401(k) vs. IRA - Which is Better For Your Extra Money?

Once you're contributing up to your company's 401(k) match , do you continue upping the % or do you jump to the IRA? This is one of the questions I get asked the most as a PF blogger (the other is probably how to start blogging or the order to pay off credit cards), and it usually comes down to personal preference. Since I mostly respond back the same way all the time, I figured I'd copy paste the question and my answer below and see if maybe YOU have some better advice on it this time

What We’ve Learned From The Recession till now?

The bear market of 2008 was a game-changer for many investors. Prior to 2008, a market decline of staggering proportions was a philosophical idea. The Great Depression was a distant event that few people alive today were even around to experience it - and most them were so young when it occurred that it had little or no impact on their personal investment portfolios. (Remember, the 401(k) wasn’t even introduced until 1978, so even the Great Depression did little to derail the retirement drea

How Can I, a Broke Recent Graduate, Start Investing?

This is a guest post by Eric, who keeps a personal finance blog, Narrow Bridge , and an Israel blog, The Israel Situation . He is a financial analyst and MBA student in Denver, Colorado. When I graduated from college and got my first job, I was excited. For the first time ever, I would have real money. In my new job I had deductions for insurance and benefits, but no 401(k) or IRA options out of the box for a new manager. I took my cash and bought lots of fun things like s

Consider Rolling Over Your 401(k)

Investing in your future seemed like a good idea. You've paid into your employer's 401(k) fund for a while now, slowly building a nest egg for those golden years. Except that now you are facing an uncertain future. Especially if you are one of the millions of baby boomers set to retire soon. Perhaps the rough economic times caused your company to downsize you right out the door? What are you doing with your 401(k) fund? Are you thinking of rolling over your 401(k) fund? Going to just leave

Quarterly goal update

I like to check in on my goals regularly to be sure that I’m making progress. (And also to make sure I haven’t forgotten any of them!) I’ve kind of been dreading it this time, because I don’t feel like I’ve made much progress, but we’ll see. In the second quarter of 2009, I’ve: Made some contributions to my Roth IRA (I was supposed to be making them monthly, but I missed April.) Continued to contribute to my 401(k) Purchased stock each month Continued tracking and evaluating expendit

Now’s time to judge your 401(k) funds (The Columbus Dispatch)

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Your first-quarter 401(k) statement arrived, but it remains unopened because you're afraid to see how much more you've lost. You're not alone.

Now what for your 401(k)? (New London Day)

Your first quarter 401(k) statement arrived in the mail, but it remains unopened because you're afraid to see how much more you've lost. You're not

First quarter 401k results a downer, now what? (The Times of Northwest Indiana)

DES MOINES, Iowa | Your first quarter 401(k) statement arrived in the mail, but it remains unopened because you're afraid to see how much more you've lost. You're not alone.

So your 401(k) is suffering - you don’t have to (San Francisco Chronicle)

Your first quarter 401(k) statement arrived in the mail, but it remains unopened because you're afraid to see how much more you've lost. You're not alone. Investors are going to see that they've continued to contribute in the first quarter and their account...