How Much Should I be putting in my 401K?

[Sho'Nuff]

Originally posted by: Darkstar757
How much should I contribute to my 401k. BTW I am 28 years old.

15%, i.e., the max. It will only sting for a couple paychecks, then you will get used to it.

but as someone else said, the minimum you should put in is up to the company match (if you are lucky enough to have one). Free money is free money, and you would be stupid not to take it.

 

[Kelemvor]

Originally posted by: woodie1
Ideally you should max it out. The very least is to contribute every cent your employer will match.

Starting as young as possile is the msot important thing.

Woodie has it exactly.

Max it out if at all possible. If not, at least put in as much as your company will match since it's free money.

 

[cliftonite]

Doing 15% now, will up it ot 20% around September time frame. That would get me close to the 15k max (25 years old)

 

[Drekce]

I put in 18% + a company match of 5%. Have been doing so since I was 23 (now 28).

 

[imported_Lothar]

If the funds in your company's 401k options are crap, what recourse does one have?

Of course match to the maximum to get free money, but after that what now?
Can one request a "partial" transfer balance from 401k to a traditional IRA?

I have zero in 401k now because I work on campus and have another part time job.
I'm just asking in case when I notice sometime in the future a job has crappy 401k fund options.