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Given the long-term financial instability of the social security system and the decline in defined-benefit pension plans, it is becoming more important than ever to properly save for your retirement. Thankfully, the government has provided individual savers with a variety of retirement accounts that allows people to obtain significant tax benefits from their investments.

Perhaps the single most important retirement account available to most workers is the 401k. The 401k retirement account is managed by your employer. If you want to open a 401k, you will need to file the necessary paperwork with your company. Once this is completed, you can save up to $15,500 a year in a tax-deferred retirement account. Since the money that is saved in a 401k is not considered a part of your taxable income, investing in a 401k allows you to reduce your tax bill; you are not taxed on that money until you withdraw it at the time of your retirement. In addition, many employers match a certain percentage of an employee's contributions. The combination of tax benefits and free money makes the 401k a great vehicle to place retirement savings.

Recently, the government also allowed the option of a Roth 401k retirement account. Essentially, it is the same as a traditional 401k but with one important difference: a Roth 401k allows you to save after-tax money for your retirement. This means that money invested in a Roth 401k is taxed at the time it is earned. However, once you reach retirement, you can withdraw the money out of your retirement account without paying any additional tax.

This may seem to be a subtle distinction, but it can lead to significant differences in the size of your retirement nest egg. In deciding what type of 401k to choose, you need to consider both your current and future tax liability. For instance, if you are currently in a high tax bracket, a traditional 401k may be a better option since the money is tax-deferred. On the other hand, if you expect to be in a high tax bracket in your retirement years, a Roth 410k might be the right way to save for retirement.

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