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NerdWallet's Smart Money Podcast

Saving for Retirement When You’re Self-Employed: SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs and Other Plans

Feb 15, 2024
Sean Pyles and Elizabeth Ayoola discuss retirement savings strategies for self-employed individuals, including managing expenses, compounding interest, and consistent salaries. Ayesha Selden joins to explore retirement accounts like solo 401(k)s, SEP IRAs, and SIMPLE IRAs, funding retirement with business sales, and the importance of diversification. The Nerds also discuss saving habits, retirement plans, and the potential benefits of setting a consistent salary for stability.
29:41

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Consistency of income can be a challenge for self-employed individuals, but strategies like putting oneself on payroll and setting aside a percentage of pay can help manage expenses and establish retirement savings.
  • Self-employed individuals have a variety of retirement planning options available to them, including traditional retirement plans like 401(k)s, IRAs, SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, and solo 401(k) plans, each offering unique benefits and allowing for different contributions.

Deep dives

Importance of Retirement Savings for Self-Employed Individuals

Saving for retirement as a self-employed individual comes with unique challenges and considerations. Unlike traditional employment, where retirement options are usually pre-determined, self-employed individuals have a wide range of choices to make. It is crucial for self-employed individuals to prioritize retirement savings and start early, even if the early years of self-employment are not highly profitable. Consistency of income can be a challenge for self-employed individuals, but strategies like putting oneself on payroll and setting aside a percentage of pay can help manage expenses and establish retirement savings. Waiting until later in life to save can lead to missed opportunities for compound interest and financial security in retirement. By making the right decisions and contributions to retirement plans, self-employed individuals can build a solid retirement nest egg.

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