ARTi
The consultant who saw the future

How the 401k took over

Chapter 1

The golden age of pensions

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Chapter 2

The accidental loophole

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Chapter 3

The great retirement shift

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Chapter 4

The global retirement landscape

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YOUR GOAL

Master of How the 401k took over

Ch 2 · The accidental loophole
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marcus The consultant who saw the future

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The Retirement Switcheroo

marcus The Retirement Switcheroo

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marcus The crucial tax incentive

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marcus A quiet addition to tax law

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marcus The IRS greenlight of 1981

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marcus 401(k) Replaced Pensions

A tax code change, so small and neat, Made old company pensions obsolete.

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The crucial tax incentive

marcus The crucial tax incentive

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Fun Fact

The accidental inventor: Ted Benna, the creator of the 401(k), has publicly stated he regrets how complex and expensive his creation has become for average everyday savers.

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The consultant who saw the future

marcus The consultant who saw the future

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Glossary
401 (k)
(noun) An employer-sponsored retirement savings plan that allows employees to invest a portion of their earnings before taxes. In 1980, benefits consultant Ted Benna designed the first such plan using an obscure 1978 tax provision.

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Quiz

What is a primary tax advantage of contributing to a traditional 401(k) plan?

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Gossip

Would you trust a brand new tax loophole with your savings?

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Quiz

In which year was Section 401(k) added to the Internal Revenue Code?

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Quiz

For which company did consultant Ted Benna first set up a working 401(k) plan after his bank client rejected it?

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Quiz

What key regulatory body issued formal rules in November 1981 that cleared the way for widespread 401(k) adoption?

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Quiz

What did benefit consultant Ted Benna add to his original 401(k) design to encourage employee participation?

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Quiz

Which US politician drafted the original Section 401(k) provision in the Revenue Act of 1978?

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Quiz

Who is widely credited with designing and implementing the first modern 401(k) savings plan?

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Quiz

What was the original legislative intent behind adding Section 401(k) to the tax code in 1978?

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