Defined benefits are part of your compensation in addition to the base salary, insurance coverage, vacation, sick leave, and retirement funding.
Defined pension plan, although rapidly disappearing, is your retirement pension once you are "vested", typically 3-5 years of employment. Defined contribution plan, or 401(K) in private sector, or 403(b) in education sector. 401(k) plan is funded by the employees on pretax dollars and therefore reduces the taxable income (say your base salary). If you contribute to the maximum dollar amount in 2018, this amounts to $18,000. If you are over the age of 50, you can contribute additional $6,000. Your employers can contribute up to 5-6% of your base salary to your 401(k). If you are in 25% tax bracket, your tax saving is $4,500 (0.25 X $18,000),
As bee pointed out, the HSA and FSA are also available. Since the medical insurance enrollment is upon us now, it is important to talk with your HR as soon as possible.

-HSA- Health Savings Account
-FSA- Flexible Savings Account
-Health insurance Premium deduction for self employed.
-Tax Credits of all stripes
https://irs.gov/credits-deductions-for-individuals
-Municipal Bonds

Here's M*'s latest story on HSAs: How to Escape a Lousy Health Savings Account It talks not only about a once a year rollover, but about more frequent periodic direct (custodian to custodian) transfers which may unfortunately be subject to fees.
And @bee 's blast from the past: Best HSA Provider for Investing HSA Money
https://mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/discussion/36141/best-hsa-provider-for-investing-hsa-money
M* hasn't updated its report from 2017. It still omits Saturna and Lively, two inexpensive alternatives.

I invest directly with Bruce Funds (BRUFX) for my HSA. My only fees are the funds ER (0.71%) and a $15/yr account maintenance fee. Returns have average 6% since I started. Other HSA providers offer a host of investment choices. If your employer's HSA plan has limited investment choices or high fees you can complete a once a year rollover or a trustee to trustee transfer to another HSA providers (of your choosing).
how-to-rollover-an-hsa-on-your-own-and-avoid-trustee-transfer-fee
Here's a M* report:

Health savings accounts are a very under-researched corner of the market. Investors have few resources available to help them navigate the hundreds of plan providers that exist. Health savings accounts have recently grown in popularity, but the lack of resources has likely contributed to their under utilization as a savings vehicle despite their valuable tax benefits. To provide a comprehensive resource for investors and employers selecting a plan, we assessed 10 of the largest HSA plan providers in this report. We evaluated the plans through two separate lenses: using them as a spending vehicle to cover current medical costs, and using them as an investment vehicle to save for future medical expenses.

Link for full Report:
2017_Health_Savings_Account_Landscape

I believe that there is still no short term trading fee at WellsTrade. This assumes (a) that you consider WellsTrade a major brokerage, and (b) that you want to have anything to do with Wells Fargo.
Elsewhere, the minimum seems to be 60 days, e.g. at Fidelity and Vanguard. Note that both of these brokerages impose restrictions on the frequency of short term round trips you can make, e.g. Vanguard's policy. If you're just worried about the occasional short term trade, these won't affect you.
Note that TDAmeritrade has lots of different fee schedules for various types of accounts. For example, I had a TDA account attached to my HSA account. There, the TF commissions were about half what it costs in their "standard" account, and the short term trading period was either 60 or 90 days. This doesn't help you, but could help others who might be looking at these special accounts and just assume the 180 day restriction applied there as well.

Great fund...have owned it for a few years. Thanks for update...going to buy a starter position in my hsa.

@Junkster: Glad you enjoyed the article. I must admit I didn't know what a Xterras was, had to look it up. For those of you ,like myself, who are car challenged, here is a little info on the Xterras
Regards,
Ted
The Nissan Xterra is a truck that was manufactured and marketed by Nissan Motors across two generations, sharing its platform with the Nissan Frontier pickup. Both generations of the Xterra featured a two-box design with a raised rear roofline to enable stadium seating—as well as a bump on the rearmost door expressing
In 2015 Nissan Xterra Discontinued in U.S. ... The Xterra, which competes against the Jeep Wrangler, is being discontinued for regulatory reasons. Nissan would have had to invest in upgraded safety and emissions equipment for what is a fairly limited audience.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Xterras+image&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=HSA_PIqL7ohHHM%3A%2C6XUI7TOndHinRM%2C_&usg=__Mf3ENnwEfZ-Hs4fR1uRycFVBOQU=&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi6oMevkM7aAhWN94MKHZ9qBgwQ9QEILTAB#imgrc=HSA_PIqL7ohHHM:

Unbelievable-2.25/3.75 loads on Pimco bond fund A shares?!

I still have access to a 1 penny HSA account at TDAmeritrade. When I put in a test buy, PONAX shows up as NTF, but when I research the fund, even after logging in, it shows a load.
So TDA may be selling PIMCO A shares load waived while not having updated its research pages yet. Or TDA may be giving a special break to HSA accounts (they do get some better terms). Or that NTF icon may have been in error. With just one penny in the account, I can't execute a real trade.

For more on MFO discussions on HSA's, type "HSA" into the MFO Discussion Search box...here's what I found:
https://mutualfundobserver.com/discuss/search?Search=hsa

Interesting that ponAx is *no load* at vanguard!
Nothing special about load-waived A shares. Already offered by Blackrock (e.g. bAedx), Franklin Templeton (e.g. tcwAx), Nuveen (e.g. npsAx), JPMorgan Chase (e.g. olvAx), Columbia (e.g. rebAx), and on and on. Pimco is well behind the curve.

PiMco Income isn’t available as an annuity at Fidelity (although total return is available).
Fidelity's not the only game in town. Look around, you can find it.
An HSA option is severely limited to how much you can put in per year.
If you're talking about small investors, they're constrained by what they have to invest. If the HSA contribution significantly limits how much money they can put it, then they're not so small investors (and could afford I shares).
So even with those additional options, its severely limits the small investor from getting into the fund as it wouldn’t be highly available in the fund supermarket at most brokers.
What's the issue here? Your list of four options communicated the idea that small investors would either have to become big investors (add lots of money to buy I shares) or pay a load to gain access to Pimco funds. But they can already buy Pimco A shares without a fee or load.
Now you seem to be agreeing that they can, but that you don't want to walk across the street (metaphorically speaking) to buy the shares. What do you say about the many other funds that aren't open for new accounts everywhere, such as VWENX, ACMVX, BRUFX?
There's an old joke: A poor, devout man prays each week to win the lottery, and each week doesn't win. He finally asks the Lord why he hasn't won. The response: "meet me half way; buy a ticket!"

NSF,
Interesting that ponAx is *no load* at vanguard!
PiMco Income isn’t available as an annuity at Fidelity (although total return is available).
An HSA option is severely limited to how much you can put in per year.
So even with those additional options, its severely limits the small investor from getting into the fund as it wouldn’t be highly available in the fund supermarket at most brokers.

So the small investors can:
1) put up the money for I class shares
2) go through an advisor
3) buy the loaded A shares (for the new investors, not the converted D share investors ).
4) buy the etf BOND which is a more tax efficient structure than the mutual fund.

5) Pony up $3K to buy the A shares NTF, e.g. PONAX:
https://investor.vanguard.com/mutual-funds/profile/overview/N061?FundIntExt=EXT
6) Buy A or I shares NTF with no/low min through an HSA, e.g. The HSA Authority (available funds)
7) Buy an annuity clone (Pimco Variable Insurance Trust) fund, with no min, e.g. through Fidelity Personal Retirement Annuity

I have an account with Scottrade - I have confirmed that as part of the transfer to TDA the transaction fees for mutual funds will remain $17.

That's great!
TDA has lots of different fee schedules written up - the standard retail one (no maintenance fee, 180 day short term NTF fee), one HSA I had (briefly) with a maintenance fee, another HSA schedule with lower than standard fees, etc. I was concerned since TDA had not provided a separate price sheet for transitioned accounts, it pointed to a document with its standard fees, and it was coy about pricing.
The only actual number it put in writing was for equities, which at $6.95 it described as "low". These days, that's 40% higher than Schwab, Fidelity, or Ally (Trade King), and more than double Firstrade . $6.95 isn't a lot, but calling it low is PR.
I hope they'll also honor the Scottrade90 day period for short term NTF trading (instead of requiring you to hold funds for 180 days).

And yet Vanguard doesn't offer an HSA to individuals.
https://personal.vanguard.com/us/whatweoffer/overview/healthsavings
They just refer you over to Health Savings Administrators, that charges you $45/year plus the equivalent of a 12b-1 fee (0.25%/year) to invest in Vanguard funds:
https://healthsavings.com/vanguard/fees/
or to Health Equity that charges $36/year plus virtually the equivalent percentage fee, here 0.24%/year.
https://healthequity.com/indexinvestor/
These aren't even the cheapest ways to get Vanguard funds in HSAs through third parties. For example, The HSA Authority, like Health Equity, offers 17 vanguard funds (not all the same), for $36/year. Rather than charge 0.24%/year, the share class it offers (often Admiral) may charge a couple of basis points more than the Institutional class shares that Health Equity offers for a few of the funds. Still cheaper all-in at HSA Authority.
https://hsainvestments.com/fundperformance/?p=TBH (HSA Authority fund list)
https://healthequity.com/indexinvestor/ (Health Equity Vanguard fund list)

FYI: Choosing a health insurance plan involves a complex analysis of premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, and tax costs. The right choice depends on an individual’s policy options, budget, and expected health care needs.
Regards,
Ted
http://www.etf.com/sections/etf-industry-perspective/vanguard-explore-surprising-savings-opportunities-hsa

@MikeM: I use sector funds/etfs such as utility and staples to add ballast and counterbalance some of my more aggressive funds or to correct underweighting of sectors in my overall portfolio. I had to sell the utility fund I had at ML when I transferred, since it was not offered at Fido. They did accept FRUAX when I transferred the roth, but one year earlier when I transferred the traditional ira, they did not, so bought VPU in its place. Same story on the health care funds, they would not accept PHSZX in the ira, so I bought SHSAX, but did accept it by the time i transferred the roth. I added IHI and FRHFX when I sold PJP and my biotech fund. I liked the emphasis on medical devices over biotech going forward. I was light on financials, so I added JRBFX. No, I do not think I know more than mf managers, as a matter of fact, I used to be all funds and no etfs and over the last two years did some comparisons and in some of the sectors I actually liked the etfs better. I enjoy investing and most of my portfolio is in funds Ive had for many years such as the Vanguard funds. Im sure I could consolidate further by getting rid of the funds that I cannot add to that I brought over from ML but all of the ones I kept do well.
I basically am following the sector weightings my ML advisor set up, I just dont pay for the advice anymore, and I left ML because they have limited fund offerings. They sell very few Vanguard funds, which was my original impetus to start moving over to Fido.
We all invest as we see fit, mine works for me, and I assume your works for you.

Thanks for your comments guys,I expected the too many funds and too low on some questions. Will try and address your comments:
@Art: Over the last ten years, converted quite a bit from traditional ira to roth. 2/3 of my retirement funds are now in the roth. I treat the roth a bit differently than the traditional ira, as it will be the last to be used, and it much more aggressive.
@Pudd: I only started VWINX this year, and because it is $75 each time I want to add to it, I wait until I sell another fund or stock to fund it more. As I stated, I tend to use a barbell approach rather than allocation or balanced funds, but will add to it over time. I use the staples, utilities, and more value and moderate stock funds as ballast to my more aggressive holdings. I have two general hc funds basically because I cant add to PHSZX at Fido, it was bought when I was with ML I sold the amount I had in the traditional ira and bought SHSAX so I could add to it. I used to have a biotech and a pure pharma etf but sold those to invest in IHI and FSPHX. Regarding the reit, I only bought FRIFX on Friday, selling VNQ after 5 years. I wanted to give a managed fund a try in this sector and liked the Fido offering. It is not a spif, I like having reits as a permanenet part of the portfolio. Not expecting rates to rise very fast anyway. I like how FRIFX is a bit more diversified in its components. Ive had MINDX for over 3 years, but probably would not be buying it now but perhaps a more diversified Asian fund. I have enough diversity in my other foreign holdings that I could risk it. I know I have many funds, primarily because I could not bring some of them from ML and had to find a comparable fund. I brought the traditional ira over first, a year later the rest, so in that year, some I could not bring over, and had to sell, and some closed so had to find alternatives.
@MikeM: I was expecting this comment from someone lol. I love small caps, but the reason they are so low is that I have many funds that have small caps in the portfolio and already at 24% small and mid.
Hope I addressed your comments enough, and no Im not sensitive, many times I think I have too many funds myself, but there is somethng I like about each of them that I hold. And each does have a role, maybe someday this will change :)

Whew. This started out as a simple exercise and will try and provide commentary on my portfolio in addition to allocations and percentages. I have three portfolios. First one , is a taxable account which has a majority of the bond allocation at 80%, which includes 2 munis I am holding til maturity, also have two stocks in that portfolio, one of which I am getting ready to sell for its gains. That portfolio is 27% of my total. The other two are a traditional ira and a roth, and the roth is the larger of the two. You will notice some duplications in fund characteristics, the result of my moving from Merrill Lynch last year to Fidelity. Some positions I could not add to since they are institutional funds, so had to add similar funds from another fund company. I take a barbell approach to the total, balancing aggressive funds with conservative ones. More people seem to use balanced funds, I chose this method. That said, I am 68% equities, 32% bonds and cash, and 66 and retired. SS provides me about 1/3 of my expenses, rest comes from taxable account, which will be the first to be depleted, but I do have to start taking from the ira in four years. I am trying to follow the basic set up that Pudd used, adding my own tweaks. This reflects iras only. I threw in etfs into the mix. Here goes:
Large and multi cap:
MSEGX 1.5%
POGRX 2.6%
RSP 1.0%
SMGIX 6.4%
TWEIX 2.5%
VIG 3.0%
VDIGX 6.5%
VOO 5.6%
VPCCX 2.9%
VWINX 2.7%
Sector funds
CMTFX 3.1%
PHSZX 1.4%
FRUAX 1.5%
FSPHX 1.3%
IHI 2.0%
JRBFX 1.3%
PRGTX 6.2%
RHS 3.7%
SHSAX 1.4%
VPU 2.0%
FRIFX 2.9%
Small-midcap
CCASX 1%
SMDV 1%
UBVSX 1.3%
Global non sector funds (with a minimum of 30% foreign)
APDGX 3.0%
IWIRX 2.6%
Foreign
FMIJX 4.5%
SIGIX 4.9%
GSIHX 1.8%
OSMYX 2.8%
MINDX 2.5%
Stocks
MMM 2.1%
TRV 1.2%
Bonds and cash are 9.6% of total iras, since taxable portfolio has the high bond allocation. I use PONDX, PYACX, CPXAX, GIBIX.
According to Fidelity, in the iras, I am 76% large cap, 17% mid cap, 7% small. The above small cap funds I have do not reflect total small cap exposure since I have small cap stocks in a number of funds that are multi cap. I usually have more stocks, and use them more for trading than investment.
Im sure I have many more funds and etfs than most, but this is cut down from earlier this year :) All comments welcome, good and bad.

To take a medical deduction, you need proof of two different things:
1) That a qualified medical expense was incurred, and
2) That you paid the expense.
Old checks should suffice for #2, but you should also have proof of #1. That check to your dentist might have been for an electric toothbrush. Your doctor might be your next door neighbor who just sold you his old lawnmower.
EOBs and doctor bills seem to be good ways to show what services were paid for.
Regarding using HSAs for Medicare premiums - watch out for a gotcha.
From IRS Pub 969: "if you, the account beneficiary, are not 65 or older, Medicare premiums for coverage of your spouse or a dependent (who is 65 or older) generally aren’t qualified medical expenses."

@Kaspa,
Lost medical receipts might be retrievable by finding past checking statements (my bank keeps these available online electronicly in pdfs going back multiple years). Once you identify a lost payment save as a pdf (download to a storage device or the cloud). Also, lost payment records by credit card can be retrieved similarly.
You might even be able to ask your dentist's/doctor's office or hospital billing department to retrieve patient payments.
Items and services that are reimbursable are linked here (Qualified medical expenses):
hsacenter.com/what-is-an-hsa/qualified-medical-expenses/
H.S.A can be very helpful after age 65:

Many out-of-pocket expenses qualify for tax-free H.S.A withdrawals even after you’re on Medicare. You can use the money to pay premiums for Medicare Part B, Part D prescription-drug coverage or all-in-one private Medicare Advantage plans (but not for medigap premiums). You can also use the money for co-payments and deductibles you pay for medical expenses, out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs, vision and dental care, and even a portion of qualified long-term-care premiums ($3,500 in 2012 for people ages 61 to 70, for example and more if you’re older)

Article:
health-savings-accounts-after-medicare
IRS Link to Pub 502:
https://irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf