Among the most important — and perhaps most intimidating — decisions you must make when you participate in a 401(k) plan is how to invest the money you are contributing to your account. The investment portfolio you choose determines the rate at which your account has the potential to grow and the income that you will be able to withdraw after you retire.
When it comes to retirement planning, it is never too early to start saving. Unfortunately, it is never that easy either. It is normal to procrastinate a bit when you are focused on bills that are due today and the things you want right now.
You probably do not think about your financial wellness in the same way you think about your healthcare. Most people do not, but there are plenty of good reasons why you should. The holistic approach you employ to achieve a higher standard of physical and mental well-being are similar to that you might apply to your financial wellness.
We know you have diligently been contributing to a 401(k) plan, and you have probably enjoyed seeing your net worth grow each year. For many Americans, a company-sponsored 401(k) account will be the most valuable piece of their retirement income pie someday.
You may have heard somewhere, probably on an online ad, that it takes more than a million dollars to retire. Whether or not that is true (it is not), many people feel they are not putting enough money away to last throughout retirement.
When it comes to planning for retirement, both 401(k)s and Individual Retirement Accounts, commonly known as IRAs, offer terrific benefits. And, guess what? You can contribute to both at the same time.
If you find yourself worried about falling stock prices – but you do not want to miss out the market’s inevitable turnaround — here is a tried-and-true investing strategy to consider.
If you are fortunate enough to have access to a 401(k) plan, then you have a real opportunity to sock away some meaningful dollars for retirement. These employer-sponsored plans allow you to contribute up to $19,500 in 2020. Some employers will also match some of your contributions, which means free money for you.
It is probably fair to say that most folks know that a company-sponsored retirement plan is one of the most powerful weapons they can have in their investment arsenal. Yet we know that many are stressed out about their 401(k) plan. Why? Because while a company might provide a way for you to save for retirement, its job is not to help you manage the investment risk in your account.
When you are planning your own retirement, you will want to build a portfolio that earns the highest return for the least risk. Diversification is the best way we know to help you capture returns from a mix of investments while protecting your balance against the risk of a substantial downturn in any one asset class.
