If you have access to one, a 401(k) is a great place to stash your retirement savings, but not everyone can get one. Fortunately, that doesn't mean you're out of luck when it comes to retirement savings. There are plenty of other accounts you can turn to if you want to save for your future and get a sweet tax break today. Here are three of the best.
1. Health savings accounts (HSA)
Health savings accounts (HSAs) technically aren't retirement accounts. But they're actually one of the best options for retirement savings if you qualify for one. To do so, you need a health insurance plan with a deductible of $1,400 or more for an individual or $2,800 or more for a family. You're allowed to put up to $3,650 in an HSA in 2022 if you have a qualifying individual plan or $7,300 if you have a family plan. Adults 55 and older may add another $1,000 to these limits.
Image source: Getty Images.
Even with these catchup contributions, HSA limits are lower than 401(k) limits. But they have some other perks to make up for this.
Money you put in your HSA reduces your taxable income for the year, just like 401(k) contributions. But as an added bonus, HSAs let you withdraw your money tax-free for medical expenses at any age. You can also make nonmedical withdrawals, though you will owe taxes on these, plus a 20% early withdrawal penalty if you're under 65.
As long as you have a qualifying insurance plan, you can open an HSA through most banks or brokers. Whenever possible, look for a provider that enables you to invest your funds. If this isn't a choice, you may want to consider some of the other retirement accounts on this list.
2. IRA
Anyone can open and contribute to an IRA as long as they're earning income during the year or are married to someone who is. You're allowed to stash up to $6,000 in an IRA in 2022 or $7,000 if you're 50 or older.
These limits are also well below 401(k) limits, but you have complete control over what you invest in with an IRA. A 401(k) usually limits you to a few preselected mutual funds, and sometimes, these can carry high fees. With an IRA, you can opt for low-cost index funds or invest in individual stocks if you prefer. This might help your savings grow more quickly.
With an IRA, you can also choose when you want to pay taxes on your funds. Traditional IRAs are tax-deferred, which means you get a tax break when you make contributions (as long as you're under the income limits) but you owe taxes on your withdrawals. Roth IRAs work the opposite way: You don't get a tax break up front, but you get tax-free withdrawals in retirement. However, you can only contribute directly to a Roth IRA if your income falls below a certain amount.
You can contribute to one or both types of IRAs, depending on which suits you best. Typically, traditional IRAs make sense if you think you'll be in a lower tax bracket once you retire. Otherwise, a Roth IRA is a better fit. But in either case, remember that the contribution limits above apply to all your IRA contributions, not to each account individually.
3. Self-employed retirement account
If you're self-employed or you have a side hustle, you can open a self-employed retirement account and stash some money there. Like IRAs, this gives you complete control over what you invest in and how much you're paying in fees.
There are several types of self-employed retirement accounts, so you can choose which one best suits you. But nearly all of them have much higher contribution limits than 401(k)s. In 2022, you can contribute up to the lesser of 25% of your net self-employment income or $61,000. That's because you can make contributions as both employee and employer.
You don't have to pick just one
You aren't obligated to stick to a single retirement account. If a couple of the above options appeals to you, you can always use both. Or you could pair one of these with a 401(k) if you have access to one.
But be careful not to spread your money around between too many accounts. This can make it more difficult to manage your retirement funds. If you're choosing to open a new retirement account, make sure you have a good reason for doing so, and look for one that complements the accounts you're already using.
