Financial Topics Archives | Page 344 of 802

Feb

2024

Everything You Need to Know About Lifestyle Funds and Lifestyle Investing

By Rebecca Lake | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

Lifestyle funds are investment funds that base their asset allocation on someone’s age, risk tolerance, and investing goals. Individuals who want to build wealth over the long term in a relatively hands-off way might consider lifestyle investings.

There are different types of lifestyle funds investors may choose from, based on their appetite for risk, the level of risk needed to achieve their goals, and their investing time horizon. Lifestyle assets often also appear inside different types of retirement accounts, including employer-sponsored retirement plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). Whether becoming a lifestyle investor makes sense for you can depend on what you hope to achieve with your portfolio, how much risk you’re comfortable taking, and your overall time horizon for investing.

What are Lifestyle Funds?

A lifestyle fund or lifestyle investment holds a mix of investments that reflect an investor’s goals and risk tolerance. These investment funds tailor their investment mix to a specific investor’s needs and age to provide a simplified solution for reaching their goals.

Lifestyle funds may invest in both equities (i.e. stocks) and fixed-income securities, such as bonds and notes. These funds may require fewer decisions by the asset owner, since they adjust automatically through changing lifestyle needs until you reach retirement. With lifestyle assets, as with other types of funds, it’s important to consider the balance between risk and reward.

Lifestyle funds that carry a higher degree of risk may offer higher returns to investors, while those that are more conservative in terms of risk may yield lower returns.

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How Do Lifestyle Funds Work?

Typically purchased through a retirement account or a brokerage account, lifestyle funds work by creating a diversified portfolio to meet an investor where they are, while also taking into account where they’d like to be 10, 20 or 30 years from now.

An investor can choose from an initial lifestyle fund allocation, then adjust the risk level up or down based on their preferences. A fund manager reviews the asset allocation for the fund and rebalances periodically to help an investor stay on track with their goals.

The level of risk an investor takes may correlate to the average age of retirement, which for most people is around 65. So someone who’s 25 years old now has 40 years to invest for the future, meaning they can afford to take more risk to achieve their goals. As they get older, their tolerance for risk may decrease which could mean moving away from stocks and toward fixed-income investments.

Unlike target-date funds, the level of risk in lifestyle funds doesn’t change significantly over time. So if you were to choose an aggressive lifestyle fund at 25, the asset allocation of that fund would more or less be the same at age 65. That’s important to understand for choosing the lifestyle fund that’s appropriate for your risk tolerance and goals.

Recommended: Explaining Asset Allocation by Age

Two Stages of Lifestyle Funds

Lifestyle investing can work in different stages, depending on where you are in your investing journey. Lifestyle funds accommodate these different stages by adjusting their asset allocation.

This is something the fund manager can do to ensure that you’re working toward your goals without overexposing yourself to risk along the way. The two stages of lifestyle funds are the growth stage and the retirement target date stage.

1. Growth Stage

The growth stage represents the period in which a lifestyle investor is actively saving and investing. During the growth stage, the emphasis is on diversifying investments to achieve the appropriate balance between risk and reward. This phase represents the bulk of working years for most people as they move from starting their careers to reaching their peak earnings.

In the growth stage, lifestyle funds hold an asset allocation that reflects the investor’s goals and appetite for risk. Again, whether this is more conservative, aggressive or somewhere in-between depends on the individual investor. At this time, the investor is typically concerned with funding retirement accounts, rather than withdrawing from them.

2. Retirement Target Date

The retirement target date stage marks the beginning of the countdown to retirement for an investor. During this stage, the focus shifts to preparing the investor to begin drawing an income from their portfolio, rather than making new contributions or investments.

At this point, a lifestyle investor may have to decide whether they want to maintain their existing asset allocation, shift some or all of their assets into other investments (such as an annuity), or begin drawing them down in cash. For example, an investor in their mid-50s may decide to move from an aggressive lifestyle fund to a moderate or conservative lifestyle fund, depending on their needs, anticipated retirement date, and how much risk they’re comfortable taking.

Different Types of Lifestyle Funds

Lifestyle funds aren’t all alike and there are different options investors may choose from. There are different ways lifestyle funds can be structured, including:

• Income-focused funds. These lifestyle funds aim to produce income for investors, though capital appreciation may be a secondary goal. Fixed-income securities typically make up the bulk of lifestyle income funds, though they may still include some equity holdings.

• Growth-focused funds. Lifestyle growth funds are the opposite of lifestyle income funds. These funds aim to provide investors with long-term capital appreciation and place less emphasis on current income.

• Conservative asset allocation funds. Conservative lifestyle funds may have a long-term goal of achieving a set total return through both capital appreciation and current income. These funds tend to carry lower levels of risk than other lifestyle funds.

• Moderate asset allocation funds. Moderate lifestyle funds often take a middle ground approach in terms of risk and reward. These funds may use a “fund of funds” strategy, which primarily involves investing other mutual funds.

• Aggressive asset allocation funds. Aggressive lifestyle funds may also use a “fund of funds” approach, though with a slightly different focus. These funds take on more risk, though rewards may be greater as they seek long-term capital appreciation.

Lifestyle Investment Risks

Investing for retirement with lifestyle assets has some risks, so it’s important to make sure that the fund you choose matches your risk tolerance. Risk tolerance refers to the amount of risk an investor is comfortable taking in their portfolio. Risk capacity is the amount of risk needed to achieve investment goals.

Typically, younger investors can afford to take more risk in the early years of their investment career as they have more time to recover from market declines. But if that investor has a low risk tolerance, they may still choose to stick with more conservative investments. If their risk tolerance doesn’t match up with the amount of risk they need to take to achieve their investment goals, they could fall far short of them.

When considering lifestyle funds, it’s important to consider your risk mix and risk level. While lifestyle funds can simplify investing in that you don’t necessarily need to make day-to-day trading decisions, it’s still important to consider how your risk tolerance and risk capacity may evolve over time.

As you move from the growth stage to the retirement target date stage, for instance, you may need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle fund choices in order to keep pace with your desired goals.

💡 Quick Tip: When you’re actively investing in stocks, it’s important to ask what types of fees you might have to pay. For example, brokers may charge a flat fee for trading stocks, or require some commission for every trade. Taking the time to manage investment costs can be beneficial over the long term.

Advantages of Lifestyle Funds

In addition to their risks, lifestyle funds offer numerous advantages to investors, starting with simplicity. When you invest in a lifestyle fund, you know more or less what to expect in terms of asset allocation, based on the risk tolerance that you specify. These funds don’t require you to be an active investor in order to realize returns.

Some funds also automatically rebalance on behalf of investors, so there’s very little you need to do, other than be mindful of how the fund’s risk mix reflects your risk tolerance at any given time.

A lifestyle fund can offer broad diversification, allowing you to gain exposure to a variety of assets without having to purchase individual stocks, bonds or other securities.

Compared to other types of mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs), lifestyle funds may carry lower expense ratios. That can allow you to retain more of your investment returns over time.

Finally, lifestyle funds encourage investors to stay invested through market ups and downs. That can help you to even out losses through dollar-cost averaging.

Lifestyle Funds vs Target Date Funds

If you have a 401(k), then you’re likely familiar with target date funds as they’re commonly offered in workplace retirement plans. A target date fund, or lifecycle fund, is a mutual fund that adjusts its asset allocation automatically, based on the investor’s target retirement date. These funds are distinguishable from lifestyle funds because they typically have a year in their name.

So a Target Date 2050 fund, for example, would attract investors who plan to retire in the year 2050. Target date funds also take a diversified approach to investing, with asset allocations that include both stocks and fixed-income securities.

The difference between target date funds and lifestyle funds is that target date funds follow a specific glide path. As the investor gets closer to their target retirement date, the fund’s asset allocation adjusts to become more conservative. Lifestyle funds don’t do that; instead, the asset allocation remains the same.

The Takeaway

Whether you choose to invest with lifestyle funds, target date funds, or something else, the most important thing is to get started saving for retirement. The longer your time horizon until retirement, the more time your money has to grow through the power of compounding interest.

If you feel like incorporating lifestyle funds into your investing strategy may help you reach your financial goals, be sure to take the pros and cons into consideration. It may also be helpful to consult with a financial professional for guidance.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.

FAQ

What is a lifestyle pension fund?

A pension fund is a type of defined benefit plan, in which employees receive retirement benefits based on their earnings and years of service. A lifestyle pension fund is a pension fund that allocates assets using a lifestyle strategy in order to meet an investor’s goals and needs.

What is a lifestyle strategy?

In investing, a lifestyle strategy is an approach that chooses investments that can help an investor to reach specific milestones or goals while keeping their age and risk tolerance in mind. With lifestyle funds, the asset allocation doesn’t change substantially over time.

What is a lifestyle profile?

A lifestyle profile is a tool that investors use to help them select the most appropriate lifestyle funds based on their age, risk tolerance goals.

Photo credit: iStock/GaudiLab

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INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

Feb

2024

2024 Tax Season: Capital Gains Tax Guide

By Carla Tardi | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | No Comments

What Is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital gains taxes are the taxes you pay on any profits you make from selling investments, like stocks, bonds, properties, cars, or businesses. The tax isn’t applied for owning these assets — it only hits when you profit from selling them.

It’s important for beginner investors to understand that a number of factors can affect their capital gains tax rate: how long they hold onto an investment, which asset they’re selling, the amount of their annual income, as well as their marital status.

Read on to learn how capital gains work, the capital gains tax rates, and tips for lowering capital gains taxes.

Capital Gains Tax Rates Today

Whether you hold onto an investment for at least a year can make a big difference in how much you pay in taxes.

When you profit from an asset after owning it for a year or less, it’s considered a short-term capital gain. If you profit from it after owning it for at least a year, it’s a long-term capital gain.

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Short-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates (for Tax Year 2023)

The short-term capital gains tax is taxed as regular income or at the “marginal rate,” so the rates are based on what tax bracket you’re in.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) changes these numbers every year to adjust for inflation. You may learn your tax bracket by going to the IRS website, or asking your accountant.

Here’s a table that breaks down the short-term capital gains tax rates for the 2023 tax year, or for tax returns that are filed in 2024.

Marginal Rate	Income — Single	Married, filing jointly
10%	Up to $11,000	Up to $22,000
12%	$11,000 to $44,725	$22,000 to $89,450
22%	$44,725 to $95,375	$89,450 to $190,750
24%	$95,375 to $182,100	$190,750 to $364,200
32%	$182,100 to $231,250	$364,200 to $462,500
35%	$231,250 to $578,125	$462,500 to $693,750
37%	$578,125 or more	More than $693,750

Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rate By Income for Tax Year 2023 (or Tax Season 2024)

Long-term capital gains taxes for an individual are simpler and lower than for married couples. These rates fall into three brackets: 0%, 15%, and 20%.

The following table breaks down the long-term capital-gains tax rates for the 2023 tax year by income and status.

Capital Gains Tax Rate	Income — Single	Married, Filing Separately	Head of Household	Married, Filing Jointly
0%	Up to $44,625	Up to $44,625	Up to $59,750	Up to $89,250
15%	$44,626 to $492,300	$44,626 to $276,900	$59,751 to $523,050	$89,251 to $553,850
20%	$492,301 or more	$276,901 or more	$523,051 or more	$553,851 or more

A higher 28% is applied to long-term capital gains from transactions involving art, antiques, stamps, wine, and precious metals.

Additionally, individuals with modified adjusted gross incomes (MAGIs) over $200,000 and couples filing jointly with MAGIs over $250,000 — who have net investment income, may have to pay the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT), which is 3.8% on the lesser of the net investment income or the excess over the MAGI limits.

Tips For Lowering Capital Gains Taxes

Hanging onto an investment for more than a year can lower your capital gains taxes significantly.

Capital gains taxes also don’t apply to so-called “tax-advantaged accounts” like 401(k) plans, IRAs, or 529 college savings accounts. So selling investments within these accounts won’t generate capital gains taxes. Instead, traditional 401(k)s and IRAs are taxed when you take distributions, while qualified distributions for Roth IRAs and 529 plans are tax-free.

Single homeowners also get a break on the first $250,000 they make from the sale of their primary residence, which they need to have lived in for at least two of the past five years. The limit is $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly.

For new investors, it might be helpful to know that you may deduct as much as $3,000 in losses from an investment to help offset the amount of taxes on your income.

How US Capital Gains Taxes Compare

Generally, capital gains tax rates affect the wealthiest taxpayers, who typically make a bigger chunk of their income from profitable investments.

Here’s a closer look at how capital gains taxes compare with other taxes, including those in other countries.

Compared to Other Taxes

The maximum long-term capital gains taxes rate of 20% is lower than the highest marginal rate of 37%.

Proponents of the lower long-term capital gains tax rate say the discrepancy exists to encourage investments. It may also prompt investors to sell their profitable investments more frequently, rather than hanging on to them.

Comparison to Capital Gains Taxes In Other Countries

In 2023, the Tax Foundation listed the capital gains taxes of the 27 different European Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The U.S.’ maximum rate of 20% is roughly midway on the spectrum of comparable capital gains taxes.

In comparison, Denmark had the highest top capital gains tax at a rate of 42%. Norway was second-highest at 37.84%. Finland and France were third on the list, both at 34%. In addition, the following European countries all levied higher capital gains taxes than the U.S. (listed in order from highest to lowest): Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal, Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Iceland.

Compared With Historical Capital Gains Tax Rates

Because short-term capital gains tax rates are the same as those for wages and salaries, they adjust when ordinary income tax rates change. For instance, in 2018, tax rates went down because of the Trump Administration’s tax cuts. Therefore, so did short-term capital gains rates.

As for long-term capital gains tax, Americans today are paying rates that are relatively low historically. Today’s maximum long-term capital gains tax rate of 20% started in 2013.

For comparison, the high point for long-term capital gains tax was in the 1970s, when the maximum rate was at 35%.

Going back in time, in the 1920s the maximum rate was around 12%. From the early 1940s to the late 1960s, the rate was around 25%. Maximum rates were also pretty high, at around 28%, in the late 1980s and 1990s. Then, between 2004 and 2012, they dropped to 15%.

💡 Quick Tip: Did you know that investment losses aren’t necessarily bad news? Some losses can be used to offset gains, potentially reducing how much tax you owe. Learn more about investment taxes.

Tax Loss Harvesting

Tax loss harvesting is the strategy of selling some investments at a loss to offset the taxable profits from another investment.

Using short-term losses to offset short-term gains is a way to take advantage of tax loss harvesting — because, as discussed above, short-term gains are taxed at higher rates. IRS rules also dictate that short-term or long-term losses must be used to offset gains of the same type, unless the losses exceed the gains from the same type.

Investors can also apply losses from investments of as much as $3,000 to offset income. And because tax losses don’t expire, if only a portion of losses was used to offset income in one year, the investor can “save” those losses to offset taxes in another year.

The Takeaway

Capital gains taxes are the levies you pay from making money on investments. The IRS updates the tax rates every year to adjust for inflation.

It’s important for investors to know that capital gains tax rates can differ significantly based on whether they’ve held an investment for at least a year. An investor’s income level also determines how much they pay in capital gains taxes.

An accountant or financial advisor can suggest ways to lower your capital gains taxes as well as help you set financial goals.

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Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

Feb

2024

SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for Employers & Employees

By Austin Kilham | invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

A SIMPLE IRA, or Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees, is a way for self-employed individuals and small business employers to set up a retirement plan.

It’s one of a number of tax-advantaged retirement plans that may be available to those who are self-employed, along with solo 401(k)s, and traditional IRAs. These plans share a number of similarities. Like 401(k)s, SIMPLE IRAs are employer-sponsored (if you’re self-employed, you would be the employer in this case), and like other IRAs they give employees some flexibility in choosing their investments.

SIMPLE IRA contribution limits are one of the main differences between accounts: meaning, how much individuals can contribute themselves, and whether there’s an employer contribution component as well.

Here’s a look at the rules for SIMPLE IRAs.

SIMPLE IRA Basics

SIMPLE IRAs are a type of employer-sponsored retirement account. Employers who want to offer one cannot have another retirement plan in place already, and they must typically have 100 employees or less.

Employers are required to contribute to SIMPLE IRA plans, while employees can elect to do so, as a way to save for retirement.

Employees can usually participate in a SIMPLE IRA if they have made $5,000 in any two calendar years before the current year, or if they expect to receive $5,000 in compensation in the current year.

An employee’s income doesn’t affect SIMPLE IRA contribution limits.

💡 Quick Tip: Investment fees are assessed in different ways, including trading costs, account management fees, and possibly broker commissions. When you set up an investment account, be sure to get the exact breakdown of your “all-in costs” so you know what you’re paying.

SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits, 2023 and 2024

Employee contributions to SIMPLE IRAs are made with pre-tax dollars. They are typically taken directly from an employee’s paycheck, and they can reduce taxable income in the year the contributions are made, often reducing the amount of taxes owed.

Once deposited in the SIMPLE IRA account, contributions can be invested, and those investments can grow tax deferred until it comes time to make withdrawals in retirement. Individuals can start making withdrawals penalty free at age 59 ½. But withdrawals made before then may be subject to a 10% or 25% early withdrawal penalty.

Employee contributions are capped. For 2023, contributions cannot exceed $15,500 for most people. For 2024, it’s $16,000. Employees who are age 50 and over can make additional catch-up contributions of $3,500 for 2023 and 2024, bringing their total contribution limit to $19,000 in 2023 and $19,500 in 2024.

See the chart below for SIMPLE IRA contribution limits for 2023 and 2024.

	2023	2024
Annual contribution limit	$15,500	$16,000
Catch-up contribution for age 50 and older	$3,500	$3,500

¹Terms and conditions apply. Roll over a minimum of $20K to receive the 1% match offer. Matches on contributions are made up to the annual limits.

Employer vs Employee Contribution Limits

Employers are required to contribute to each one of their employees’ SIMPLE plans each year, and each plan must be treated the same, including an employer’s own.

There are two options available for contributions: Employers may either make matching contributions of up to 3% of employee compensation — or they may make a 2% nonelective contribution for each eligible employee.

If an employer chooses the first option, call it option A, they have to make a dollar-for-dollar match of each employee’s contribution, up to 3% of employee compensation. (If the employer chooses option B, the nonelective contribution, this requirement doesn’t apply.) An employer can offer smaller matches, but they must match at least 1% for no more than two out of every five years.

In option A, if an employee doesn’t make a contribution to their SIMPLE account, the employer does not have to contribute either.

In the second option, option B: Employers can choose to make nonelective contributions of 2% of each individual employee’s compensation. If an employer chooses this option, they must make a contribution whether or not an employee makes one as well.

Contributions are limited. Employers may make a 2% contribution up to $330,000 in employee compensation for 2023, and up to $345,000 in employee compensation for 2024.

(The 3% matching contribution rule for option A is not subject to this same annual compensation limit.)

Whatever contributions employers make to their employees’ plans are tax deductible. And if you’re a sole proprietor you can deduct the employer contributions you make for yourself.

See the chart below for employer contribution limits for 2023 and 2024.

	2023	2024
Matching contribution	Up to 3% of employee contribution	Up to 3% of employee contribution
Nonelective contribution	2% of employee compensation up to $330,000	2% of employee compensation up to $345,000

SIMPLE IRA vs 401(k) Contribution Limits

There are other options for employer-sponsored retirement plans, including the 401(k), which differs from an IRA in some significant ways.

Like SIMPLE IRAs, 401(k) contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, and money in the account grows tax deferred. Withdrawals are taxed at ordinary income tax rates, and individuals can begin making them penalty-free at age 59 ½.

Contribution limits for 401(k)s are much higher than for SIMPLE IRAs. In 2023, individuals could contribute up to $22,500 to their 401(k) plans. Plan participants age 50 and older could make $7,500 in catch-up contributions for a total of $30,000 per year. In 2024, individuals can contribute $23,000 to their 401(k), and those 50 and older can make $7,500 in catch-up contributions for a total of $30,500.

Employers may also choose to contribute to their employees’ 401(k) plans through matching contributions or non-elective contributions. Employees often use matching contributions to incentivize their employees to save, and individuals should try to save enough each year to meet their employer’s matching requirements.

Employers may also make nonelective contributions regardless of whether an employee has made contributions of their own. Total employee and employer contributions could equal up to $66,000 in 2023, or 100% of an employee’s compensation, whichever is less. For those aged 50 and older, that figure jumped to $73,500. In 2024, total employee and employer contributions are $69,000, or $76,500 for those 50 and up.

As a result of these higher contribution limits, 401(k)s can help individuals save quite a bit more than they could with a SIMPLE IRA. See chart below for a side-by-side comparison of 401(k) and SIMPLE IRA contribution limits.

	SIMPLE IRA 2023	SIMPLE IRA 2024	401(k) 2023	401(k) 2024
Annual contribution limit	$15,500	$16,000	$22,500	$23,000
Catch-up contribution	$3,500	$3,500	$7,500	$7,500
Employer Contribution	Up to 3% of employee contribution, or 2% of employee compensation up to $330,000	Up to 3% of employee contribution, or 2% of employee compensation up to $345,000	Matching and nonelective contributions up to $66,000	Matching and nonelective contributions up to $69,000.

💡 Quick Tip: The advantage of opening a Roth IRA and a tax-deferred account like a 401(k) or traditional IRA is that by the time you retire, you’ll have tax-free income from your Roth, and taxable income from the tax-deferred account. This can help with tax planning.

SIMPLE IRA vs Traditional IRA Contribution Limits

Individuals who want to save more in tax-deferred retirement accounts than they’re able to in a SIMPLE IRA alone can consider opening an IRA account. Regular IRAs come in two flavors: traditional and Roth IRA.

Traditional IRAs

When considering SIMPLE vs. traditional IRAs, the two actually work similarly. However, contribution limits for traditional accounts are quite a bit lower. For 2023, individuals could contribute $6,500, or $7,500 for those 50 and older. In 2024, individuals can contribute $7,000, or $8,000 for those 50 and older.

That said, when paired with a SIMPLE IRA, individuals could make $22,000 in total contributions in 2023, which is almost as much as with a 401(K). In 2024, they could make $23,000 in total contributions, which is the same as a 401(k).

Roth IRAs

Roth IRAs work a little bit differently.

Contributions to Roths are made with after-tax dollars. Money inside the account grows-tax free and individuals pay no income tax when they make withdrawals after age 59 ½. Early withdrawals may be subject to penalty. Because individuals pay no income tax on withdrawals in retirement, Roth IRAs may be a consideration for those who anticipate being in a higher tax bracket when they retire.

Roth contributions limits are the same as traditional IRAs. Individuals are allowed to have both Roth and traditional accounts at the same time. However, total contributions are cumulative across accounts.

See the chart for a look at SIMPLE IRA vs. traditional and Roth IRA contribution limits.

	SIMPLE IRA 2023	SIMPLE IRA 2024	Traditional and Roth IRA 2023	Traditional and Roth IRA 2024
Annual contribution limit	$15,500	$16,000	$6,500	$7,000
Catch-up contribution	$3,500	$3,500	$1,000	$1,000
Employer Contribution	Up to 3% of employee contribution, or 2% of employee compensation up to $330,000	Up to 3% of employee contribution, or 2% of employee compensation up to $345,000	None	None

The Takeaway

SIMPLE IRAs are an easy way for employers and employees to save for retirement — especially those who are self-employed (or for companies with under 100 employees). In fact, a SIMPLE IRA gives employers two ways to help employees save for retirement — by a direct matching contribution of up to 3% (assuming the employee is also contributing to their SIMPLE IRA account), or by providing a basic 2% contribution for all employees, regardless of whether the employees themselves are contributing.

While SIMPLE IRAs don’t offer the same high contribution limits that 401(k)s do, individuals who want to save more can compensate by opening a traditional or Roth IRA on their own.

Ready to invest for your retirement? It’s easy to get started when you open a traditional or Roth IRA with SoFi. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

Help grow your nest egg with a SoFi IRA.

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Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

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Feb

2024

5 Investment Strategies for Beginners

By SoFi Editors | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

Investing is a powerful tool that allows you to put your money to work to help you reach future financial goals. But if you’re new to investing, you may be asking yourself what investment strategies should you pursue?

Here’s a guide to help you get started.

5 Popular Investment Strategies for Beginners

1. Asset Allocation

Once you’ve opened an investment account and you begin to build your portfolio, asset allocation is an important strategy to consider to help you balance potential risk and rewards. A typical portfolio might divide its assets among three main asset classes: stocks, bonds, and cash. Each asset class has its own risk and return profile, behaving a little bit differently under different market circumstances.

For example, stocks tend to offer the highest gains, but they are also the most volatile, presenting the most potential for losses. Bonds are generally considered to be less risky than stocks, while cash is typically more stable.

The proportion of each asset class you hold will depend on your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. Your goal is how much you aim to save. Your time horizon is the length of time you have before reaching your goals. And your risk tolerance is how much risk you’re willing to take to achieve your goals.

Your asset allocation can shift over time. For example, someone in their 30s saving for retirement has a long time horizon and may have a higher risk tolerance. As a result their portfolio may contain mostly stocks. As that person grows older and nears retirement, their portfolio may shift to contain more bonds and cash, which are typically less risky and less likely to lose value in the short-term.

💡 Quick Tip: If you’re opening a brokerage account for the first time, consider starting with an amount of money you’re prepared to lose. Investing always includes the risk of loss, and until you’ve gained some experience, it’s probably wise to start small.

2. Diversification

Another way to help manage risk in your portfolio is through diversification, building a portfolio with a mix of investments across assets to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket.

Here’s how it works: Imagine you had a portfolio consisting of stock from one company. If that stock does poorly your entire portfolio suffers.

Now imagine a portfolio consisting of many stocks, from companies of all sizes and sectors. Not only that, it also holds other investments, including bonds. If one stock suffers, it will have a much smaller effect on your overall portfolio, spreading out the risk of holding any one investment.

3. Rebalancing

Your portfolio can change over time, shifting your assets allocation and diversification. For example, if there is a bull market and stocks outperform, you may discover that you now hold a greater portion of your portfolio in stocks than you had intended.

At this point, you may need to rebalance your portfolio to bring it back in line with your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance. In the example above, you might decide to sell some stock or buy more bonds, for instance.

4. Buy and Hold Strategy for Investing

Market fluctuations are a natural part of the market cycle. However, investors may get nervous and be tempted to sell when prices drop. When they do, investors might lock in their losses and miss out on subsequent market rebounds.

Investors practicing buy-and-hold strategies tend to buy investments and hang on to them over the long term, regardless of short-term movements in the market. Doing so may help curb the tendency to panic sell, and it might also help minimize fees associated with trading.

Buy and hold might also affect an investor’s taxes. Holding a long-term investment vs. short-term one can make a big difference in terms of how much an individual pays in taxes.

If you profit from an investment after owning it for at least a year, it’s a long-term capital gain. Less than that is short-term. Capital gains tax rates can change, but generally, longer-term investments are taxed at a lower rate than short-term ones.

💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self-directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

5. Dollar-Cost Averaging

Dollar-cost averaging is a strategy in which individuals invest on a regular basis by making fixed investments on a regular schedule regardless of price.

For example, say an investor wants to invest $1,000 every quarter in an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500. Each quarter, the price of that fund will likely vary — sometimes it will be up, sometimes it will be down. The amount of money the individual invests remains the same, so they are buying fewer shares when prices are high, and more shares when prices are low.

This strategy can help individuals avoid emotional investing. It’s also straightforward and can help investors stick to a plan, rather than trying to time the market.

The Takeaway

Investing is an ongoing process. Your life, goals, and financial needs will all change as your circumstances do. For example, may you get a raise at work, get married and have a child, or decide to retire early. Factors like these will change how much money you need to save and how you invest. Monitor your portfolio and make adjustments as needed.

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

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Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

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Feb

2024

Explaining 401(k) Early Withdrawal Penalties

By SoFi Editors | Budgeting & Goals, Investing, Life & Career | No Comments

If you’re like many people who are socking away money in a 401(k) retirement plan (good work!), you probably know that early withdrawal of funds can take a financial toll. There are penalties that can be assessed, decreasing what you actually receive of those funds you saved.

But sometimes, life happens. Even though a 401(k) account is designed for retirement saving, you may need extra cash ASAP before you turn age 59½. Because money in your 401(k) account is not subject to federal income taxes until distribution, your 401(k) can lead to taxes as well as an early withdrawal penalty in this situation. Therefore, it may be worth exploring other options.

To answer the question, “what is the penalty for withdrawing from a 401(k)?” read on. You’ll learn:

• How a 401(k) works

• What is the 401(k) early withdrawal penalty

• How you can access cash without using funds from your 401(k) account.

How Does a 401(k) Work?

A 401(k) is an account designed to hold money and investments for retirement. Why does it have such a funky name? Well, it’s named after a line in the tax code that gives the 401(k) its special taxation guidelines. It can be a reminder that rules regarding 401(k) accounts are set by the IRS and generally have to do with taxation.

Essentially, the IRS allows investors to stash a certain amount of money away each year for retirement, without having to pay income taxes on those contributions.

Currently, that contribution maximum amount is $23,000 per year, with additional catch-up contributions of up to $7,500 allowed for those 50 and older. Additionally, the investments within the account are allowed to grow tax-free.

401(k) participants can’t avoid paying income taxes forever, though. When retirees go to pull out money in retirement, they must pay income taxes on the 401(k) amount withdrawn.

So, while you have to pay income taxes eventually, the idea is that maybe you’ll pay a lower effective tax rate as a retired person than as a working person. (Although, none of this is guaranteed because we can’t predict future tax rates.)

The IRS classifies 59½ as the age where a person can begin withdrawing from their 401(k). Before this age and without an exception, it is not possible to do a 401(k) withdrawal without penalty.

💡 Quick Tip: Some lenders can release funds as quickly as the same day your loan is approved. SoFi personal loans offer same-day funding for qualified borrowers.

What is the Penalty for Withdrawing from a 401(k)?

When a 401(k) account holder withdraws money from a 401(k) before age 59½, the IRS may charge a 10% penalty in addition to the ordinary income taxes assessed on the amount.

Unqualified withdrawals from a 401(k) are considered taxable income. Then, the 10% penalty is assessed on top of that. This could result in a hefty penalty.

Is a 401(k) Withdrawal Without Penalty Possible?

There are some exceptions to the 401(k) early withdrawal penalty rule. For example, an exception may be made in such circumstances as:

• A participant has a qualifying event such as a disability or medical expenses and must use 401(k) assets to make payments under a qualified domestic relations order

• Has separated from service during or after the year they reached age 55

• A distribution is made to a beneficiary after the death of the account owner.

Additionally, it may be possible to avoid the 401(k) withdrawal penalty through a method known as the Substantially Equal Periodic Payment (SEPP) rule. These are also called 72(t) distributions.

• To do this, the account owner must agree to withdraw money according to a specific schedule as defined by the IRS.

• The participant must do this for at least five years or until they have reached age 59½.

• Under the 72(t) distribution, a participant will systematically withdraw the total balance of their 401(k). While this is technically an option in some instances, it does mean taking money away from retirement. Consider this while making your ultimate decision.

💡 Quick Tip: In a climate where interest rates are rising, you’re likely better off with a fixed interest rate than a variable rate, even though the variable rate is initially lower. On the flip side, if rates are falling, you may be better off with a variable interest rate.

Alternatives to an Early 401(k) Withdrawal

Because of the steep penalty involved, you may feel inclined to shop around for some alternatives to early 401(k) withdrawal.

Borrowing from Your 401(k)

Participants can consider taking a loan from their active 401(k). The money is removed from the account and charged a rate of interest, which is ultimately paid back into the account. The interest rate is generally one or two points higher than the prime interest rate set by the IRS, but it can vary.

While this loan may come with a competitive interest rate that is repaid to the borrower themself and not a bank, there are some significant downsides.

• First, taking money from a 401(k) account removes that money from being invested in the market. A participant may miss out on the market’s upside and compound returns.

• Though a 401(k) loan might seem like an easy option now, it could put a person’s savings for retirement at risk. It is easy to imagine a scenario where the loan does not get repaid. If the loan is not repaid, the IRS could levy the 10% penalty on the distributed funds.

• Money that is repaid to a 401(k) is done with post-tax money. The money that is borrowed from the 401(k) would have been pre-tax money, so replacing it with money the borrower has already paid taxes on may make a 401(k) loan more expensive than it initially seems.

• If a person were to leave their company before the loan is repaid, the loan would need to be repaid by the time you file your taxes for that year or penalty and income tax could be due. Participants should proceed down this route with caution.

Withdrawing from a Roth IRA

A second option is to consider withdrawing funds from Roth IRA assets. Under IRS rules, any money that is contributed to a Roth IRA can be removed without penalty or taxes after 5 years.

Unlike with a 401(k), income taxes are paid on money that the account holder contributes to the account. Therefore, these funds aren’t taxed when the money is removed. (This only applies to contributions, not investment profits.)

Now, the downside to consider:

• Again, common advice states that removing money from any retirement account should generally be considered a last-resort option. The average person is already behind in saving for retirement, so even Roth IRA funds should only be considered after all other options are exhausted.

Access a Personal Loan

Another option to consider could be a personal loan. An unsecured personal loan can generally be used for any personal reason.

By using a personal loan, the participant is able to avoid a 401(k) early withdrawal penalty and leave all of the money invested within the account to grow uninterrupted.

Some other aspects to consider:

• A personal loan also puts the borrower on an amortized payback schedule that has a defined end-date. Having a defined payback period may be beneficial during debt repayment — it provides a goal, and it is clear how progress is made throughout the life of the loan.

• Compare the set amortization of a personal loan to the revolving debt of a credit card, where it can be quite tempting to add to the balance, even as the person is attempting to pay it off in full.

When charges are added to a credit card, the end-date can be pushed out further, especially in the event that the borrower is only making minimum payments. This is not the case with a personal loan where a lump-sum loan amount is disbursed and paid back within a set timeframe. You may want to consider using a personal loan calculator to compare costs.

The Takeaway

If you withdraw funds from your 401(k) retirement plan before age 59½, you will likely be subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty as well as taxes. You may have other options available if you need funds, however, such as taking a loan against a 401(k), withdrawing from an IRA account, or securing a personal loan. With all of the above options, it is recommended to map out the cost of each and/or work with a tax advisor or financial advisor to help identify the best course.Ultimately, it will be up to you to research the best option given your needs.

Think twice before turning to high-interest credit cards. Consider a SoFi personal loan instead. SoFi offers competitive fixed rates and same-day funding. Checking your rate takes just a minute.

SoFi’s Personal Loan was named NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Personal Loan overall.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Tax Information: This article provides general background information only and is not intended to serve as legal or tax advice or as a substitute for legal counsel. You should consult your own attorney and/or tax advisor if you have a question requiring legal or tax advice.

SOPL0124043

Everything You Need to Know About Lifestyle Funds and Lifestyle Investing

What are Lifestyle Funds?

How Do Lifestyle Funds Work?

Two Stages of Lifestyle Funds

1. Growth Stage

2. Retirement Target Date

Different Types of Lifestyle Funds

Lifestyle Investment Risks

Advantages of Lifestyle Funds

Lifestyle Funds vs Target Date Funds

The Takeaway

FAQ

What is a lifestyle pension fund?

What is a lifestyle strategy?

What is a lifestyle profile?

2024 Tax Season: Capital Gains Tax Guide

What Is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital Gains Tax Rates Today

Short-Term Capital Gains Tax Rates (for Tax Year 2023)

Long-Term Capital Gains Tax Rate By Income for Tax Year 2023 (or Tax Season 2024)

Tips For Lowering Capital Gains Taxes

How US Capital Gains Taxes Compare

Compared to Other Taxes

Comparison to Capital Gains Taxes In Other Countries

Compared With Historical Capital Gains Tax Rates

Tax Loss Harvesting

The Takeaway

SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for Employers & Employees

SIMPLE IRA Basics

SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits, 2023 and 2024

Get a 1% IRA match on rollovers and contributions.

Double down on your retirement goals with a 1% match on every dollar you roll over and contribute to a SoFi IRA.1

Employer vs Employee Contribution Limits

SIMPLE IRA vs 401(k) Contribution Limits

SIMPLE IRA vs Traditional IRA Contribution Limits

Traditional IRAs

Roth IRAs

The Takeaway

5 Investment Strategies for Beginners

5 Popular Investment Strategies for Beginners

1. Asset Allocation

2. Diversification

Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new Active Invest account.*

Access stock trading, options, alternative investments, IRAs, and more. Get started in just a few minutes.

3. Rebalancing

4. Buy and Hold Strategy for Investing

5. Dollar-Cost Averaging

The Takeaway

Explaining 401(k) Early Withdrawal Penalties

How Does a 401(k) Work?

What is the Penalty for Withdrawing from a 401(k)?

Is a 401(k) Withdrawal Without Penalty Possible?

Alternatives to an Early 401(k) Withdrawal

Borrowing from Your 401(k)

Withdrawing from a Roth IRA

Access a Personal Loan

The Takeaway

CATEGORIES

JOIN THE COMMUNITY

Student Loan Refinancing

Personal Loans

Online Investments

Other

Double down on your retirement goals with a 1% match on every dollar you roll over and contribute to a SoFi IRA.¹

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