Financial Tip #5: Maximize the 401(k) match and then contribute to IRAs

Maximize the employer matching contribution then save additional funds in an IRA!

Tip #5:  A worker at a firm with a 401(k) plan that has high fees should maximize receipt of the employer match and divert additional funds to a low-cost IRA.

Analysis:

The Situation:

  • Worker has access to a 401(k) plan that matches contributions equal to 5.0% of salary.
  • The 401(k) plan has an annual fee equal to 1.3% of assets.
  • Vanguard and Fidelity offer a deductible IRA with an annual fee of 0.3% of assets.

The Choice:

  • Choice One: Contribute 10 percent of income to a 401(K) 
  • Choice Two: Contribute 5% percent of income to a 401(K) and 5.0% of income to an IRA.

Additional Assumptions:

  • The person earns $75,000 per year for 35 years.
  • The return on investments prior to fees is 6.0% per year.
  • Contributions are bi-weekly

The Outcome:

  • Choice One:  Wealth at Retirement $998,933 all in a 401(K).
  • Choice Two: Wealth at Retirement $1,083,089, with both 401(K) and IRA.
  • Additional wealth from diverting funds to an IRA is $83,876.

Concluding Remarks:   Many financial advisors ignore fees and recommend maximizing contributions to a 401(k) plan.  A better solution is to maximize the employer match and divert additional savings to a low-cost IRA.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.