Just like a 401k plan, except employers have a whole lot more control over what happens with the money, i.e. how it gets invested, and how the employee contributes to it. 401a plans can be individually targeted so that Suzie may have a very different looking 401a plan system than loud-mouthed Judy who sits across the cubicle from her. Also, in a 401a plan, both Suzie, loud-mouthed Judy, and anyone else in the plan is required to contribute some minimum amount of money each year, whereas in a 401k plan, all contributions are optional. And lastly, in a 401k plan, the employee designates where their pension money is invested. But in a 401a plan, the boss designates where the dough goes. 401a plans are generally used for governmental and intentionally non-profit companies, whereas 401k plans treat their employees like they actually have a full brain in their skull, and are used for regular, for-profit corporations.
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Finance: What is a Pension?31 Views
finance a la shmoop. what is a pension? well it rhymes with tension, and likely
for good reason. if you're a teachers pension or a fireman's pension or [person wearing dark glasses writes something down]
another state employees pension that's backed up by a state that's going
bankrupt. Hi, California, Hi Illinois. well we're looking at you. all right people
well a pension is another term for a retirement fund. but what's special about
a pension is that the employer essentially forces you to put away money
for your retirement and then they invested for you.
how nice. or at least be sure you invest it well on a salary of 75 grand a state [gambling table shown]
employed ditch-digger might get a contribution of say 10 grand a year into
her pension, and that's each year 10 grand of forced savings for as long as
she you know digs ditches for the state. and in some states where the unions are
strong in the governing financial knowledge is weak the government
guarantees a minimum financial return on the pension investment made on behalf of
the employees. that is in California for example the state guarantees a 10% per
year return on their invested pension savings. if the invested return like [equation]
investing it in Wall Street and stocks and bonds and private equity funds and
all that stuff well if that invested return is less than that number less
than that 10%, then the state rights to the pinch and a check to cover the
incremental difference. yeah it's a huge Delta and it's well pretty much why you
a Californian Illinois you're going bankrupt remember. Jesus Saves
but Moses invests. [ Moses, holding stone tablets glares and demands interest]
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