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Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

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91–100 of 479 posts

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#91

I'm counting on basic income being a thing when I retire.

Basic income will come with a corresponding increase in prices for consumer goods across the board. As demand for everything beyond the most essential staples goes up, prices will be adjusted upward until supply is able to satisfy new demand.

Even if you're right, you will still want to have saved some money.

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#93

Even though I'm doing all the right things like maxing out 401k etc., I can't help but feel that I will regret it later. It feels like everyone grew up hearing the same thing (people are poor planners, people go broke in retirement) and now as adults have vowed that will never be them. The problem is that now everyone thinks this way - index funds are on the rise, people are saving into their 401k, I can't help but t…

Investing is simply buying something you think will increase in value over time. US stocks have traditionally been an excellent vehicle due to their rates of growth. You could also invest in bonds, purchased annuities, real estate, gold and silver, foreign currencies & companies, Bitcoin/Ethereum, your offspring, domain names, collectibles...

What do you think people will value in the next 10, 20, 50 years?

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#94

Even though I'm doing all the right things like maxing out 401k etc., I can't help but feel that I will regret it later. It feels like everyone grew up hearing the same thing (people are poor planners, people go broke in retirement) and now as adults have vowed that will never be them. The problem is that now everyone thinks this way - index funds are on the rise, people are saving into their 401k, I can't help but t…

Same. I've maxed my 401k since my first job. Now just breaking into 30s... decided to move some of what I would be contributing to 401k into RE investments. Huge tax advantages in this space, and with 15 yr loans you can be cash flowing pretty solidly in your 40s (the earlier you start, the better).

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "I'm not planning on Social Security being around by the time I'm old enough to tap into it" You need to change that attitude or your complacency will allow politicians to take it from you. The fact is you pay ~16% of your paycheck into social security and medicare, it is designed to be like a pension. It is not an entitlement, it's your money.

> It is not an entitlement, it's your money That's not how social security works. Every dollar you pay in flies out to fund promises made in years past. "Your" social security money needs to be earned by our children.

Note that Reagan increased the SS tax in order to pad the fund and prepare for Boomers retiring. That surplus of the last 30 years is invested in special government bonds gauranteed with the "full faith and credit" of the US government.

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#97
post #79

401k is such a scam, you get a handful of high fee funds to invest in. Wall Street thieves billions of dollars, all sanctioned by the government and encouraged by the financial advise industry. Employees should only contribute to a 401k up to any employer match. Beyond that put your money in an IRA.

My 401k has better funds than I could ever get in my IRA. Yes, many 401k's have terrible fund choices but by no means do all of them fall prey to that.

Also, if you're maxing out both your IRA and 401k limits, even if you have a lousy 401k, you now have tax-advantaged dollars that you can roll over to Vanguard or Fidelity when you change jobs.

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#98
post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Social Security Trust fund generally runs a surplus (as recently as 2014 it added $25 billion.) However it's projected that around 2030-2034 the number of recipients will be drawing more than is being paid in. At that point your statement will become more correct than it currently is.

...the SSTF holds exclusively US Treasury notes and bonds as assets. You're describing a distinction without a difference, as other parts of the USG have already spent the surplus.

Sure, but US Treasuries are considered some of the safest assets in the world.

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#99
post #82
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One problem with the Roth IRA is the income phase out limits. If you're single, if you AGI is >117K, you can only contribute some percentage of the $5000 allowed for the Roth. If you're >132K, you can't contribute anything. For a married couple, those limits are 184K/194K. Granted, you can reduce your AGI by contributing to a 401K first, which allows you to take $18K off the top. I know this doesn't affect many, but…

You can get around this by contributing to a traditional IRA and then converting it to a Roth. This is easy to do (until law changes) unless you have an existing traditional IRA where you can take a tax hit.

... And you can roll your trad IRA into your company 401K before doing the backdoor Roth, thus avoiding the tax hit.

Re: Americans Are Putting Billions More Than Usual in Their 401(k)s

#100

I'm not planning on Social Security being around by the time I'm old enough to tap into it, and I'm also not planning on having any kids to bail me out when I go senile, so yeah I'm putting a lot into my 401k. I think a lot of people my age (turning 30 next week) are feeling the same way, so I wonder if it's younger workers driving this trend.

> "I'm not planning on Social Security being around by the time I'm old enough to tap into it" You need to change that attitude or your complacency will allow politicians to take it from you. The fact is you pay ~16% of your paycheck into social security and medicare, it is designed to be like a pension. It is not an entitlement, it's your money.

It's called social security for a reason.

The politicians are itching to hand the pot of money over to Wall Street who will extract fees from it.

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