Editor’s Note: For those who aren’t familiar with Health Savings Accounts, I’ve written extensively on the topic before, take a look. Reader GP writes in this week asking about HSA’s: I’ve got a pretty substantial HSA balance now and I need to know how to invest it. Simple and to the point, I like those […]
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Your 401(k)
When I started this site back in 2011, it was only a hobby. I didn’t ever expect to gain the following that I now have or turn it into a viable business but that’s what it’s become. Over the years, I’ve picked up a ton of knowledge about topics ranging from investments and credit cards […]
No 401(k) Available at Work. What To Do?
I received an interesting question the other day about a topic I hadn’t given much thought to before. A reader e-mailed me asking what they should do if their work didn’t offer a 401(k) plan. I talk a lot about asset allocation, investing strategies and making contributions to your retirement accounts but it’s a lot […]
How Much Should I Contribute to My 401(k)?
Four years ago, I knew very little about saving for retirement. But I didn’t need to know anything yet, since I had just graduated and I was more worried about getting a job than saving for retirement. Once I landed that great-paying job though and got my first paycheck, I had to decide how much […]
Be Wary of Frontloading Your 401(k) Contribution and Losing Company Match
January is a great time to re-assess your retirement accounts. It’s important to review your 401k contribution and at least consider re-balancing your accounts at the beginning of every year. You’ve probably made a couple New Year’s resolutions so why not add this one to your list? 2013 will be the first official year I’m able […]
Why Borrowing From Your 401k is a Bad Idea
A reader writes in: “Can you talk about when to take a loan from your 401k? I took one a while back and I think it would be a good topic for discussion.” There aren’t many loans out there that allow you to borrow without a credit check and pay yourself interest, but that’s what […]
My Tax Efficient Investing Plan
If the Mayans are wrong and Dec 21, 2012 doesn’t bring the end of the world, taxmageddon is still headed our way in 2013. Income taxes are slated to go up for every single tax-paying American unless congress and Obama act. Regardless of whether you’re for or against the proposed tax increase, it’s causing a lot of […]
401k Plans Only Work if you Contribute
From time to time, I’ll read about how bad 401k plans are for investors like you and me. Apparently, most people don’t even realize they’re paying fees on top of other fees to invest in certain funds. And while a minority of companies do it right, by providing low cost index and ETF funds, most, […]
Reader Question: What Should I Do With My 401k?
David writes in, “I waste my money on having a personal Financial Advisor w/ Merrill Lynch. He gets 1% of everything invested annually. I cut him a quarterly check and he picks which mutual funds to invest in. The market has been sucking so my mutuals are only up about 4% cumulatively since inception. I don’t […]