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• Plan a secure future with these popular retirement savings accounts

  Do you save enough for retirement? Will the savings good enough to help you maintain your current lifestyle? Will you be able to take a vacation now and then and not worry about spending on the trip? More importantly, do these questions bother you from time to time?

  If the answer is yes, then you have come to the right place to find out exactly how you can make the most of some of the best retirement savings plans available in the market. You must understand that it is not merely enough to stash cash away in a safe deposit box hoping it will be sufficient for the future.

  Most people are falsely comforted by the fact that they will get a pension to tide them over during retirement. However, the Government Accountability Office estimates that over 29% of the population above the age of 55 don’t get a pension and also don’t have a backup retirement plan in place.

  Retirement planning is a combination of saving and investing. The more you save, the better will be your total investment. The better you invest, the higher will be your return on income. The cycle of saving, investing, and reinvesting is a continuous process and need not necessarily stop even after retirement.

  How much is enough?
  Often it is the question of ‘how much to save’ rather than ‘how to’ that will keep you awake most nights. But before you can figure out how much to save from here on, find out exactly what you have in the first place. You must save with the best retirement savings plans at different ages for starters.

  Popular options include a 401(k), 403(b), Individual Retirement Accounts, and health savings accounts. There is no hard and fast rule as to how much should be invested in some of the best retirement savings plans. However, you must plan your investments to have at least nine or eleven times the salary you got during your tenure.

  An overview of popular types of retirement savings account

  401(k) and 403(b)
  It is one of the best retirement savings accounts you can avail during the course of your employment. The deductions are beneficial from a taxation point of view. Also, the pretax savings are phenomenal and you have the option to reinvesting it further in individual retirement accounts. The contribution limits and retirement benefits will vary depending on your age and the limit for the current assessment year will vary depending on the type of taxpayer. Note that married couples will benefit as a joint filer. You can check out the official website of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to find out more about the contribution limits, rules, and regulations.

  Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)
  For a better tax saving option, invest more in individual retirement accounts. You will not pay taxes for any gains on the investments made as the contributions are tax-deferred. An IRA account also allows you to diversify your investments better among assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and electronically transferred funds. A diverse portfolio will yield better income for you to save more for retirement. Also, the distributions can be withdrawn only after you have attained the age of fifty-nine and a half. Any withdrawals made before will be subject to a 10% penalty and certain federal taxes.

  Roth IRA
  Roth Individual Retirement Accounts take tax-saving to the next level as any income earned from investments previously made in a Roth IRA will never be taxable thereafter. You can also withdraw contributions made to the account without being subject to any penalty, fees or Federal taxes. It is considered among one of the best retirement savings accounts, as a Roth IRA will allow you to save quickly for retirement.

  SEP IRA
  A Simplified Employee Pension IRA account is beneficial if you are self-employed or own a small business. Most of the best retirement savings accounts are reserved for employees only. However, a SEP IRA is an exception that allows you to make contributions for retirement as an employer.

  You can always consult a financial expert to find the best retirement planning options.

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• Importance of Winter Tires

  Tires are amongst the numerous parts of a car that undergo extensive wear and tear. One needs to change the car tires as driving around with worn out tires is risky. Cars with worn out tires affect the mileage of the car as well.

  It is recommended that when the tires need a change, all the four tires should be changed. This will ensure that there is proper alignment. Of course, changing all four tires at once can be expensive. That’s when you can choose discounted tires which are offered by various auto parts companies. Discounted tires are easily available online and you can choose them based on the model, make and style of your car.

  When you buy a new car, the tires that are fitted are all-season tires. But, these tires are just not suitable to drive around in winters on snow and sleet filled roads. So, you should try to buy winter tires and fit them on to your car. If the price is a worrying factor, check for discounted tires online or any retail auto part shop.

  Here are the top reasons why winter tires are a must.

  Better vehicle control

  In winters, when snow fills up the roads, melts and forms a sheet of sleet, driving on wet and slippery roads can be extremely dangerous for the driver as well as for the passengers. There are high chances of accidents. Turning around snow filled intersections can also be very threatening.

  Winter tires can help you have better control over your vehicle when making turns without losing the grip. If you live in places that experience harsh winter, well-fitted winter car tires are a must. You can buy discounted tires for winter and ensure safe driving.

  Superior traction

  Winter tires, by their looks, are more like all-season tires. But, when you examine carefully, you can see that winter tires have a different tread pattern compared to all-season tires. Winter tires are manufactured out of soft rubber that can withstand freezing temperatures. The tread in winter tires is designed in such a way that the snow does not stick to the tires and the tires derive enough traction from the tread, that prevents the vehicle from skidding off on the snow/ice. The V-shaped grooves are positioned such that the tire offers maximum traction, combined with excellent braking and handling capability.

  Enhanced road safety

  As a responsible driver, you will surely drive slow on snow filled roads. However, winter roads can be treacherous and you never know when you might encounter a snow pit or the end of the road. There is always the fear of driving in such conditions. The issue gets compounded when you’re driving through a day old snow, where the sleet makes driving akin to walking on a knife’s edge.

  Safety, being your top priority, winter tires with their sufficient traction will help you drive around efficiently. Just as you would insist on ABS, child lock and three-point seat belts from a safety angle, same holds good for winter tires as well. You can balance out safety and price by buying discount tires.

  Mandated by law

  Driving on snow without safety equipment like winter tires has resulted in a sizeable number of accidents. These could have been avoided if the cars were fitted with winter tires to enable better vehicle handling with increased traction. In a bid to lower the rate of snow-driving related accidents, many governments have mandated that winter tires must be fitted on your car.

  Winter tires are expensive, but one needs to prioritize saftey over anything. To save on tire purchases, you can shop for discounted tires online. Here are some places where you can get winter tires at a discounted rates:

  -Tire Rack
  -1010 Tires.com
  -TireBuyer.com
  -OnlineTires
  -Tires Easy

  These sites not only give recommendations on the best tires for your car but they also offer them at affordable, discounted rates. Look out for the deals and offers on car tires. Take advantage of the discount tire deals and be safe while driving around this coming winter.

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