5 Ways Your 401(k) Will be Changed in 2009

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the gov will not let you take your 401K funds and move them to a savings account, they want the tax , why not let everyone move it for a short time.

jc of OH 5:41PM March 05, 2009

With this kind of economy that we all faced it, Why don't we have 401k CD or self direct brokeage? In this case, we still have some money left no matter what stock market up or down.

QuyG of VA 9:53PM March 02, 2009

We can't do it over again but we can try and analyze the situation for the young.
I see a lot of stories and situations across the news, on the blogs, all over the Internet. What I don't see much of is people in general trying to reflect on the reasons their difficulties came about, in language the average young person can understand. Even though we're all hurting from our current situation, isn't it worthwhile to add a few thoughts directed at those who are experiencing the failure of the "system" for the first time? Simple one-liners like "diversify" or "save for retirement" aren't enough. Thoughts like "sustainable economic growth" and "fiscal accountability" should be things we aim for next time, and achieved not just by changing rules and making speeches, but by instilling in the young people the knowledge that these concepts built into our system are necessities for the future. That is the long-term solution.

keith edwards of AZ 5:10PM March 02, 2009

I'm one of the most educated 401k specialist in usa the 401k system is all reeady broke and i'm not talking about this recent crash. everyone watch Bloomberg video hidden fee video.

ryan of MI 12:50PM March 02, 2009

All of this advice is great for those that still have paying jobs that cover their bills. In my case, I have a job, but at 80% less than my career job was....I have drained my 401ks just to pay the bills. Something has gotta give. I have gone through almost 120k and lost the rest to the stock market.

s. young of TN 12:41PM March 02, 2009

would like to see expanded investment options to say a family of investments like Vanguard of fidelity , plans too restrictive with poor performing choices
we just cut our match by 2/3 for 2009 at least and no salary actions

Ray Gerhart of NY 7:10AM March 02, 2009

My husband worked for gm for 32 years...never had a match...wish people would get the facts straight...buy AMERICAN and keep us working

catherine Lemberger of MO 10:39PM February 27, 2009

Speaking as an employee of a company who suspended the 401k match, I can tell you that most of us would rather have our job than the 401k match right now. Sure, suspending the match hurts and will cost us a lot of compounding, but if my company decided to cut my job instead of my match, there would be no money going into that account at all.
I would much prefer the temporary suspension of my 401k match to the loss of my entire income.

Michelle Smith of NY 11:33AM February 14, 2009

Stop buying at Starbucks, GM, Motorola, FedEx and anyone else who robs employees of the matching they agreed to pay when their people were hired.
It is a gross violation of trust and breaks the employer code of loyalty to fail people when they are old, and these companies are failing to set aside today what their retired people need for dignity in their old age. Shame on them! Shame on American workers for letting them do this without a fight.
To discontinue Defined Benefits in favor of Defined Contributions from employees who set aside 3-5% of pay in overpriced, hidden-fee-laden offerings from Wall Street bandits is bad enough. But to STOP matching and cut a big hole in society's safety net is appalling.
Stop buying from the employers who stop matching.

Davis Jackson of NY 2:29PM February 13, 2009