How To Invest In Your 401k Wisely

By Melissa Taylor


For those who want to prepare for the future, a retirement fund is usually necessary so that one can have some form of safety net that can generate even some small passive income. For most countries, this retirement fund is known as the 401k and is a kind of account wherein employers cut out a part of the employees salary and deposits it as contribution. While the entity handling the fund usually grows the money for the employee, it is also important to know how to invest in your 401k wisely to really take advantage of the fund.

Now, the most obvious tip on how to effectively make money grow through this fund would be to start off very early. While there is no exact age wherein one should start this fund, it is definitely recommended to start as early as possible in order to take advantage of compound interest. When one gets his or her first job, apply for this fund immediately.

As mentioned above, compound interest is what will be applied in this retirement fund. Now, just to give an idea, compound interest is the type of interest that compounds over time through monthly interest percentage. As compared to simple interest, one can earn much more through compound interest.

It might be a bit complicated to understand so here is an example. If one puts in five thousand dollars in a mutual fund with three percent interest, he or she will earn one fifty dollars interest income. During the next month, he or she will then earn interest based on the principal amount, which is five thousand, and the interest of the current month which is one hundred and fifty.

Basically, that is how compounding works on a monthly basis. Now, the next thing to know about would be how much of his or her salary to contribute. A good amount would be around ten to fifteen percent of total salary.

Another thing that one would have to consider is which investment mediums to put money in. With mutual funds, one can choose where his or her money goes to and the fund manager will be the one to monitor the money. Of course, the specific mediums that one will choose will all depend on his or her personal preference and risk tolerance.

A mutual fund would usually have a standard collection of index funds, small stock funds, bonds, time deposit, and foreign stocks. One can choose the percentage of each of these mediums. A good, medium risk percentage would be forty percent index fund, fifteen percent foreign stocks, thirty percent bonds, ten percent small stocks, and point five percent money markets.

This is the best way that one will be able to wisely invest this type of retirement fund. Now, it is always best for one to know exactly how to invest in this type of fund properly so that one will be able to maximize all of the advantages. That way, he or she will not be the one taken advantage of when it comes to investing in this pool.




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