Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Joe Biden Promises To End Traditional 401(k)-Style Retirement Savings Tax Benefits. What’s That Mean?
Forbes ^ | August 25, 2020 | Elizabeth Bauer

Posted on 08/25/2020 2:03:44 PM PDT by karpov

Round about a month ago, I took a closer look at Joe Biden’s retirement-related policy proposals, or, more specifically, those of the “Unity Task Force,” which had just released its final document.

One of the items in that document and on the Biden campaign website is a promise to “equalize the network of retirement saving tax breaks” — a proposal that generally translates to eliminating the tax advantages currently enjoyed by retirement savings accounts and replacing them with a “credit” or “match.” The idea is that the tax advantages, or “tax expenditures,” as they’re called, disproportionately accrue to relatively higher earners, and the hope of a change is to provide benefits in equal measure to all income groups.

But how this translates in practice is not clear. An article at Roll Call this morning picked up on the proposal, as did Courthouse News, but neither had more detail, referencing only a 2014 Urban Institute/Tax Policy Center proposal, which provided various hypothetical alternatives.

So what did that proposal suggest? It included a variety of options, including

Reducing total available pre-tax savings (employer and employee) from (at the time) $51,000 to only the lesser of $20,000 or 20% of pay;

Expanding the currently relatively-small “Saver’s Credit” (equal to 50% of the first $2,000 in retirement savings, only for relatively lower earners, up to $$19,500 for singles, $39,000 for couples; and phasing out quickly, to 20%, 10%, and ultimately nothing for singles with $32,500/couples with $65,000 in income) to stay at 50% for higher earners and phase out in a much more gradual manner instead; or

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Politics/Elections; US: California; US: Delaware
KEYWORDS: 401k; biden; biden2020; bidenagenda; california; clowncar; delaware; incometaxes; india; jamaica; joebiden; joeclowncarbiden; kamalaharris; retirement; taxcutsandjobsact; taxes; taxreform; tcja
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 next last
To: edwinland

I postulated, under Obama, that if the Dems win, they will alter the 401k rule such that the ONLY investment available is US bonds and notes.


21 posted on 08/25/2020 2:14:29 PM PDT by Cletus.D.Yokel ( Scatology is serendipitous.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: karpov

CA floated getting rid of 401k about 7 years ago.
It died a week later in silence.


22 posted on 08/25/2020 2:14:37 PM PDT by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdsteel

“Close... Biden wants to steal your 401(k).”

As I recall the proposal that came from the Obama white house it went something like this. The government would take all of the cash in 401ks, IRAs and other related accounts and replace them with government bonds. At the time, as I recall, this amounted to something around 15 trillion dollars. (Not sure of the number.)

One problem with that was these accounts are invested in stocks. Would the government take the stocks and sell them for the cash? What would be the impact of a substantial selloff on the market? Also, the bonds they would replace the stocks with would probably not even keep pace with inflation. The whole idea was idiocy. But it came from the cash-for-clunkers people. We saw how poorly that worked out.

But imagine how many high speed trains, wind farms and battery factories the government could “invest in” with that much cash.


23 posted on 08/25/2020 2:15:27 PM PDT by Gen.Blather (Wait! I said that out loud?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: karpov

the D’s want to confiscate as much of your income and wealth as they can get away with without getting their heads blown off trying

they will keep pushing to take your money
and pushing hard too

no sane person would want to reduce Americans’ very low rate of saving, which of course provides the resources for investment in our future economy and jobs


24 posted on 08/25/2020 2:15:31 PM PDT by faithhopecharity (Politicians are not born, they are excreted. Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cletus.D.Yokel

The they can call it “Social Security”!


25 posted on 08/25/2020 2:16:01 PM PDT by edwinland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Paladin2

They need a piggy bank. So what will replace it?


26 posted on 08/25/2020 2:17:19 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda�Divide and conquer seems to be working.?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: karpov

The actual Democrat plan is to seize money in 401ks and let the wise people in Washington take care of it.

Also to spread it around because saving is racist.


27 posted on 08/25/2020 2:17:37 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GrandJediMasterYoda

Maybe the old rule of property owners only being able to vote wasn’t such a bad idea.


28 posted on 08/25/2020 2:18:52 PM PDT by Rusty0604 (2020 four more years!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: edwinland
It will just be a "millionaires tax" on withdrawals from an 401(k) that has more than say $250,000 in it. it will start small (maybe 3 or 4%) and then grow little by little to match the falloff in benefits for public union employees.

The same way they sold the income tax. "Only the rich will pay" mm-hmm.
29 posted on 08/25/2020 2:19:06 PM PDT by LostInBayport (When there are more people riding in the cart than there are pulling it, the cart stops moving...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: edwinland

Exactly.


30 posted on 08/25/2020 2:19:38 PM PDT by Rusty0604 (2020 four more years!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Gen.Blather

The government would take the stock, vote it, and then force companies to do its will.

Just another method of socialism.


31 posted on 08/25/2020 2:19:57 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: JohnBrowdie

“Bold” “reform”

“Joe Biden’s retirement reforms are the boldest we’ve seen in generations”
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/why-a-joe-biden-presidency-would-help-older-americans-2020-05-29


32 posted on 08/25/2020 2:20:26 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Jewbacca
The actual Democrat plan is to seize money in 401ks and let the wise people in Washington take care of it. Also to spread it around because saving is racist.

That was Teresa Ghilarducci's proposal when she testified before Congress. Twice. Because we average people are too stupid to manage our own money, so we need the government take it and dole it back to us as they see fit.
33 posted on 08/25/2020 2:22:12 PM PDT by LostInBayport (When there are more people riding in the cart than there are pulling it, the cart stops moving...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: karpov

My prediction. Democrats will propose a retirement tax credit. This will be made refundable for low income people, turning it into a government funded retirement account. Tax favored savings contributions for higher income people will be capped at the government-paid welfare level. Any retirement savings above the welfare level will be fully taxable.


34 posted on 08/25/2020 2:22:37 PM PDT by sphinx
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: karpov

Rework retirement plans that people have been paying into for decades?! Tax them into poverty? Yes, this will go over well.


35 posted on 08/25/2020 2:22:49 PM PDT by Reno89519 (Buy American, Hire American! End All Worker Visa Programs. Replace Visa Workers w/ American Workers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: LostInBayport

The last time I read much about this, they were going to means test away SS based on your 401 k input.

If you tried to project any type of retirement this way in an excel spreadsheet you would get a circular reference.


36 posted on 08/25/2020 2:24:05 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: stinkerpot65

Yep.


37 posted on 08/25/2020 2:26:43 PM PDT by Rusty0604 (2020 four more years!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: karpov

F corrupt Biden and the Kleptocrats.


38 posted on 08/25/2020 2:29:50 PM PDT by beethovenfan (Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vermont Lt

“There are few ways that an average wage earner in this world can save $1 million for their retirement. The 401 k is the way for most folks”.

My 401K did. Politicians have lots of ways don’t they.

Interestingly the Roth version came from Delware Senator Roth. Now a President Biden will kill the benefit.


39 posted on 08/25/2020 2:30:44 PM PDT by JeanLM (Obama proves melanin is just enough to win elections)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: karpov

I guess crashing the stock market will help poor people!


40 posted on 08/25/2020 2:33:37 PM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14 - 930am -rampage begins... 12/15 - 1030am - Obama's advance team scouts photo-op locations.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson