Letter: Retirement-savings tools already exist
Of the 401 Long Islanders surveyed by the AARP, 28 percent said they do not feel confident that they will ever be able to retire. Credit: iStock
Newsday’ editorial “Worthy efforts for retirements” [March 24] says Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo appointed former state Comptroller H. Carl McCall to “study the possibility of a state-organized retirement plan for private sector employees.”
Yes, times have changed; most pensions are no longer offered, and employers might not have a 401(k) option. However, an answer already exists. It’s called an individual retirement account.
Any person can open an IRA, and employers can establish either a simplified employee pension plan, a savings incentive match plan for employee IRAs, or a salary reduction simplified employee pension plan.
However, mandating small businesses to establish such plans may be beyond their means. And the question remains, can an employee afford to contribute?
The state should nevertheless work with the federal government to raise contribution limits so that as employees make more money, they can save more. New York State does not have to spend tax dollars for this study.
James T. Rooney, Centerport
