Retirement investing...

[JeffKeryk]

Job market is getting worse and it has NOTHING to do with Artificial Intelligence.

Many college grads in panic mode with very few ‘real’ job openings.
Lots of data mining and people desperate for work.

Yes, AI is driving related stock and the future, but the overall market is another story.
Same with jobs. Of course I cannot speak to the greater US (and beyond), but retail and jobs in general are getting hit here. Demand is there, but your dollar is stretched.

Regarding high tech, listen to an earnings call if you want to get a feel for the uncertainty in Silicon Valley. Businss does not like uncertainty, and we have it in spades. Direction? We ain't got no stinkin' direction. Big expenditures will not be made in this envirornment; too risky.

 

[nickaluch]

I really don't pay attention to the stock market to much I just for decades sent a monthly check to the Morgan Stanley Abacus group I lucked out getting involved with. They even gave my middle one a internship that led to a job.

 

[andrew_j]

Just a little update, been investing in my company's 401K. I picked large cap SP500 mix. Anyway, it's killing VOO with a YTD return of 20% at present, and the fee is 0.02%. Kindof impressed.

Just keep plugging away and dont make any sudden movements. This is long haul and will grow.

I rarely look at mine I have slow and steady for 30 years + now.

 

[Dave Hess]

Just keep plugging away and dont make any sudden movements. This is long haul and will grow.

I rarely look at mine I have slow and steady for 30 years + now.

30+ years… ?

You over $1M. Congrats

 

[TnT_M]

30+ years… ?

You over $1M. Congrats

I would hope after 30 years you are over $1M!!!

 

[JRHAWK9]

I have no idea what I'm doing, but I must be doing something right for these annualized returns in my 401K.

 

[TnT_M]

I have no idea what I'm doing, but I must be doing something right for these annualized returns in my 401K.

View attachment 307455

Nice work! Seems on par with what I have seen the last several years.

 

[TnT_M]

Some very simple math to show the power of annual contributions and interest...

The table below shows 30 years of numbers. Across the top is the annual contribution amount and average return. This does not factor in compound returns throughout the year, but acts like a onetime lump sum contribution, which is not accurate. If you aren't telling your family, friends and neighbors to save their money then you need to start! I would also suggest a Roth 401K versus a traditional 401k.

Year	$23,500 avg 5%	$10,000 avg 5%	$5,000 avg 10%	$23,500 avg 10%
1	$ 23,500	$ 10,000	$ 5,000	$ 23,500
2	$ 48,175	$ 20,500	$ 10,500	$ 49,350
3	$ 74,084	$ 31,525	$ 16,550	$ 77,785
4	$ 101,288	$ 43,101	$ 23,205	$ 109,064
5	$ 129,852	$ 55,256	$ 30,526	$ 143,470
6	$ 159,845	$ 68,019	$ 38,578	$ 181,317
7	$ 191,337	$ 81,420	$ 47,436	$ 222,949
8	$ 224,404	$ 95,491	$ 57,179	$ 268,743
9	$ 259,124	$ 110,266	$ 67,897	$ 319,118
10	$ 295,580	$ 125,779	$ 79,687	$ 374,529
11	$ 333,859	$ 142,068	$ 92,656	$ 435,482
12	$ 374,052	$ 159,171	$ 106,921	$ 502,531
13	$ 416,255	$ 177,130	$ 122,614	$ 576,284
14	$ 460,568	$ 195,986	$ 139,875	$ 657,412
15	$ 507,096	$ 215,786	$ 158,862	$ 746,653
16	$ 555,951	$ 236,575	$ 179,749	$ 844,819
17	$ 607,249	$ 258,404	$ 202,724	$ 952,801
18	$ 661,111	$ 281,324	$ 227,996	$ 1,071,581
19	$ 717,667	$ 305,390	$ 255,795	$ 1,202,239
20	$ 777,050	$ 330,660	$ 286,375	$ 1,345,962
21	$ 839,402	$ 357,193	$ 320,012	$ 1,504,059
22	$ 904,873	$ 385,052	$ 357,014	$ 1,677,965
23	$ 973,616	$ 414,305	$ 397,715	$ 1,869,261
24	$ 1,045,797	$ 445,020	$ 442,487	$ 2,079,687
25	$ 1,121,587	$ 477,271	$ 491,735	$ 2,311,156
26	$ 1,201,166	$ 511,135	$ 545,909	$ 2,565,771
27	$ 1,284,724	$ 546,691	$ 605,500	$ 2,845,849
28	$ 1,372,461	$ 584,026	$ 671,050	$ 3,153,933
29	$ 1,464,584	$ 623,227	$ 743,155	$ 3,492,827
30	$ 1,561,313	$ 664,388	$ 822,470	$ 3,865,610

 

[Nessism1]

Job market is getting worse and it has NOTHING to do with Artificial Intelligence.

Many college grads in panic mode with very few ‘real’ job openings.
Lots of data mining and people desperate for work.

Nothing to do with AI?

Amazon laying off about 14,000 corporate workers as it invests more in AI​

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/amazon-layoffs-corporate-workers-ai.html

 

[Dave Hess]

No.

That’s just a very easy reason to trim the fat and fire non productive employees.

Like I said in another thread…… BIG companies have tons of useless employees and crazy amount of corporate bloat.

There’s a good reason why Amazon built a very LARGE campus in India and trimming fat in the USA.

 

[Dave Hess]

Some very simple math to show the power of annual contributions and interest...

The table below shows 30 years of numbers. Across the top is the annual contribution amount and average return. This does not factor in compound returns throughout the year, but acts like a onetime lump sum contribution, which is not accurate. If you aren't telling your family, friends and neighbors to save their money then you need to start! I would also suggest a Roth 401K versus a traditional 401k.

Year	$23,500 avg 5%	$10,000 avg 5%	$5,000 avg 10%	$23,500 avg 10%
1	$ 23,500	$ 10,000	$ 5,000	$ 23,500
2	$ 48,175	$ 20,500	$ 10,500	$ 49,350
3	$ 74,084	$ 31,525	$ 16,550	$ 77,785
4	$ 101,288	$ 43,101	$ 23,205	$ 109,064
5	$ 129,852	$ 55,256	$ 30,526	$ 143,470
6	$ 159,845	$ 68,019	$ 38,578	$ 181,317
7	$ 191,337	$ 81,420	$ 47,436	$ 222,949
8	$ 224,404	$ 95,491	$ 57,179	$ 268,743
9	$ 259,124	$ 110,266	$ 67,897	$ 319,118
10	$ 295,580	$ 125,779	$ 79,687	$ 374,529
11	$ 333,859	$ 142,068	$ 92,656	$ 435,482
12	$ 374,052	$ 159,171	$ 106,921	$ 502,531
13	$ 416,255	$ 177,130	$ 122,614	$ 576,284
14	$ 460,568	$ 195,986	$ 139,875	$ 657,412
15	$ 507,096	$ 215,786	$ 158,862	$ 746,653
16	$ 555,951	$ 236,575	$ 179,749	$ 844,819
17	$ 607,249	$ 258,404	$ 202,724	$ 952,801
18	$ 661,111	$ 281,324	$ 227,996	$ 1,071,581
19	$ 717,667	$ 305,390	$ 255,795	$ 1,202,239
20	$ 777,050	$ 330,660	$ 286,375	$ 1,345,962
21	$ 839,402	$ 357,193	$ 320,012	$ 1,504,059
22	$ 904,873	$ 385,052	$ 357,014	$ 1,677,965
23	$ 973,616	$ 414,305	$ 397,715	$ 1,869,261
24	$ 1,045,797	$ 445,020	$ 442,487	$ 2,079,687
25	$ 1,121,587	$ 477,271	$ 491,735	$ 2,311,156
26	$ 1,201,166	$ 511,135	$ 545,909	$ 2,565,771
27	$ 1,284,724	$ 546,691	$ 605,500	$ 2,845,849
28	$ 1,372,461	$ 584,026	$ 671,050	$ 3,153,933
29	$ 1,464,584	$ 623,227	$ 743,155	$ 3,492,827
30	$ 1,561,313	$ 664,388	$ 822,470	$ 3,865,610

I hit $1M (not bragging) and it’s not that difficult to do over 30 years of investing / contributions / growth.

At my job I encourage all youngins to contribute to their 401K.

If they don’t I tell them they are dumb-dumbs…..

 

[JeffKeryk]

I hit $1M (not bragging) and it’s not that difficult to do over 30 years of investing / contributions / growth.

At my job I encourage all youngins to contribute to their 401K.

If they don’t I tell them they are dumb-dumbs…..

Well done Dave! I love hearing success stories because it shows me what's possible.

 

[Dave Hess]

My pension and voluntary pension (combined) over $1M

Again, not bragging.

I had to earn every single penny from the big man over 30 years.

 

[JeffKeryk]

My pension and voluntary pension (combined) over $1M

Again, not bragging.

I had to earn every single penny from the big man over 30 years.

Share your story! It's important. I am so sick of the entitled and cry baby stories.
People seem to blame everyone and everything but themselves.

 

[andrew_j]

[

Nothing to do with AI?

Amazon laying off about 14,000 corporate workers as it invests more in AI​

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/28/amazon-layoffs-corporate-workers-ai.html

Amazon wants to invest more in AI. They over hired during COVID so now correcting. Two separate items.

AI is not replacing me at work however amazing tool speeding certain tasks from hour(s) to 5-15 mins.

 

[andrew_j]

Share your story! It's important. I am so sick of the entitled and cry baby stories.
People seem to blame everyone and everything but themselves.

It’s not hard to become a net worth millionaire at least in retirement. Just takes time, patience and perseverance and a bit of discipline. Challenge are emotions however those make us human.

 

[SC Maintenance]

The S&P 500 - which is the basis for most 401K broad market ETF's was at 900 post GFC and is 6900 now. So if you managed to have $130K left in your 401K after the 2008 crash it should be $1M now, without adding another cent over the last 17 years.

 

[doitmyself]

Some very simple math to show the power of annual contributions and interest...

The table below shows 30 years of numbers. Across the top is the annual contribution amount and average return. This does not factor in compound returns throughout the year, but acts like a onetime lump sum contribution, which is not accurate. If you aren't telling your family, friends and neighbors to save their money then you need to start! I would also suggest a Roth 401K versus a traditional 401k.

Year	$23,500 avg 5%	$10,000 avg 5%	$5,000 avg 10%	$23,500 avg 10%
1	$ 23,500	$ 10,000	$ 5,000	$ 23,500
2	$ 48,175	$ 20,500	$ 10,500	$ 49,350
3	$ 74,084	$ 31,525	$ 16,550	$ 77,785
4	$ 101,288	$ 43,101	$ 23,205	$ 109,064
5	$ 129,852	$ 55,256	$ 30,526	$ 143,470
6	$ 159,845	$ 68,019	$ 38,578	$ 181,317
7	$ 191,337	$ 81,420	$ 47,436	$ 222,949
8	$ 224,404	$ 95,491	$ 57,179	$ 268,743
9	$ 259,124	$ 110,266	$ 67,897	$ 319,118
10	$ 295,580	$ 125,779	$ 79,687	$ 374,529
11	$ 333,859	$ 142,068	$ 92,656	$ 435,482
12	$ 374,052	$ 159,171	$ 106,921	$ 502,531
13	$ 416,255	$ 177,130	$ 122,614	$ 576,284
14	$ 460,568	$ 195,986	$ 139,875	$ 657,412
15	$ 507,096	$ 215,786	$ 158,862	$ 746,653
16	$ 555,951	$ 236,575	$ 179,749	$ 844,819
17	$ 607,249	$ 258,404	$ 202,724	$ 952,801
18	$ 661,111	$ 281,324	$ 227,996	$ 1,071,581
19	$ 717,667	$ 305,390	$ 255,795	$ 1,202,239
20	$ 777,050	$ 330,660	$ 286,375	$ 1,345,962
21	$ 839,402	$ 357,193	$ 320,012	$ 1,504,059
22	$ 904,873	$ 385,052	$ 357,014	$ 1,677,965
23	$ 973,616	$ 414,305	$ 397,715	$ 1,869,261
24	$ 1,045,797	$ 445,020	$ 442,487	$ 2,079,687
25	$ 1,121,587	$ 477,271	$ 491,735	$ 2,311,156
26	$ 1,201,166	$ 511,135	$ 545,909	$ 2,565,771
27	$ 1,284,724	$ 546,691	$ 605,500	$ 2,845,849
28	$ 1,372,461	$ 584,026	$ 671,050	$ 3,153,933
29	$ 1,464,584	$ 623,227	$ 743,155	$ 3,492,827
30	$ 1,561,313	$ 664,388	$ 822,470	$ 3,865,610

These growth predictions seem optimistic. Tell me if I am wrong, but historically we had recessions every 10 to 15 years to rebalance the economy and usually your 401K would take a decent dump (depending on risk Level) that would take 1 to 3 years to recover/grow, then rinse and repeat. So the table above is not quite right? The Covid recession didn't seem like a real one to me. It' s interesting how long can we keep going before a crash.

Near retirement, my 403B is now on the conservative side and I am at about a 11% growth (still decent). My TIAA advisor has been coaching me managing my future tax burden. I've been mentoring my young plebes to learn the retirement financial basics early in their careers.

 

[Wireman1987]

left my job 2 weeks ago, Monday I closed my employers 457 and rolled the assets over to my Schwab acct. Wish I could have funded my Roth but the funds had to be deposited into a traditional IRA. I believe same goes for the state retirement if I decided to close that account since it isn't yet vested.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

I hit $1M (not bragging) and it’s not that difficult to do over 30 years of investing / contributions / growth.

At my job I encourage all youngins to contribute to their 401K.

If they don’t I tell them they are dumb-dumbs…..

I've been doing that for a long time with others at work. I do it almost yearly for many when they get their merit raise. Even if they only get 3% I tell them put 1% of that in the 401K each year. Soon they will be maxed out.

I was telling one newer worker giving some general help guidance. I didn't know one girl sitting behind me was listening, never saw her sit down. She turns around, leans in and says "listen to him, do it". She tells newer worker if I didn't give her the same advice 20 years ago she would probably have nothing saved now. She shared that she was not far from 7 figures and all because she kept upping it 1% yearly and keeping in S&P, Fidelity Growth and others.

She said it does take time but happens. Also repeated what I told her from my dad, NEVER go below what the company matches to. In our case if we do 7% they add 5%. After 5 years you are vested.