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12% 401(k) Contribution - What to do? [USA] (kbin.social)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by lqdrchrd@kbin.social to c/personalfinance@lemmy.ml

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Hi everyone, I recently landed a new job where the base 401(k) contribution for all FTEs is 12% of your salary. This is regardless of your contribution, with no additional match. I realize that this is unusual for most people and it is for me as well. In my last job, I got up to a 6% match so I maxed that out and didn't think on it any further.

I currently contribute an additional 5% on top of the 12% that my employer provides, but got chatting with a coworker who mentioned that they were advised to take that money and, since it was not being matched, put it into the stock market instead. I'm open to learning, but have very little knowledge of stocks, cryptocurrency, or likely any other potential option you may suggest.

For a little extra information, I am in my mid-twenties, earn mid-five-figures/year, have little saved for retirement right now, and am open to any suggestions you may have.

So, what would you do in my situation? Thanks for any replies!

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[–] sevan@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

If you have any debt (credit cards, auto, student loans), I would pay that off before adding more than the 12% to retirement.

If you are debt free and have some short-term savings, I would contribute to a Roth IRA before adding to the 401k. At a mid 5 figure income level, the tax savings from the 401k aren't that impressive. Meanwhile, the IRA gives you some flexibility to draw funds for a first time home purchase, major medical expense, or potentially the option to withdraw prior contributions without penalty. You then have the flexibility to invest according to your knowledge and risk tolerance.

I would probably only choose the 401k if the tax reduction was meaningful and I earned too much for a traditional IRA (those 2 things typically coincide). Another possibility is if your company has a good ESPP program, ideally one that allows you to sell shares immediately after they are purchased (no minimum holding period). If there is a holding period (my employer requires 1 year), you have to think very hard about how much risk you are taking on during that time.