Retirement Plans

An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) can be a great way to invest for the future. An IRA can serve as a supplement to Social Security benefits or an employer-sponsored plan or pension. And, since your IRA investment may be tax deductible and/or tax deferred, it offers advantages other investments cannot.

People tend to think about IRAs every year at tax time, but there are other times to consider IRAs. When your kids get their first jobs, if you lose or change jobs, and as you near retirement and throughout retirement - each is an especially good time to look at your IRA possibilities.

Your first job is the very best time to start an IRA. Your investments have the maximum time to grow, and future saving habits are strongest when they're started early.

Losing or changing jobs generates the need to check your retirement accounts. If you have been participating in a 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirement plan, you may want to move your money from that plan to your own IRA - a transaction called a Rollover. Without planning, your old 401(k) may get left in your former employer's plan, or you may experience taxes or penalties that otherwise could have been avoided.

As you near retirement it's good to re-visit your IRA to plan when you want to start taking your distributions. You will also want to evaluate your investments within the IRA to be sure they're consistent with your growth or income needs.

Throughout retirement you'll want to plan and adjust income withdrawals from time to time, and monitor your investment goals and choices. Just because you've stopped working doesn't mean your IRA should.

Retirement Income Calculator can help you decide how much you'll need to save to meet your goals and how long your savings are likely to last.

To learn more about IRAs and the benefits they can provide for investing and retirement, take a look at our Retirement Savings Options for Individuals brochure.

Please refer to the Fund Information section and consult with your financial planner/tax advisor for more complete information on our mutual fund offerings to help you determine the right funds for your retirement portfolio.

IRA enrollment, transfer, and rollover forms are available below for download.