Savings with tax breaks: Introduction

You’ll have more money to save if you can put it away without taxes. That’s what the government thinks, so they’ve created IRAs, 401(k)s, education savings plans — such as the 529 Plan and the Coverdell savings account — to help you make the most of your savings.

What you can expect to learn from this chapter:

IRAs   All IRAs are not alike. We break down the differences between traditional and Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRA and self-directed IRAs. Education-savings plans   The federal Coverdell plan and the state-sponsored 529 let you save for your child’s education and withdraw the money tax-free. Penalty-free IRA withdrawals   Here are seven instances when you can withdraw from your IRA without a penalty, even if you’re not 59 1/2 years old. 401(k)s   A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored plan that lets the employee put in pretax dollars — and sometimes the employer matches the savings. Chapter 5 quiz   We covered a number of savings plans here. Did you learn all you need to know?