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Stock Market & Retirement Planning

I invest into 401k at 6% of my salary which my company matches with company stock.

I use the life growth option which balances the aggressiveness of the investments with the expected number of years to retirement (gets me into safer funds closer to retirement).

Beyond that, I keep an adequate balance of emergency cash on hand in savings.
 
i have a pension from the Police Department i will have one from the Fire department and i started a 457 when i got hired i put money away before i even knew i missed it and raise it when i get a raise so i don't know what i'm missing. i hope that ends up being enough for retirement but i wouldn't mind retiring from here and working at say a golf course full time or part time either.
 
401k at work with company match to 4%. Doing alright considering the market. Also have life insurance with cash value that could be worth up to 2x face value by age 64.

Hope that's enough.
 
i bought some URG stock the early this year for $1.30 a share they are in uranium production and really took a hit when all the Japan power plants went down. they were at at 3.00+ a couple years ago before they even produced any uranium and was just land.

i think this could really ramp back up when the power plants come back up this year. the risk is if something happens and more bad pub for nuclear power.
 
We've been saving through 401(k)'s from our jobs from the outset. When I look at our totals, all I see is that we are so far away from being retirement ready that I cannot envision how it could happen 25-ish years from now. Then I read that we are basically ahead of 80% of our contemporaries and that makes me worry for the world as a whole.
 
Stock Market & Retirement Planning

Yes, both wife and I max 401ks. Also add some additional $$$ to an investment account.

Hard part is determining how much we need to retire. Seems you need millions to retire comfortably, get kids through college, etc...

It seems like a lot doesn't it? I guess it is, but it's not at the same time.

We have a good planner with Ameriprise Financial. He's my third and the best by far.

Currently looking at more actions such as re-mortgaging for a full 30-years because rates are still low and the models still work to get equity out and to work for you.

Next we'll evaluate 529 plans. He thinks they are limiting and there are better approaches. Looking forward to that discussion.
 
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Speedliner said:
Yes, both wife and I max 401ks. Also add some additional $$$ to an investment account.

Hard part is determining joe much we need to retire. At this point w're shooting for $3M to get two kids through college (100%) and retire comfortably.

It seems like a lot doesn't it? I guess it is, but it's not at the same time.

We have a good planner with Ameriprise Financial. He's my third and the best by far.

Currently looking at more actions such as re-mortgaging for a full 30-years because rates are still low and the models still work to get equity out and to work for you.

Next we'll evaluate 529 plans. He thinks they are limiting and there are better approaches. Looking forward to that discussion.
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Its funny a few years ago (decades), a million bucks got it done. Nowadays, its triple that and then some it seems. I watched my grandparents retire with more money than they knew what to do with. I also watched my grandmother live to be 103 and outlive her money.
 
#Cookie said:
I invest into 401k at 6% of my salary which my company matches with company stock.

I use the life growth option which balances the aggressiveness of the investments with the expected number of years to retirement (gets me into safer funds closer to retirement).

Beyond that, I keep an adequate balance of emergency cash on hand in savings.
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This is pretty similar to me. Wish my employer 100% matched though, they match 50% of your contributions up to 6%. It's something, but I've heard better. At least they also give me discounted prices on shares of stock.
 
Speedliner said:
Next we'll evaluate 529 plans. He thinks they are limiting and there are better approaches. Looking forward to that discussion.
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Yeah, 529's are interesting. The prepaid accounts only work for tuition, not for room and board, books, or computers. Our advisor, also from Ameriprise, suggested the investment account 529. We have one for each kid and they are growing wonderfully. Hopefully we will have enough to pay 100%, at least for undergrad. Anything past that and they are on their own.
 
I wish I understood the stock market and investing, I honestly have zero clue though.
 
I have a company match up to 6% 401K. I contribute 10% into.

I also have a couple of Roth IRAs as well.

I want to get into the investing, my buddy has an investment account with ING I think and is always telling me about it and I want to do it, I just never do.
 
401 k and Ira for me.

3 girls I'll be working for the rest of my life.

Have done some stock trading here and there, had a few solid years.

Amazing the lack of thought some people put into their 401k options. My mom for example was making like 4% for a few years til I got involved, now the last 3 years have been between 12 and 18.5% ROI.
 
Speedliner said:
Yes, both wife and I max 401ks. Also add some additional $$$ to an investment account.

Hard part is determining joe much we need to retire. At this point w're shooting for $3M to get two kids through college (100%) and retire comfortably.

It seems like a lot doesn't it? I guess it is, but it's not at the same time.

We have a good planner with Ameriprise Financial. He's my third and the best by far.

Currently looking at more actions such as re-mortgaging for a full 30-years because rates are still low and the models still work to get equity out and to work for you.

Next we'll evaluate 529 plans. He thinks they are limiting and there are better approaches. Looking forward to that discussion.
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Id love to hear his logic/argument that there are better approaches to college savings than a 529...


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JB said:
Its funny a few years ago (decades), a million bucks got it done. Nowadays, its triple that and then some it seems. I watched my grandparents retire with more money than they knew what to do with. I also watched my grandmother live to be 103 and outlive her money.
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That is our largest fear, you really cannot save too much if you are working for a living. Not too many are already independently wealthy.
 
Girardcorp said:
Id love to hear his logic/argument that there are better approaches to college savings than a 529...


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I'll gladly pass it one once we get back to that item. First light discussion was that 529s are inflexible and it's possible to over fund them. He suggests increasing 401k contributions as most plans allow more than the 10% that we assume is max, and reducing, or maybe optimizing is a better word, 529 contributions.

In that way you can borrow against the 401k for college (if not old enough to use when college comes around) and not risk over-funding a 529. Investment options may be superior too, but depends on your plans. There was a little more to it but that was the jist.
 
mikedean441 said:
401 k and Ira for me.

3 girls I'll be working for the rest of my life.

Have done some stock trading here and there, had a few solid years.

Amazing the lack of thought some people put into their 401k options. My mom for example was making like 4% for a few years til I got involved, now the last 3 years have been between 12 and 18.5% ROI.
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Wow MD, wanna get involved in mine!!
 
We are essentially a single income family so I need to be investing regularly and in low risk fashion.

My company matches up to 7% for my 401K. It would be foolish to not put in at least 7%. I put in enough to max my 401K contribution limit each year.

My company offers a great stock buying program for top performers each year. Essentially, you buy 2 shares at 40% off current market value and get a 3rd share for free. Again, it would be foolish not to participate in this plan and I have every year since I've been eligible. The stock price has generally risen each year but even if it stayed flat or dipped this is a fantastic investment.

Other than that, I have a continually growing (slowly) savings account.
 
I have a SEP-IRA That will be my pension starting at 59.5 years of age. I also have market investments that if all goes according to plan I can live on from 55 to 59.5 years of age. So if everything goes according to plan I will be retired in 9 years :)
 
Yes, I am the sole provider for my family and have saved fairly aggressively for the last several years. I took last year off due to medical expenses and other things, but I feel like I am in a pretty good spot for my age. I do not invest on my own and instead look to professionals and invest in target retirement funds.
 
I'm retired. The only stocks that I have left are those that were part of stock purchase plans in the companies I worked for, which thankfully are pretty steady.
 
I'm glad this thread came along. It made me take a peek at my statements. Turns out when I changed jobs last year, part of the rollover money went into a Roth I have, and it's just sitting there. I haven't purchased any stocks or anything with it. It's not much money, but now I am wishing I had bought more ELY last year. Anybody have any good tips?
 
Erky said:
I'm glad this thread came along. It made me take a peek at my statements. Turns out when I changed jobs last year, part of the rollover money went into a Roth I have, and it's just sitting there. I haven't purchased any stocks or anything with it. It's not much money, but now I am wishing I had bought more ELY last year. Anybody have any good tips?
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ELY still.
 
Erky said:
Well, that was fun. Just bought 240 more shares.
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I think its trading at about 10.30 today. Cost averaged out for you has to have you well ahead of the game.
 
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