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Lump Sum Distribution of my Pension Benefit

Posted on 11/15/12 at 6:15 pm
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
38927 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 6:15 pm
I worked for a company for 6 years, quit 5 years ago. I get this letter stating I can take all of my benefits now for some reason. I don't question that, I question what they say I will be paid if I don't do anything. They estimate my monthly payment in 2039 to be $324/mo. They would really pay me 325/mo when I hit retirement age just for working 6 years at their company? Hard to believe.

Lump sum is $8700, which I'm sure would be taxed to the hilt.

How do companies make it with all of this burden? They must have a ton of people who worked there 6 years. I can't imagine what it would have been after 30 years of service.

ETA: Oh, and advice?
This post was edited on 11/15/12 at 6:19 pm
Posted by LSURussian
Member since Feb 2005
126940 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 6:59 pm to
You can roll the lump sum distribution into a rollover IR a and defer taxes until you withdraw the funds when you retire.

Using a 6% rate of return compounded quarterly, your lump sum would approximately double twice, plus a bit more, before 2039.
Posted by oldschoolgreats
Member since Nov 2012
1902 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 7:22 pm to
using the rule of 72 it would double in 12 years and then double again before 2039.
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
38927 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 7:23 pm to
Thank you. I'll take your advice
Posted by RedsPredsTitansVols
Member since Jul 2012
13 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 8:50 pm to
If you choose to take the lump sum, you'll be taxed 20%, which should be taken off the top. If you are under 59 1/2, which i'm assuming you are, you'll be taxed another 10% that I believe you'll pay when you file your taxes. You should have been given some information that would explain what percentage they'll be withholding.

Companies can afford to offer these benefits mainly due to the amount of tax savings that they receive. I work in the Pension field and a large percentage of pension plans pay for 100% of the non-owner benefits in the tax savings alone. They end up being just a way for the owner to shelter money for themself.
Posted by BARNEYSTINSON
Member since Oct 2011
772 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 10:03 pm to
He will only be taxed if he takes the distribution rather than rolling over.
Posted by RedsPredsTitansVols
Member since Jul 2012
13 posts
Posted on 11/15/12 at 10:22 pm to
quote:

He will only be taxed if he takes the distribution rather than rolling over.


Correct. I meant if he takes the lump sum now instead of rolling it over.
Posted by Poodlebrain
Way Right of Rex
Member since Jan 2004
19860 posts
Posted on 11/16/12 at 5:43 am to
If I had to guess I'd say that the account is your vested interest in the company's profit sharing plan from your tenure with the company. They are trying to ease their administrative burden and induce you to withdraw from their plan. You do not have to as evidenced by the estimated $324/mo. payments beginning in 2039.

If you do elect to withdraw from the plan you can take the money now and pay income tax on the distribution plus an additional 10% as a penalty for early distriubtion. Or you can roll the account balance over into an IRA and defer the tax until you withdraw the money at some future date.
Posted by jeffsdad
Member since Mar 2007
21364 posts
Posted on 11/16/12 at 6:39 am to
Obviously, you dont want to take the lump sum. Keep that sucker in a retirement acct and you already got a head start (on retirement). I made that exact mistake (taking a lump sum) many years ago and even though I will be fine at retirement, that would have made it a lot better than fine.
Posted by Newbomb Turk
perfectanschlagen
Member since May 2008
9961 posts
Posted on 11/16/12 at 6:40 am to
quote:

If you choose to take the lump sum, you'll be taxed 20%, which should be taken off the top. If you are under 59 1/2, which i'm assuming you are, you'll be taxed another 10% that I believe you'll pay when you file your taxes. You should have been given some information that would explain what percentage they'll be withholding.


He's not going to be "taxed" at 20% -- he'll be taxed at his marginal rate if he takes it out and doesn't roll it over.

The 20% figure is what they'll withhold.
This post was edited on 11/16/12 at 6:41 am
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