I understand the basics...but I just started a new job where a 401K plan will be available to me within a year and I've never had one, so I really don't know what to do with it. My company is matching (half) of whatever I put in there at the end of the year...
Also I was thinking if they did it periodically throughout the year it would benefit me more than at the end of the year...is that true?
2007-07-25 15:03:22 · 5 answers · asked by learningbusiness 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Personal Finance
As soon as you can, start contributing. Put in at least as much as they will match. Typically, they will match 50 cents for every dollar you put in up to 6% of your pay. That means you are getting a 50% return on your 6% investment every week!
As far as what funds to put it in, you are very young and want the majority in a good growth stock fund. You should also have money in an international fund. The key is to diversify and put money in consistently.
Please take the time to do as much reading as you can about the funds available to you and investing in general. If your funds are handled by "fidelity" then go to Fidelity.com and read all the data they have out there (for example).
Don't make the mistake of investing too conservatively at your age and watching your money stagnate. Also, don't worry if your funds go down. By buying consistenetly every pay period, you will be buying more shares when the fund is down, and fewer when the fund is up. You will be buying more low! This is the beauty of dollar cost averaging (investing the same amount in the same investments every week). When the funds are trading at $50 per saher, if you invest $50, you get one share (at a high cost). If the funds go down to $25 per share the next week, you get two shares for your $50. You are buying more at the lower cost.
Take the time to buy (or check out) "the automatic millionaire" and "the millionaire next door" and "the total money makeover".
They are all very easy reads.
Good Luck.
Invest early, consistently, and automaticlly!!!!
Also, talk to older people that you trust. If they have a lot of debt, drive nice leased cars, charge lunch on their credit card - then find someone else! Look for conservative people who live within thier means and put their future retiement ahead of current wants.
Kate is correct. You should put in the 401k up to the match, then put any other retirement savings in a ROTH wich is after tax money. when you retire, you get money out of your roth TAX FREE!
But, since you are new at this and not real savvy, I would wait a year or two on the ROTH and just put everything you can in the 401K. The only reason I say that is that you actually have to go out and open the ROTH with an investment firm and you should get a better handle on expenses and how mutaul funds work so you don't make a bad choice. If you read up and pay attention to your 401k and the newsletters they send you, you'll be ready for the roth soon enough.
2007-07-25 15:22:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
a 401k is like a retirement plan. Every payday you have money taken out of your paycheck and deposited into your account. You said your company matches which is great so that is basically free money.
You aren't allowed to touch the money until you reach a certain age without any penalties. Sometimes you can pull money out on a loan basis but you do have to repay it. Also if you pull money out before you reach that age you do get penalized. Below is a link from the IRS with lots of information on 401Ks. This is a good thing to have and when you quit this job and move on you would take your 401k and roll it over into a traditional IRA.
2007-07-25 15:20:08 · answer #2 · answered by C C 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The dumbest thing I ever did was not participate in a 401k when if was first offered to me.
If you make the max contributions, your 401k will easily grow to over a million dollars by the time you retire.
2007-07-25 15:19:16 · answer #3 · answered by Alice Lockwood 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How and when they put in is already established at each company but one that puts in a 50% match is tops for returns .
You need not quibble about minutia like "periodically throughout the year" .
Congrats on getting on with a good company .
Put in the max that they will match but not over .
Put any more that you have in a Roth IRA .
2007-07-25 15:09:53 · answer #4 · answered by kate 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's unusual...but..... the answers above are great. Follow them and you'll do fine in retirement!
2007-07-25 16:49:11 · answer #5 · answered by Common Sense 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋