How much are you losing on your 401k?

[kt]

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
I'm afraid to look.

I looked.. now I get to be depressed for the rest of the week.

 

[finite automaton]

-2%, but half of my 401k is in bonds and a stable fund. Will be fixing that ASAP. (I'm still a noob at this)

 

[Casawi]

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

What was the % loss in cash out?

 

[Engineer]

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
I'm afraid to look.

Not only afraid, it hurt my feelings the last time I did. Made me want to curl up into a fetal position and cry!

 

[dullard]

The stock market is down, thus I (and most of the rest of you) are GAINING MONEY. To the uneducated investor, it may seem like the money is going down. But they aren't considering the next stock market rebound.

The more the stock market goes down, the more shares we buy with each paycheck, and the richer we'll be when it goes back up. This dip could very well be the best financial thing possible to you. Just as long as it doesn't dip so low that you lose your job, you are golden.

 

[oddyager]

4-5% loss so far this year.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

I hope you are like 65 years old...

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Wow. Are you 50+ years old? If not you're an idiot.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Or, you could have converted it to cash within the 401k, and bought back when the stock market was down. You'd be up 10% or more depending on your timing. Instead, you took a guaranteed and virtually permanent loss.

 

[V00DOO]

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
I'm afraid to look.

I'll go into a depression if I look :|

 

[Casawi]

Originally posted by: dullard
The stock market is down, thus I (and most of the rest of you) are GAINING MONEY. To the uneducated investor, it may seem like the money is going down. But they aren't considering the next stock market rebound.

The more the stock market goes down, the more shares we buy with each paycheck, and the richer we'll be when it goes back up. This dip could very well be the best financial thing possible to you. Just as long as it doesn't dip so low that you lose your job, you are golden.

Oh I know, That's why we hold tight

 

[Martin]

+3% so far this year.

Although that's not really fair - when I was putting money in my RRSPs earlier this year, I thought I'd better get a 1 year 4.5% GIC, since I thought with the credit crunch and talk of recessions that GIC was likely to outperform the market.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

Most all of it (97%) is in a MMF now. I'm making money now instead of hemorrhaging it!

 

[Nitemare]

-10% right now

 

[JDub02]

Originally posted by: Engineer

Originally posted by: SpunkyJones
I'm afraid to look.

Not only afraid, it hurt my feelings the last time I did. Made me want to curl up into a fetal position and cry!

pretty much. i figure i'm better off not looking. at least my ING account keeps going up

 

[randay]

i was at -22 since friday. after today ill probably be back to -25/26.

 

[clamum]

None because I haven't signed up for it though I'm eligible at work. I really need to stop being a lazy dipshit and do so since the market is down.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: iFX

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

Most all of it (97%) is in a MMF now. I'm making money now instead of hemorrhaging it!

If you cashed it out in July 2008, that means you just sold at the market's bottom. Congratulations.

You would have done far better in the long run buying and holding.

You might also want to look into a portfolio that is more in line with your risk tolerance so you are not tempted to sell every time the market drops.

 

[randay]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

Most all of it (97%) is in a MMF now. I'm making money now instead of hemorrhaging it!

If you cashed it out in July 2008, that means you just sold at the market's bottom. Congratulations.

You would have done far better in the long run buying and holding.

You might also want to look into a portfolio that is more in line with your risk tolerance so you are not tempted to sell every time the market drops.

SELL LOW BUY HIGH!!!

 

[Deeko]

-1.6% on the year.....My company match is put into the company's stock, which is actually doing pretty well.

 

[Ramma2]

No 401k for me, PERA retirement plan + I Bonds.

 

[Rage187]

I put in 7% and the company matches me on 3%. So 10% goes in every paycheck.

 

[HannibalX]

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

Most all of it (97%) is in a MMF now. I'm making money now instead of hemorrhaging it!

If you cashed it out in July 2008, that means you just sold at the market's bottom. Congratulations.

You would have done far better in the long run buying and holding.

You might also want to look into a portfolio that is more in line with your risk tolerance so you are not tempted to sell every time the market drops.

Sour grapes? Worry about yourself.

I do not depend on 401k for retirement. If you do, I pitty you.

 

[Special K]

Originally posted by: iFX

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX

Originally posted by: Special K

Originally posted by: iFX
So much I cashed it out in July! The penalty was WAY less than what I had already lost and what I was projected to lose.

Cashed out as in took the money completely out of your 401k, or cashed out as in you sold your stock funds and moved the money into an MMF?

Most all of it (97%) is in a MMF now. I'm making money now instead of hemorrhaging it!

If you cashed it out in July 2008, that means you just sold at the market's bottom. Congratulations.

You would have done far better in the long run buying and holding.

You might also want to look into a portfolio that is more in line with your risk tolerance so you are not tempted to sell every time the market drops.

Sour grapes? Worry about yourself.

I do not depend on 401k for retirement. If you do, I pitty you.

I don't have sour grapes because I didn't sell low.

Why would you pity someone who relies on an account in which the contributions grow tax free? Where else can you get a deal like that, aside from a Roth IRA, which has an annual contribution limit ~1/3 that of a 401k?

Your only other alternative is taxable accounts, and I don't see how you could possibly think those are a better deal than a 401k unless your 401k has extraordinarily poor investment choices and/or your employer doesn't provide a match.