No politics- How’s your 401K doing for you?

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Please no politics.
Today I spent 3 hours with my advisor doing the last adjustments I will do prior to retirement.. I have been in 2 domestic funds and 1 international fund and a bunch of overtime cash gambled in stock for almost 34 years. We started from the beginning and Monday morning quarter backed every move we made since the beginning. Lots of moves could have been better but for the most part we are both happy with the end. Should have put way way more in Roth, when I put a big big side bet on ATK in 08 I should have put way way more on that. Woulda coulda shoulda! Overall the 401K system has worked for me and if they leave it alone it should work for all generations to come.
How is your doing and what would you do different if you had a second shot? Thanks
 
The rate of return is at 21.4% for my 401k and the wifes is at 15.37%. I moved most of ours to Vanguard with low expense ratio's which helped quite a bit this year. No roth yet but once the house is paid off we'll max out the 401k and then start working on the Roth. I'm stupid for not starting at my first job, I could be retired now easily at 39.
 
Anyone who is in the market is doing well. It's been on a 10 year run which is unprecedented.
My 401K is pretty conservative.
My other investment products pretty much defy common investment sense.
But that's Silicon Valley. Go big or go home.
 
Its been a good year... I have mine a little more conservative.
I am a little under 2 yrs from retirement and am at 24% ytd.
 
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Originally Posted by P10crew
Overall the 401K system has worked for me and if they leave it alone it should work for all generations to come.


It will only work in a positive manner if actively managed by someone who knows when and were to shuffle the 401k investments funds around. As they say, buy low, sell high ... so with a 401k you want it in funds that give good returns, and in something safe when the market is crashing. Nobody is a total expert at managing investments however, as nobody has a crystal ball to the exact future.
 
I've been out of the market for almost 15 years now, sitting on cash. In hindsight, this has probably been the wrong choice. But, we own everything we have, including two homes that we bounce back and forth between. We have zero debt. In that sense, I feel very fortunate.

Scott
 
I have some in a few foreign funds, and one that does emerging markets like India, China etc. Domestic has done well overall, foreign not nearly as well.
 
I see no reason to invest in any funds other than index. Until you get close to retirement then you need some bonds.

Many people invest in their own company in 401K or money markets or actively managed funds. Why?

The issue I see is many 401K offer limited selections in the way of index fund. My 401K has one.

People younger than baby boomers (for the most part) need to make sure they are getting the most they can from their 401K. Its their retirement. For my wife and I with defined pensions the 401K will not be our primary source of income.

Everyone who has a company match 401K should put at least what the company matches into a 401K. You are giving up free money if you do not.
 
Just started a Roth in August with my company and just turned 27... The company I work for just changed from Mass Mutual to Prudential so I have to go back in next month and reselect everything. I need to make an appointment with someone to make choices as opposed to sitting on the defaults.

I have a Roth through Bank of America/Merrill Lynch I try and put overtime and side work towards that I also need to sit down and plan out, have had it for a couple of years since I never had a job with any kind of set retirement plan until now.
 
My international shares are doing well now but I should have ditched them in about 02. They did so danged well for so many years that I just couldn't believe what the bottom line was showing so I rode with them and now finally they are back .
 
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Mac my son just had to roll his from one company to his new one. It cost him $100 to get it done.
 
All my funds returned between 18-27% YTD, but my account claims 15% over the last 12 months because last December was so bad. Over the last 12 months, they show 12-16% return. What a difference a month makes. Barring a big crash between now and EOY, I think my 2019 will end up around 24% in my 401k.

I had a pretty large position in AMD, so my trading account is even better.

But NOT assuming any of this will last. Took profits in AMD against some older energy stock losses, and will consider adjusting/balancing a bit more defensively in the 401 since the bull has run and the money handlers surely have targeted 2020 for a market drop.

As for hindsight, I guess I kind of wish I'd get off the current tax break from putting money into a tax advantaged retirement account, and start biasing heavily into the Roth option... I think...

And also in hindsight I wish we would have been more serious about using the backdoor Roth IRA approach back around 2008. We are fortunate to make too much money to be eligible for a Roth straight up, but there's a way to do it as a backdoor transfer. Standing by to maximize it in the next drop.
 
Originally Posted by JHZR2

I had a pretty large position in AMD, so my trading account is even better.


Bravo! Well done.
A little secret... Semiconductors are here to stay.
Wait for 5G. We are talking 2 to 7nm geometries...
It's a whole new world.
 
Jhz the Roth issue was our biggest mistake ... apparently. But that's hind sight.
 
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I'm seeing an adviser next month to plan out my retirement. My IRA heavy on Apple has been very good this year.
 
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