7 Ways Youre Messing Up Your 401k

7 Ways Youre Messing Up Your 401kA 401k can be a magical thing. Its a tax shelter available to fruchtwein every American that can offer great returnsparticularly if you have a matching program to take advantage of. But you may not know all there is to know about this personal financial tool. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Read up on a few ways in which you might be messing with the goose that wants to lay your golden eggs, and make sure youre not doing any of unterstellung things1. elend Being MatchedIt seems obvious dont turn down free money. And you get free money if you contribute enough to trigger your companys matching plan. Usually, this is about 3-5% of your gross. Figure out what corners you need to cut to make this possible, and then smile your way to the bank.2. Not Maxing OutContributing 5% is great, but if you can configure things todo better, you definitely should. Depending on your tax bracket and age, you can defer betwee n $18k and $24k of your salary. Put in as much as you possibly canand more if you and your spouse are both working.3. Borrowing From YourselfIts so tempting, but unless youre in an absolute emergency situation, act as though your 401k is totally off-limits until retirement. Youll be penalized and taxed for withdrawals and loans come with a high tax rate. And remember if a big emergency expense does come up, you could consider using your credit instead. Worst case scenario, most 401ks remain safe in bankruptcy proceedings.4. Transferring/Cashing OutIf youre switching jobs, dont cash out your 401k or youll have to pay a 10% tax penalty. But dont just roll it over into your new employers plan either. Consider opening a traditional IRA there wont be a penalty if you follow the appropriate procedures, and then you have much more investment freedom.5. Not Upping Your ContributionEvery time your pay rises, automatically increase the size of your 401k contribution. Try living on your old sa lary and putting the whole difference away for retirement. This helps you avoid lifestyle creep and means you can retire earlier and better.6. Not Managing Your PortfolioKeep and eye on your allocations. Are you investing too much or too little in stocks? Are you risking too much or too little? How close are you to the golden retirement age? Are you being the right amount of careful for where you are in your career? Dont just fall asleep at the wheel and let good money get drained away by unanticipated market crashes.7. Not DiversifyingDont just put all of your 401k in one fund, particularly if your 401k is your primary investment source. Try to cover four categories index, growth, international, and bonds. This will spread out your risk and keep your portfolio diverse. And make sure to choose funds with low fees (i.e. expense ratios of less than 1%).

Kristen Bell is Facing Major Backlash for Criticizing Snow White But Shes Right

Kristen Bell is Facing Major Backlash for Criticizing Snow White But Shes Right Kristen Bell is a self-proclaimed mom who wants zu sich daughters to possess critical thinking and ask a hr of questions, so thats what they do when they read books. And when they close Snow White, she asks herbei daughters Lincoln, 5, and Delta, 3, about their thoughts.In an interview with Parents, she said Every time we close Snow White I look at my girls and ask, Dont you think its weird that Snow White didnt ask the old witch why she needed to eat the apple? Or where she got that apple? I say, I would never take food from a stranger, would you? And my kids are like, No And Im like, Okay, Im doing something right.She also asks them Dont you think that its weird that the prince kisses Snow White without her permission? Because you can not kiss someone if theyre sleepingBell says reading to her children is her favorite part of the day because when she glances away from the books, she gets to see their b rains working while theyre all cuddled up. And the Disney princess herself as the voice of Anna in Frozen is proud to see her children discussing these stories critically.But now, the mom of two is facing backlash for her comments. People are tweeting in outrage. Many are tweeting about people in Hollywood living in a bubble, trying to turn Disney movies into MeToo situations.Photo via TwitterOthers are arguing that its just a fairytale.Photo via TwitterAnd some are even chiming in with their anti-feminist views.Photo via TwitterBut Kristin is right, and people nonethless are coming at her for her personal opinion and seem to be more protective of a cartoon than real children.I find the outrage annoying and misplaced as well, Bell responded to one Twitter user. Im a mom who wants my girls to possess critical thinking and aks sic a ton of questions. So thats what we do when we read books.When another Twitter user accused Bell of being a hypocrite for cashing her huge check to star in Frozen, she replied, Its cute that you guys are making jokes about something that I feel is very important. Id be happy to send you copies and snow white and frozen, and you can see the differences. How far the example set for women has come. It might enlighten yur point of view.And in response to another comment about how not everything needs a message, Bell tweeted Actually, everything IS a message to our children, because they are sponges that soak up everything and are learning how to be adults through what they see. I want my girls to see and practice critical thinking and respectful behavior.Bell is working on a childrens book of her own right now, a process she says has made her appreciate of how far childrens literature has come.--AnnaMarie Houlis is a feminist, a freelance journalist and an adventure aficionado with an affinity for impulsive solo travel. She spends her days writing about womens empowerment from around the world. You can follow her work on her blog,HerRep ort.org, and follow her journeys on Instagram Facebook.