An Individual's Financial Security and Pension Plan - Term Paper Example

With respect to an individual’s financial security, this implicates the need to intelligently plan one’s investments and retirement plan, not only to secure a good life for the future but also to ensure safety from the unprecedented economic crisis and financial problems. As an individual seeking to secure a retirement plan, investing in a house, gold, and retirement insurance such as Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) will be top priorities. After careful consideration of the market, these three products present the most profitable and secure values, which are crucial factors that must be considered in making an investment.

First, a person’s home is perhaps his most important investment. Not only does it provide an important use at present, but, given proper maintenance, ownership of a house and lot can reap high returns. Depending on the location of a house and the possible development plans in that community for the future, home values can appreciate up to 100% in a span of ten years. Furthermore, it is also a valuable asset, which could be mortgaged in times when large sums of money are needed. In addition, given its high appreciation values, houses can also be very useful for retirement, which could be sold in order to pay for membership in a comfortable retirement house in the future, or rented to earn a sizeable monthly income despite retirement.

The second investment of importance is pension plans such as IRAs and 401(k)s. These pension plans, which acts like savings accounts, allows individuals to save money form their salaries before taxes and deposit them into a fund, which through the years could grow into a sizeable sum. Its importance lies in the manner that it is saved. First, since they are automatically deducted from salaries before taxes, it makes sure that a regular amount of money will be saved every month, eliminating the chance for individuals to skip payments.

Furthermore, it decreases one’s gross salary, decreasing income tax, which gives individuals a higher disposable income if analyzed properly. Thus, it is an efficient investment for retirement.