Do you cringe every time you open your 401(k) statement? If you’re feeling the temptation of pulling your money, you’re not alone. But before you do so, you need to think strategically.
A successful 401(k) is a tactical plan for long term investing. People are living longer, which means that retirements last longer — sometimes 20 or 30 years. Smart people will invest in their 401(k) now for the long term with the goal to have sufficient assets accumulated when retirement time comes.
If your workplace offers some type of 401(k) invest; it’s a great opportunity to take charge of your financial future. If your workplace offers any type of matching program, be sure to take advantage. Especially in this economy, don’t leave extra money on the table.
Here are some tips (these are just suggestions: they’re not intended to provide tax or legal advice) that can help achieve 401(k) success.
1. Resist the urge to stop contributing to your workplace-provided retirement plan.
Yes times are tough and money is tight. But an important driver of human behavior is “inertia.” Once you’re in the plan, you tend to stay in it, and once you leave it, it will be tough to restart. Do yourself a favor and stay the course and reap the benefits when the economy recovers.
2. Keep your focus on the long term.
Retirement plans are long-term financial vehicles, so keep your eyes on the goals: investing as much as possible for your future retirement and investing for the long-term. Attempting to time the markets’ volatility may cause you to miss out on upturns you can’t predict.
3. Don’t take a loan or a withdrawal.
While many workplace-sponsored retirement plans permit loans and withdrawals, they are almost always a bad idea, primarily because you are reducing your assets and you may be jeopardizing your future financial health. Additionally, you might be subject to additional taxes and/or penalties. Withdrawals and distributions of taxable amounts are subject to ordinary income tax and, if made prior to age 59 ½, may be subject to an additional 10% federal income tax penalty. The best plan is to look elsewhere for immediate sources of emergency cash. You will thank yourself during your retirement years.
4. Take a deep breath and don’t panic!
Even though the financial markets may be volatile right now, you shouldn’t panic. Experts believe that the markets will recover, over time, and if you panic and sell what you’re invested in, you could well be selling at the low point of the market. Retirement plans are no place for hasty decisions — either buying or selling, so try to stay calm.
5. Think about retirement income rather than a retirement nest egg.
Many people forget that the whole point of a retirement funding strategy is to create a stream of income to live on during retirement, when you will no longer receive a paycheck from your employer. So, take advantage of Web-based tools that help you project how much retirement income your projected savings and investments will generate. For many people, it is much less than they imagine, which could suggest two solutions: working longer or saving more. Not completely enticing, of course, but probably better than not having enough money to survive during your retirement.
Staying the course and planning strategically may be the best ways to help achieve 401(k) success. Take a step back and look at the big picture.
You should seek such advice about your particular retirement accounts and needs from your legal and tax advisors before undertaking any retirement plan.
