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Congress created the 401(k) to help Americans secure their retirements by supplementing social security, a program that was never intended to serve as the sole vehicle for retirement income. While Congress amended the act to include borrowing from one’s 401(k), it doesn’t protect the borrower in all situations.

THE PROBLEM: Due to a lack of alternative credit sources, it is estimated that at the end of 2010, Americans will have approximately 20 million outstanding loans totaling nearly $241 billion dollars against their 401(k) and other defined contribution plans. Taking into account unforeseen circumstances, such as death and disability, between $5 and $7 billion are lost annually from default on these loans.

The Answer: Retirement savings loan protection is a simple, affordable solution that ensures the value of individual 401(k) plans will be 100% covered in the event of death or disability. At as little as 5 cents per day, Custodia’s loan insurance offers guaranteed loan protection to anyone, regardless of health, and protects the value of account balances.



What still needs to be done

Still to be done:


In creating the ability for borrowers to withdraw from their 401(k) plans, Congress unintentionally created an investment option with risk.

Considering:
» Currently close to 110 million Americans have defined contribution retirement plans
» Approximately 70% of these plans allow borrowing
» Outstanding loans totaled approximately $241 billion in 2010
» It is estimated that at the end of 2014, there will be 30.5 million outstanding loans totaling nearly $351 billion dollars                                                                                                       » Current economic conditions have made traditional sources of credit harder to access

By adopting the practice of retirement savings loan insurance, Congress will enable Americans to protect their assets while also creating opportunities that, in times of extreme financial difficulty, earn a better than money market rate of return. Retirement savings loan protection is a simple solution that will safeguard the personal financial resources of American citizens.