Retirement plans have their place, but many entrepreneurs starve their business of needed working capital by putting money instead into tax-deductible accounts such as traditional 401(k)s. They think they are saving taxes.
Small business owners, by and large, have a hard time thinking beyond their business. It is a significant part of their very lives. If you are a small business owner, now may be the time to start thinking of your business as its own retirement vehicle, at least according to a recent guest columnist over at Forbes.
For retirement planning, a business owner typically has to take out of the business what would otherwise be capital for growth. You’re taking it out to put into a tax advantaged plan like a 401k, hoping it will grow there enough to make up for the taxes to be paid later. In addition, you are doing so in the belief that you’ll be in a lower tax bracket when you call upon those funds later on. But what are the returns on that account? It may be that a properly capitalized company will give far greater returns.
According to the Forbes article, a small business owner has to exist in a couple capacities, and the self that is an “individual” cannot be eclipsed by the self that is the “business owner,” nor the other way around. Ideally, perhaps, they can work in a synergy.
It is a risky strategy, especially for those nearing retirement, but it may be worth looking into the original article’s numbers.
For more information and blog posts on elder law and estate planning issues, please visit our website and sign up for our free monthly e-newsletter
Reference: Forbes (January 25, 2012) “Fund Your Business Before You Stuff Retirement Accounts”