC®, breaks down how after-tax contributions, Roth IRAs, and strategic tax-free withdrawals can optimize your financial future.

Cortburg Retirement Advisors is a boutique financial planning firm committed to helping you grow, protect, and preserve your assets from your first job to retirement. We specialize in wealth management, estate and tax planning, group retirement, employee benefits, insurance, and retirement planning to navigate any economic climate.

Miguel Gonzalez, a Retirement Specialist with 20+ years of experience, offers expertise in retirement income planning, investment management, and retirement plan design. With an MBA from Columbia Business School, and professional experience with JP Morgan Chase, Merrill Lynch, and more, Miguel is a trusted advisor for his clients.

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with Miguel Gonzalez, MBA, AIF®, CPFA®, CRC®

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Welcome to Cortburg Speaks Retirement

An audio podcast about investing in the stock market, financial planning, money management and retirement planning.  Each Wednesday, we help investors at all stages of life learn how to potentially grow and preserve their money from first job through retirement.

Now here is your host, Miguel Gonzalez.

Good morning and welcome to the CORTBURG SPEAKS RETIREMENT audio podcast.   

This week we’re talking about taxes when planning for retirement, specifically - making after-tax contributions into retirement savings vehicles. This approach to investing after-tax dollars may significantly increase one's retirement savings and help reduce taxes in retirement.

What exactly are after-tax contributions?

Before diving deeper into the topic, it's vital to understand the term 'after-tax contributions.' Making an after-tax contribution to an account involves money that has already been taxed. This action contrasts with pre-tax contributions, where monies are deposited into the account before it is taxed, reducing one's taxable income.

After-tax contributions may allow for greater flexibility compared to their pre-tax counterparts regarding when you can start distributions without penalty. After-tax accounts do not always have the same stipulations. This flexibility may benefit those who want to retire early or anticipate needing access to their retirement funds before the regular retirement age.

Leveraging After-Tax Contributions

Given the benefits of after-tax contributions, it's worth exploring how to leverage them. The most common way to make after-tax contributions is through a Roth 401(k) or Roth IRA. While there are limitations on who can contribute directly to a Roth IRA based on income levels, many employer-sponsored 401(k) plans now offer a Roth option.

In the case of a Roth IRA, the contribution and accumulation are tax-free when withdrawn if the account owner is 59 ½ or older or the account has been open for more than five years.

Other vehicles with after-tax contributions and tax-free withdrawals include:

  • Municipal bonds—Depending on where they were issued and purchased, Municipal bonds are tax-free at the Federal level and may be tax-free at the state and local levels.
  • Tax-exempt mutual funds and ETFs—These funds are comprised of tax-exempt strategies, ETFs, and bonds.
  • Cash value life insurance—These policies are purchased with after-tax monies. They offer a death benefit and cash value growth that can be accessed tax-free as a policy loan under current tax laws, making them a suitable saving strategy for some.

Tax-free withdrawals

The main benefit of after-tax contributions for investors is the tax-free withdrawal feature, given certain conditions are met. While the growth portion of after-tax contributions may be subject to taxation upon withdrawal, the original contribution is tax-free.

This tax break is powerful when it comes to compound interest. Growing investments over several years, or even decades, without taxation can significantly increase the overall accumulation of one's retirement savings.

Backdoor Roth IRA strategy

Another strategy is the backdoor Roth IRA, which allows high-income earners to convert their IRA funds to a Roth IRA. However, it's important to note that taxes will be due on the amount transferred to a Roth IRA for the tax year the backdoor strategy occurred.

Additionally, if a 401(k) plan allows, the 401(k) funds can transfer to an IRA and later to a Roth IRA.

This strategy requires careful planning and an understanding of tax rules, but it can offer substantial tax savings for those who can utilize it. Before implementing it, it is vital to meet with financial and tax professionals to understand how this strategy works and its tax implications.

After-tax contributions to retirement savings vehicles are powerful because they can provide tax-free income later, flexibility in accessing funds, and potentially a larger pool of retirement assets to draw from. By understanding how after-tax contributions can play a critical role in saving for retirement, one can determine if these strategies are suitable for their situation.

Remember, thoughtful financial planning is vital for an independent retirement. Therefore, working with a financial professional to help implement these strategies may be beneficial.

Make sure to visit our website, www.CortburgRetirement.com. Our site is filled with educational videos, eBooks, publications, and financial calculators designed to help you learn more about your finances.  As you search our site, send us a note regarding any questions you may have about any particular investment concepts or products. We will get back to you quickly with a thoughtful answer.

This is Miguel Gonzalez, Certified Retirement Counselor (CRC) and Managing Partner, with Cortburg Retirement Advisors signing off for this week’s educational podcast.  

 

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