Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction: Hopping onto the 401(k) Bandwagon 1
Part 1 Understanding Your 401(k) Plan: What It Is, How It Works, And Why You Need One 11
Chapter 1 Basics of Your 401(k) Plan 13
Chapter 2 Time and Money: Your Plan's Wealth-Building Weapons 25
Chapter 3 Understanding More of the Advantages 35
Chapter 4 Borrowing from Your 401(k) Account 53
Chapter 5 Hardship Withdrawal 65
Chapter 6 ABCs of Participation 71
Chapter 7 Making Participation Easier: Automatic Enrollment 87
Chapter 8 Learning Your Way around Your Plan 95
Chapter 9 How to Withdraw Your Money 113
Chapter 10 Roth 401(k) Accounts 133
Chapter 11 Single-Participant 401(k) Plans 141
Part 2 Setting Your Financial Goals: How Much Money Will You Need? Where Will Your Retirement Income Come From? 147
Chapter 12 How Taxes Can Take a Bite from Your Payouts 149
Chapter 13 Living on Less 163
Chapter 14 Measuring How Much Income You Will Need: Making Your Retirement Budget 169
Chapter 15 How Much Money Do You Need to Save? Use the Retirement Savings Work Sheet in This Chapter to Find Out 181
Part 3 Making A Game Plan-And Winning-Understanding The Biggest Threat Against Your Retirement Finances, and Knowing How to Select Your Investments 199
Chapter 16 Inflation: What It Is, How It Erodes Your Money, and Ways to Cope with It 201
Chapter 17 Invest for the Long Haul 211
Chapter 18 Invest for Steady Growth 219
Chapter 19 Plan Ahead: Investment Strategy, Goals, and Time Horizon 231
Chapter 20 What Is a Growth Stock Fund, Anyway? 241
Chapter 21 How to Pick a Growth Stock Fund 255
Chapter 22 Premixed Funds 267
Chapter 23 How to Do Your Investment Research 275
Chapter 24 Taking Care of Your Account 283
Chapter 25 Navigating Through Tough Times 295
Chapter 26 Sources of Information 305
Index 311
