Questions About Your Benefit Plan?
We Are Here to Help!
We start our planning process by educating our clients about their Merck benefit options. Working with a number of Merck team members over the years, we have helped these folks make the most of the incentive benefits. Our aim is to maximize your benefits and prioritize your future retirement plans and goals. Your plans are unique, and they require experts (like us) to guide you.
Pension Plan & 401(k)
Merck provides a pension plan with guaranteed benefits and a 401(K) plan that includes contributions from the company.
When it comes to your 401(K):
- Should you leave it where it is?
- Move it?
- Roll it over?
It is advised to carefully consider both of these retirement plans to secure a successful retirement.
401(K) BrokerageLink
Did you know you can have your 401(K) professionally managed?
The Merck 401(K) plan offers a feature called BrokerageLink. This is a self-directed brokerage account, which is an option offered in a 401(K) plan that provides you the capability to utilize professional asset management through a brokerage platform.
BrokerageLink provides you with access to thousands of investment options and professional managers to oversee those options. With BrokerageLink, we professionally manage the assets in an active and tactical portfolio in order to provide you with the best allocation possible. This often provides better performance in a portfolio and reduces the volatile nature of retirement account values.
Restricted Stock Plan
When Merck employees receive their vested shares, it is crucial for them to develop a strategic plan. This is an individualized choice, and we strongly advise you to consider factors like your financial requirements, objectives, and tax bracket.
Understanding the vesting process is crucial for restricted stock units. It’s important to know what you will receive upon vesting, whether you need to plan for tax withholding during the vesting year, if you require assistance with determining the cost basis of acquired shares, and if you need help deciding the holding period for shares acquired through your RSU plan.
Retirement Planning
Your employer plan is typically your most valuable retirement asset, and how you handle it could have major financial implication now and in retirement.
Which retirement option is best for you? Here are questions to consider:
- You have options when it comes to your 401(k) investment strategy. Which option did you choose?
- Are you managing your retirement assets on your own?
- Are you getting advice and support from a professional?
Retirement assets are often the largest portion of a portfolio. It is important to understand your retirement options and feel confident about your decisions.
