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Retirement and Your 401(k): Changes in 2012

“I’ll do more with my retirement plan next year.” “I can’t afford to contribute more than I already am.” “My 401(k) is confusing/costly/ambiguous/inappropriate.” “I’m going to have to work forever, so why bother when I need the money now.” These are collection of statements that both drive plan sponsors crazy and offer fodder for those trying to educate the masses on the value of doing as much as you can (if not more) to secure a retirement that, if you are even paying just a little attention to the chatter, more elusive than it has ever been.

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Posted in 401k, commentary, ETFs, financial impact factor radio, financial planning, index funds, IRA, Mutual Fund Investing, Paul Petillo, personal finance, Profitable Investments, Repercussions: A Retirement Review, Retirement Planning Target 2025

Your 401(k): When Your Plan Becomes Transparent

The majority of us use the 401(k) plan to fund our retirements. The majority of us know, if you have been following this blog, that the cost of these plans, the fees they charge both for the underlying investments and for the administration of those plans, can have a negative impact on the long-term returns those plans provide. Under a financial microscope, your 401(k) may not compare well with other plans in a similar peer offering. But what does this mean to you as the retirement investor?

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Posted in 401k, bonds, commentary, economics, ETFs, financial planning, index funds, IRA, Mutual Fund Investing, Paul Petillo, personal finance, Profitable Investments, Repercussions: A Retirement Review, Retirement Planning Target 2025

Your 401(k): The Illusion of Free Money

I can’t tell you how many times I have seen Richard Thaler’s comment from his book “Nudge” misinterpreted. He suggested that the 401(k) matching contribution offered by your employer was “virtually free”. Taken out of context and misquoted by folks who should know better, the word free stands out and creates the illusion of something for nothing. Fact is, nothing is free when it comes to retirement and if it were, why would everyone be so concerned that we won’t be able to retire when we want if at all?

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Posted in 401k, college, commentary, financial planning, Paul Petillo, personal finance, Profitable Investments, Repercussions: A Retirement Review, Retirement Planning Target 2025, taxes
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