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Knowing Your 401k Plan.
By Simon Fox
Taking full advantage of your 401k plan today can help you
achieve financial goals sooner, and provide enough income for a
comfortable retirement. For most working people, Social Security
checks alone will not be enough to maintain the standard of
living they are used to, once they are no longer working. If you
are lucky, your employer offers a 401k plan which, if used
wisely and to the fullest advantage, can provide you with
additional income for your golden years.
401k plans differ greatly depending on the employer who sets the
rules. The only way to get the most out of the plan is to get to
know it and make educated choices.
Things you should know:
- What is the maximum percentage of your salary you are able to
contribute?
- Is your employer matching the contributions? If yes, what is
your minimum contribution, before your employer’s contribution
starts, and what is the maximum?
- What are the number of years you have to be with the company
(so called vesting) to be eligible for the employer’s
contributions to your 401k?
- How often can you switch among available investment options?
- Are earnings posted to your account on a weekly, monthly or
quarterly basis? When do you get your account statements? Note,
it is always more beneficial if earnings are added to your
balance more often.
- What methods can you use to access the account? By phone, on
the internet or only in writing?
- Did you spread your money among different investments to
reduce the risk?
- Did you learn enough about the investments you are using?
Do you know that 401k plans are not insured by the federal
government, and its investments are at risk? However, different
investments carry different degrees of risk. It is always best
to diversify your investments by investing in different types of
assets. To find out more about 401k investment options, ask your
plan administrator for information. Financial magazines,
prospectus and brochures can be a good source for learning about
particular investment options.
About the Author:
For more tips regarding
401k plan,
Roth IRA , and other
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