15 Startling Reasons Why Your 401(k) May Be Your Riskiest Investment

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Financial institutions have a distinct genius for marketing. They are able to get millions of Americans to hand over their money with very little thought taken, very little knowledge of the so-called investments offered, and even less control of their investments.

When the evidence is plainly presented, it becomes overwhelmingly clear that putting money into 401(k)s and similar qualified plans is not investing at all--it is one of the riskiest gambles for most individuals. Read the following reasons why I say this, and ask yourself if it's time to reconsider your 401(k).

1. Limited Opportunity For Cash Flow

Qualified retirement plans, such as 401(k)s and IRAs, do not provide immediate cash flow, which means that you cannot benefit from them through velocity and utilization. The theory is that letting the money sit allows it to compound, but for most people this really means that it stagnates. Most people will not choose to utilize these funds even when a particularly compelling opportunity arises that will make them far more than the 401(k) would, even accounting for the penalties. This means that numerous legitimate opportunities are passed by as people stay "in it for the long haul."

2. Lack of Liquidity

The money is tied up with penalties attached for early withdrawal. Although there are a few technicalities that allow penalty-free withdrawals, the restrictions are so numerous that very few know how to get around them.

3. Market Dependency

The performance of the funds is dependent upon market factors that most individuals do not have the knowledge nor the ability to understand or mitigate. This means that your retirement plans are based on unknowable projections, making for a dangerous and uncertain planning environment. Uncertainty causes fear, and fear leads to mistakes, worry, scarcity, and ultimately lost hopes and dreams. Do you want to live your ideal life only if the market cooperates?

4. The Match Myth

"Take the match--it's a guaranteed 100 a year, based on an average return of 8 annually, but that means that some years will be lower, some will be higher. If in one year your fund is down 10%, you're tapping into your principal to take your interest withdrawal. At that point, you have only two choices: 1) start withdrawing principal, or 2) leave the money alone until your funds are up again.

14. No Holistic Plan

I've witnessed on many occasions people whose finances are in shambles and although they have much more pressing needs, they diligently contribute to their 401(k). They've been convinced to do so, of course, because of the match, tax deferral, etc. It's like a person trying to take care of a scraped knee when their wrist is slit. What they really need is a macroeconomic approach to their finances that will help them identify, prioritize, and manage all pieces of their financial puzzle, with all pieces coordinated and working together.

15. Neglect of Stewardship

Ultimately, the most destructive aspect of 401(k)s is that they cause many individuals to abdicate their responsibility, abandon self-reliance, and neglect their stewardship over their own prosperity. People think that if they just throw enough money at the "experts" that somehow, some way, and without their direct involvement they will end up thirty years later with a lot of money. And when things don't turn out that way they think they can blame others--despite the fact that they only have themselves to blame.

Conclusion

Qualified plans are promoted on such a wide scale because those promoting it have vested interests--and their interests don't necessarily coincide with yours.

If you currently contribute to a 401(k), stop and think about it for a minute. What is it really doing for you, now and in the future? The desire to save money for retirement is wise and prudent, but after reading the above, do you think it's possible to find other investment philosophies, products, and strategies that would meet your financial objectives much more quickly and safely than a qualified plan? Are you really comfortable exposing yourself to this much risk? How can you mitigate your risk, increase your returns, and create safe and sustainable investments? How can you create more control and better exit strategies, reduce your tax burden, and increase your cash flow?

Your financial future depends on your answers to these questions.

A 401(k) plan is an employer sponsored plan

A 401(k) plan is an employer sponsored plan. The employer makes direct contributions to the account that are deducted from the employee's paycheck. Most companies will match the paycheck contribution up to a certain percentage. In general, the contributions are before tax dollars and grow tax deferred until they are withdrawn. After-tax contributions are also allowed.

You should contribute as much as you can to your 401(k). Don't overextend yourself, but you don't want to waste the opportunity to deposit tax free, tax deferred money and have it matched. The amount the company matches you for is free money. Don't let it go.

In 2005, the maximum before tax annual contribution that an employee can make is $14,000. If the employee is over 50 years of age, he or she can contribute $16,000. The limit is set to increase by $1,000 in 2006.

Your 401(k) is simply an account; you chose the investments within the account. There is usually an array of mutual funds presented to you, but you must decide the allocations. There is no one to advice you when it comes to role fees and expenses that will affect your overall returns.

First, decide how much risk you are willing to assume. How much volatility within the portfolio can you stand?

If you are in your 20's and early 30's you have the time to be aggressive with your investments. The time factor allows you to recover from slumps in the stock market. As you age, your investments should become more conservative to protect your earnings.

Many 401(k) plans have tools, such as online calculators and worksheets, which help you in determining how much risk you should accept. The best tool is often to seek the advice of a competent financial planner. It is worth it to hire a planner to evaluate your assets and earning ability if the end result is a comfortable retirement.

If you find that you are in need of money, most plans will allow you to borrow up to 50% of your vested balance, but not over $50,000. You usually have to repay the money with interest within five years. The interest payments go into your account, so you are paying yourself the interest. There are downsides, though.

The money you have withdrawn as a loan isn't appreciating. The original contributions were made with pre-tax dollars, but the money you payback is after-tax. If you don't pay back the money it will be considered a normal distribution, and taxed and penalized.

If you leave the company, in most cases you will want to take your 401(k) with you. You can role it over into another company's 401(k) plan program or into your own IRA at a brokerage. With an IRA, you will have more control over your account, and better investment options.

Whatever you do with your IRA, make sure that you follow all procedures to the point. You don't want to accidentally withdraw your money and have to pay the taxes and penalties. This is a very costly mistake.

If you are an entrepreneur, you can open an individual 401(k). This gives you the option of investing thousands of dollars more than in other kinds of self-employment retirement accounts. An individual, or solo, 401(k) is available to businesses that only have the owner and spouse as employees. This means that if you work for someone else and have a business on the side, you can open an individual 401(k).

27,400 Cases of Identity Theft Daily - Will You Be Next?

Keywords:
identity theft protection, prevent identity theft, identity theft prevention

Did you know that within the United States alone, there are 10,000,000 victims of identity theft every year. That is a stunning 27,400 cases every day or 1,140 victims every hour. What is even more disturbing is that by all indications, this problem will get worse before it starts to get better.

Identity theft happens when your personal information is stolen and used to commit fraud. This is a very serious offence that can ruin your good name and credit, and cost you lots of time and money.

Have you put anything in place to protect yourself from this problem? Identity thieves can only take advantage of you if they get valuable information from you such as your social security number. Here are some pointers on how to protect yourself from this crime, detect it, and report it.

One of the first things you can do to protect yourself from this menace is not to keep your social security card or any form of identification that has your SSN on it, on your person. Memorize your SSN and keep your Social Security Card in a secure safe at home or at a bank. Do not divolge your SSN to anyone without first knowing exactly what they are going to do with it and how they are going to store and protect it.

Never give out personal information on the phone or internet unless you are absolutely sure you know who you are dealing with, and that the information being requested is necessary.

Obtain your FREE credit report annually from the three national consumer reporting agencies, and carefully review them. Review your financial accounts regularly, looking particularly for charges you did not make.

Be very careful with the disposal of your trash. You should invest in a small shredder, so that you can shred any document you wish to dispose of, especially those that may have sensitive information on them such as credit card statements or health insurance forms.

If you should ever become a victim of identity theft, you must act very quickly and do the following:

Contact your credit card company and have your credit card(s) cancelled.
Contact at least one of the three free national consumer reporting companies, and have them put a fraud alert on your file.
Contact each creditor where your credit has been misused, and inform them about the fraud. Ensure that you follow this up in writing.
Contact your local police department and report the fraud, and get a copy of the police report. This will be a very valuable document to prove that you are a victim of identity theft and that you have reported the matter to the police. This should therefore protect you from debt collectors.

100 Per Cent Remortgage

Keywords:
Mortgage, Remortgage

When an individual refinances the full value of your home, they are essentially taking out all of the value of the property. It will cost. One will typically be required to pay up to three percent of the home’s total value to cover closing costs. Also because one is using up all of the equity in your home, they will, in most cases, have to purchase private mortgage insurance. However, if one works with a sub-prime lender, they may be able to get the insurance waived. Refinancing will provide some tax benefits. Individuals will be able to deduct interest and closing costs.

A 100 percent refinance will be more expensive then a typical refinance. This is because one is borrowing against the full value of their home. To find the very best rates, one will need to do some research. There are plenty of online mortgage websites that will pit lenders against each other to refinance your home. One will be able to compare the rates and terms of different mortgage companies. To speed this process up, an individual should be sure that they have some idea about the value of their home, their credit score, how much debt they have and their income and other assets. This will enable them to receive a realistic quote and give them some idea regarding their options.

When looking to refinance the full value of ones’ home, one may have to be creative with financing. Besides a straight 100 percent refinance, one might consider refinancing two different mortgage loans. This allows individuals to forgo private, mortgage insurance (PMI), which will cost hundreds of dollars a year. Two, separate refinance loans also allows one to structure terms differently for each loan. One loan can be borrowed at a fixed rate, while the other one at an adjustable rate. There are many different options. One is only limited by their imagination, credit score and the condition of the property.

For individuals who need a large sum of money fast, refinancing and cashing out the full value of one’s home, is one way to get it. There are many reasons that an individual may consider doing this. Paying for a child’s college tuition, investing, purchasing more property, paying off debt, or making home repairs are a few reasons. Because one can lose their home if they are unable to pay back the loan, a 100 percent refinance should be carefully considered beforehand. There are likely to be higher monthly payments and private mortgage insurance, so one must be fully confident that will be able to successfully absorb these costs before proceeding.

100 Percent Mortgages

Keywords:
mortgage, remortgage, 100 mortgage

People interested in a 100 percent refinance are looking to cash out the total value of their homes. This type of loan does not require any down payment and one can use the money for anything that they like. Fixing up one’s home, paying off bills, or going on vacation are all legitimate options.

When an individual refinances the full value of your home, they are essentially taking out all of the value of the property. It will cost. One will typically be required to pay up to three percent of the home’s total value to cover closing costs. Also because one is using up all of the equity in your home, they will, in most cases, have to purchase private mortgage insurance. However, if one works with a sub-prime lender, they may be able to get the insurance waived. Refinancing will provide some tax benefits. Individuals will be able to deduct interest and closing costs. To find the very best rates, one will need to do some research. There are plenty of online mortgage websites that will pit lenders against each other to refinance your home. One will be able to compare the rates and terms of different mortgage companies. To speed this process up, an individual should be sure that they have some idea about the value of their home, their credit score, how much debt they have and their income and other assets. This will enable them to receive a realistic quote and give them some idea regarding their options.

When looking to refinance the full value of ones’ home, one may have to be creative with financing. Besides a straight 100 percent refinance, one might consider refinancing two different mortgage loans. This allows individuals to forgo private, mortgage insurance (PMI), which will cost hundreds of dollars a year. Two, separate refinance loans also allows one to structure terms differently for each loan. One loan can be borrowed at a fixed rate, while the other one at an adjustable rate. There are many different options. One is only limited by their imagination, credit score and the condition of the property.

For individuals who need a large sum of money fast, refinancing and cashing out the full value of one’s home, is one way to get it. There are many reasons that an individual may consider doing this. Paying for a child’s college tuition, investing, purchasing more property, paying off debt, or making home repairs are a few reasons. Because one can lose their home if they are unable to pay back the loan, a 100 percent refinance should be carefully considered beforehand. There are likely to be higher monthly payments and private mortgage insurance, so one must be fully confident that will be able to successfully absorb these costs before proceeding.

401k Retirement Plans Explained

401k retirement plans are special types of accounts, financed through pre-tax payroll deductions. The funds in your account are invested in various ways. Your funds can be invested through any number of stocks, mutual funds, and other ways, and it is not taxed on any capital gains or interest until the money is pulled out or withdrawn. Congress approved this retirement savings plan in 1981, and its name was rooted from the section of the Internal Revenue Code that contains it, which is obviously, section 401k. One great advantage of this retirement plan is that the tax treatment is complimentary. Moreover, capital gains, interest and dividends are not levied until they are pulled out or withdrawn.

In terms of its investment customization and flexibility, 401k retirement plans offer employees and workers an extensive array of options and preferences as to how their property and assets are invested through time. Moreover, many businesses and companies permit employees to obtain company stock for their 401k retirement plan at a cut rate. However, many pecuniary consultants and counselors are not in favor of holding a significant percentage of your 401k plan in the shares of your boss or manager.

So what are 401k plans? If you are like most people, you probably have questions about your 401k retirement plan. You may be wondering how a 401k actually takes place, precisely what a 401k retirement plan is, or how you can be capable of stimulating the diminishing balance in your 401k plan. So how does a 401k plan actually work? If your company offers a 401k retirement plan, you can agree to join. You can also have the selection option of choosing the amount of funds you wish to put in from an inventory of funds presented in the 401k plan. Your payment will routinely be deducted from your pay check before taxes.

Every worker can invest up to a defined proportion of his wage into a 401k plan. Your involvement, along with any coordinated contributions from your employer, are then endowed into your chosen funds. These funds will produce interest before being taxed, and can be withdrawn when you reach 60 years of age. At this point in time, you must pay the income tax on the withdrawn funds. Furthermore, there are methods and means wherein you can pull out your funds before age 60. However, these early withdrawals frequently call for a penalty in conjunction with the payment of taxes.

A 401k retirement plan is an employer-subsidized retirement plan, and it is categorized into two groups: defined benefit and defined contribution. With this defined benefit plan, the employer pledges to give a distinct sum to those who want to retire and those who meet specified eligibility standards and measures.