Philip Morris International Inc
You may have qualms about working for the king of tobacco, but Philip Morris does its best to reward and retain top talent. In addition to matching the first 5% of employee contributions, the company adds an additional 7% of eligible employee compensation for a total of up to 12%.
There are no bond funds to select, but a broad range of stock and international index funds are available. Eligible employees are automatically enrolled and are 100% vested immediately.
Simplified Employee Pension Ira
The is a version of a traditional IRA that offers similar tax benefits, plus much higher contribution limits. Its just as easy to set up as a standard IRA for self-employed people, and offers a similar level of flexibility.
- In 2022, self-employed individuals may contribute up to 25% of their adjusted net earnings, minus one half of the Social Security and Medicare taxes they pay and the plan contributions you make for yourself, up to a maximum of $61,000.
- Pros: SEP IRAs are easy to open and simple to maintainmany of the best IRA providers also offer this type of plan, with great investment options. SEP contributions are tax deductible up to the maximum allowed per year, and can be applied to the prior years taxable income, up to the due date and including extensions for the prior years tax return. SEP IRAs are also non-exclusive with other IRA accounts, meaning you can still contribute to other IRAs up to the maximum contribution limits.
- Cons: Because SEP IRA contribution limits depend on your annual income, the amount you can save for retirement each year could vary. As with other IRA options, individuals cannot remove money from SEP IRAs prior to 59 ½ without incurring a 10% penalty, with a few exceptions.
Option : Transfer The Money From Your Old 401 Plan Into Your New Employers Plan
Moving your old 401 into your new employers qualified retirement plan is also an option when you change jobs. The new plan may have lower fees or investment options that better support your financial goals. Rolling over your old 401 into your new companys plan can also make it easier to track your retirement savings, since youll have everything in one place. Its worthwhile to talk with an Ameriprise advisor who will compare the investments and features of both plans.
Some things to think about if youre considering rolling over a 401 into a new employers plan:
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Jobs That Still Offer Traditional Pensions
Jobs with pensions
Most jobs no longer provide traditional pension plans that promise workers guaranteed income in retirement. Only 17 percent of private industry employees were offered a traditional pension plan in 2018, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. But a few jobs and industries continue to provide workers with steady pension payments in retirement. Jobs that offer pensions tend to be clustered in a few specific fields. Government and union employees are especially likely to have access to pension benefits. Consider these jobs that bestow a steady paycheck after you retire.
Teacher
State and local government
Almost all state and local government employees are eligible for a traditional pension plan. The government, federal, state and local, would still be the most common place to find defined benefit pensions, says David Love, a professor of economics at Williams College. Some state and local governments have been in the news for switching to defined contribution plans, but I believe that defined benefits are still widely available for new employees. The state government has slightly higher pension coverage than local government, and union government employees are somewhat more likely to have a pension than nonunion workers. In many cases, part-time government employees dont qualify for the pension plan.
Utilities
Protective service
Insurance
Pharmaceuticals
Nurse
Transportation
Military
Unions
Check out these jobs with pensions:
Teacher.
Sample Early Retirement Package #2 Low Pension

- Severance: 1 week of pay for each year of tenure
- Pension: Age credit to qualify for the pension receive half benefits until you qualify for Social Security
- Health insurance coverage: Continued employer-subsidized health care access
- Outplacement services: Not included
In sample package #2, you do receive the severance pay and also the health care coverage.
The major concern here is the pension plan. Youll qualify early, but only receive half benefits. Plus, youll stop receiving the pension payments once you qualify for Social Security.
This plan is more of a bridge until you receive your federal benefits. You wont be receiving a lot of long-term financial support from this package.
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Why You Can Trust Bankrate
Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a long track record of helping people make smart financial choices. Weve maintained this reputation for over four decades by demystifying the financial decision-making process and giving people confidence in which actions to take next.
Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that were putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is objective, accurate and trustworthy.
Our reporters and editors focus on the points consumers care about most how to save for retirement, understanding the types of accounts, how to choose investments and more so you can feel confident when planning for your future.
Airplane Pilots Navigators And Air Traffic Controllers
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 25%
- Annual average wage: $138,690
- Estimated 401 savings: $871,127
When it comes to jobs with early retirement, airline pilot holds the top spot. Airline pilots earn the fourth-highest average salary compared to all the other jobs included in this ranking, and they also have the fourth-greatest estimated 401 savings by age 62. In addition, the average hourly employer 401 contribution is $5.13, which is tied for the third-highest compared to all of the occupations in this study.
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Best Retirement Plans For Small Businesses & The Self
Self-employment is increasingly popular in the United States. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2019 16 million Americans were self-employed, and 29.4 million people worked for self-employed individuals, accounting for 30% of the nations workforce.
Being a small business owner or a solo entrepreneur means youre on your own when it comes to saving for retirement. But that doesnt mean you cant get at least some of the benefits available to people with employer-sponsored retirement plans.
Whether you employ several workers or are a solo freelancer, here are the best retirement plans for you.
Who Is It Best For? | Eligibility |
---|---|
Self-employed business owners with no employees . |
Higher contribution limits than IRAs. Contributions are tax-deductible as a business expense. |
Electricians Electric Power Installers And Repairers
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 19.1%
- Annual average wage: $57,910
- Estimated 401 savings: $363,753
Less than a fifth of electricians plan to continue working past the traditional retirement age of 65. Its the occupation with the fourth-lowest percentage of employees who plan to work after age 65 compared to the other jobs on this list. Its also the job with the most generous employee 401 contribution, with an average contribution of $6.52 per hour.
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 43.8%
- Annual average wage: $143,530
- Estimated 401 savings: $901,562
Of all the jobs included in this ranking, financial managers earn the third-highest average salary, and they will have accumulated the third-greatest estimated 401 savings by age 62. However, its worth noting that the average financial manager will have less than $1 million saved, so that could explain why 69% of people employed in this position plan to work past age 62.
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How Does Retirement Work In Canada
All employed Canadians pay into the Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan . These plans are a key source of retirement income for many seniors. In January 2021, the average monthly CPP benefit was $619.75 per month. If youre a new beneficiary, the maximum you could receive is $1,203.75.
It doesnt take a financial wiz to know that this is hardly a liveable income even if youre able to access the maximum.
Keep Tabs On The Old 401
If you decide to leave an account with a former employer, keep up with both the account and the company. People change jobs a lot more than they used to, says Peggy Cabaniss, retired co-founder of HC Financial Advisors in Lafayette, California. So its easy to have this string of accounts out there in never-never land.
Cabaniss recalls one client who left an account behind after a job change. Fifteen years later, the company had gone bankrupt. While the account was protected and the money still intact, getting the required company officials and fund custodians to sign off on moving it was a protracted paperwork nightmare, she says.
When people leave this stuff behind, the biggest problem is that its not consolidated or watched, says Cabaniss.
If you do leave an account with a former employer, keep reading your statements, keep up with the paperwork related to your account, keep an eye on the companys performance and be sure to keep your address current with the 401 plan sponsor.
Keeping on top of how the plan is performing is very important as you may later decide to do something different with your hard-earned money.
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Professional And Technical Service Workers
-
Employer contribution per hour: $1.68
Jobs in this sector include computer services, architecture and engineering, accounting, consulting and more. Defined contribution plans are offered by 55 percent of employers and healthcare benefits are offered by 62 percent. The average employer contribution works out to 3.2 percent of the employees total compensation package.
What Is A Good Early Retirement Package

A good early retirement package is one that compensates you in a way that you’re satisfied with and allows you to meet specific financial or personal goals, like paying off a debt or contributing to your child’s college education fund. It may include incentives such as:
Related: How to Negotiate a Severance Package to Get the Best Benefits
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Office And Administrative Support Workers
-
Employer contribution per hour: $0.87
These are the workers who support the day-to-day operations of the organizations in which they work. The type of retirement plan they are offered depends on the industry in which they work, but the average worker can expect that the employer contribution to their retirement plan will be 3.3 percent of their compensation.
Companies That Offer Part Time Jobs With Benefits In 2022
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more information.
Part time jobs with benefits have been notoriously hard to come by. With the high cost of health care, this can be really frustrating for anyone whos working less than 40 hours a week.
However, there are actually companies out there that offer benefits with part time jobs. These arent all high paying jobs, but some of these benefits can add serious value. This makes them great options if youre in college or hoping to work a part time job to earn extra money.
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How Does An Early Retirement Buyout Work
Your employer will have to determine the details of the early retirement packages, which employees are eligible, and the timing.
Eligibility
Typically, insurance considerations , pension vesting, and age/years of service will be the main criteria. Your employer may also choose to only offer the early retirement packages to employees of certain seniority levels.
Timing
The typical early retirement packages will have two key dates to consider.
The first date is the retirement incentive window. This is when the employee gets to consider the package and decide to accept .
Then, the retirement effective date is when the package is implemented. This is also typically the employees last day of work.
Kindergarten And Early School Teachers
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 16.9%
- Annual average wage: $57,110
- Estimated 401 savings: $358,727
About 61% of early educators plan to retire by age 62. Its the occupation with the fifth-highest percentage of employees who plan to retire early and the third-highest percentage of employees who plan to retire by age 65 compared to the other occupations included in this list. Overall, kindergarten and other early school teachers are the fifth-most confident that they will be financially able to retire compared to people employed in the other occupations included in this list.
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 37.9%
- Annual average wage: $66,990
- Estimated 401 savings: $420,787
Employers of those working in insurance sales make an average hourly 401 contribution of $2.47 tied with one other job for the fifth-highest average hourly contribution.
- Average percentage of people who believe they will keep working past 65: 27.8%
- Annual average wage: $82,770
- Estimated 401 savings: $519,907
Although more than half of psychologists plan to work past age 62, less than a third plan to continue to work past age 65.
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What To Do With A Lump Sum Pension Payment
If you do take the lump sum, consider transferring the money directly from your pension into a rollover Individual Retirement Account to keep it from being taxed. If your company writes you a check, you have 60 days to move the money into a tax-favored account before the money is taxed.
Unless you really need the funds, its best to avoid spending the lump sum before retirement. Not only are you missing out on long-term investment growth, but you will also have to pay taxes on the cash plus a 10% early withdrawal penalty. If you have significant assets in your plan, you could face a high tax bill.
Within a rollover IRA, the funds can be invested in any way you choose. You could even purchase an annuity within the IRA to capture some of that guaranteed income on your own.
Some retirement plan administrators, including Vanguard and Fidelity Investments, offer advice and online tools to help employees decide between an annuity and a lump sum. Its worth playing around with a few of them before making a decision. You can also contact plan administrators for advice based on your specific circumstances and goals.
The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.
Why Do Companies Offer In Early Retirement Packages
Creating an ERIP can save your employer a lot of money in the long-term.
Early retirement packages are designed to incentivize employees to retire earlier than they would otherwise. An ERIP reduces the workforce and targets more experienced employees.
These early retirement packages also reduce the employers risk of being sued of wrongful termination and they avoid the negative effect on morale that layoffs could cause.
Even though your employer may offer you financial incentives and benefits, it will likely cost them less than your normal full compensation would.
But just because the typical early retirement packages benefit your employer doesnt mean that they cant be a good opportunity.
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Industries That Typically Provide Great Retirement Benefits
Employee retirement benefits for employees in this industry average 84 cents per hour and provide modest employer contributions. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal the healthcare industry has one of the fastest employment growth rates among all sectors.
Warehouses, farming, and mining jobs are all included in the wholesale trade industry, contributing 98 cents per hour on average to employees retirement accounts. Even though employees contributed less to their retirement accounts between 2007 and 2009, the wholesale trade sector has consistently maintained an unemployment rate below the national average.
There are positions in the textile, chemical, and computer manufacturing industries. The company contributes an average of $1.30 per hour worked toward retirement benefits. Employees in manufacturing would benefit from the employer matching contributions and by seeking accounts with low fees.
A typical college, elementary, secondary, and technical school job provides 1.72 per hour in employee retirement benefits. Employer matching programs for retirement accounts are generally more generous at universities in particular. Their employees may also be offered education on retirement so that they can better plan the later years.
Companies With The Best Retirement Plans

Today’s workersunless they’ve been in the workforce a very long time with the same employer or work in certain public sector or union organizationswill never know what a retirement pension, or defined benefits plan, looks like in real life. That’s because these retirement plans are going the way of the dinosaur, replaced by the defined contribution plan, typically a 401 account.
What’s the difference? A pension plan pays a guaranteed amount each month, based on salary and years of service. A 401 plan, on the other hand, depends on employee and sometimes employer contributions and reflects the performance of the investments within them.
While the vast majority of businesses now offer 401 plans for retirement, there’s a great deal of difference between the most and least generous among them. For example, some employers offer a generous employer match and even additional contributions based on salary. Others offer a better mix of investment options with lower fees. It’s a good idea to look at the fine print to see what you’re really getting when you enroll.
If you are wondering which companies do the best job setting up their employees for financial security in retirement, take a look at our list for the best retirement plans.
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