Retirement & Benefits

Creating a retirement plan is one of the smartest moves a business owner can make. The right plan can reduce current tax obligations for your business and enable you to build personal wealth while attracting and retaining talented employees. Establishing and maintaining a retirement plan doesn’t have to be complicated. Merrill Lynch can help you integrate your personal and business financial needs and offers a variety of retirement plans that suit any business.


 Retirement Solutions for:
Type Of Plan Benefits Factors to Consider

401(k) Plans

For businesses that are more established or have stable cash flow, and businesses that want the greatest number of plan features and tax advantages for employees.More
  • Competitive benefit to attract and retain employees
  • Employer contributions are discretionary
  • Employee salary-deferral contributions are optional
  • Generally more expensive to establish and maintain
  • IRS reporting is required

Defined Benefit Plans

Defined Benefit plans generally reward long-service employees and can be designed to protect benefits from the effects of inflation. Benefits are often paid out in a steady monthly annuity stream throughout retirement, although lump sum distributions may also be provided.More
  • Competitive benefit to attract and retain employees
  • Annuity payments can be paid over the life of the retiree and/or the retiree’s spouse
  • Popular plan types are:
    • Traditional Annuity plans
    • Cash Balance plans
  • Employer bears investment portfolio risk
  • Employer contributions are mandatory
  • Employee contributions are optional
  • IRS and PBGC reporting is required

Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE)

For businesses with 100 or fewer employees and that have employees who want to make salary deferral contributions.More
  • Generally inexpensive to establish and maintain
  • No IRS reporting
  • Employer contributions are mandatory
  • Employee salary-deferral contributions are optional

Basic™ Retirement Plan

For businesses that want to make tax-deductible contributions for each plan participant .More
  • Employer contributions are discretionary
  • Employee loans are permitted
  • Employer contributions are flexible
  • Employee contributions are not permitted
  • IRS reporting is required

Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) Plans

For self-employed individuals or businesses that are new or that have variable profits.More
  • Inexpensive to establish and maintain
  • No IRS reporting requirements
  • Employer contributions are discretionary
  • Employee salary-deferral contributions are not permitted
  • Regular IRA contributions are permitted

Retirement Cash Management Account™

This brokerage account can help you manage and invest your retirement plan assets by allowing you to buy, sell and hold a wide selection of investments while working in conjunction with your plan’s record-keeping administrator. More
  • Investment flexibility
  • Offers several account options depending on your retirement planning needs
  • Check writing privileges
  • Record keeping, administrative, tax reporting and trustee arrangements need to be secured prior to opening an RCMA Investment Only Account
Would you like an electronic solution for making contributions to your retirement plan accounts? Do you want to avoid paperwork, checkwriting and postage costs by making contributions online? Click here for more information.

Additional Services:

Merrill Lynch offers a wide range of other retirement services designed to help businesses, business owners and individuals save for retirement and other expenses.

 

For more information call 1.866.4ML-BUSINESS (465-2874).

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated is a registered broker-dealer, not a bank, and the WCMA account is not a bank account. Banking services are provided by licensed banks or by third parties through arrangements with licensed banks. Unless otherwise indicated, investment products are not FDIC-insured, not guaranteed by a bank and may lose value.

Working Capital Management Account and WCMA are registered trademarks of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.

Neither Merrill Lynch nor its representatives provide legal or tax advice. You should consult with your own legal/tax advisor regarding your particular situation.

* Additional fees for these services may apply.

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