After-Tax Wealth and Returns Across Savings Vehicles

Abstract

This is the second of four articles on the interaction of investment and holding structures. The first article by the author appeared in the Winter 1999 issue of this journal. Here the author sets the problem as follows: John and Mary Smith are saving for retirement and must choose a savings vehicle. The major factor in their decision is the expected after-tax wealth at retirement from savings in each vehicle. Given assumed rates of returns, this article presents the after-tax spending wealth values and annual after-tax rates of return from savings in each vehicle when all funds are withdrawn in one lump sum during retirement. The investment horizon ranges from one to thirty-five years. A later article presents retirement incomes when the funds are withdrawn to provide a constant annual after-tax income during a twenty-year retirement period.