Comments on: Know Your 401k Retirement Plan Fees

By: Should You Still Invest In Your 401k? - Amateur Asset Allocator

Should You Still Invest In Your 401k? - Amateur Asset Allocator — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:01:39 +0000

[...] in light of all the recent market carnage. While it’s true that many 401k plans are full of expensive, poorly-performing mutual funds (like mine), they still have plenty of benefits that make them [...]

By: Vanguard Index Funds Are Not The Cheapest In Town - Amateur Asset Allocator

Vanguard Index Funds Are Not The Cheapest In Town - Amateur Asset Allocator — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:18:38 +0000

[...] are tax consequences to switching – If you invest entirely within your 401k or IRA you don’t have to worry about it, but the rest of us have to deal with the tax [...]

By: Managing Your 401k Plan

Managing Your 401k Plan — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:31:04 +0000

[...] Know Your 401k Retirement Plan Fees. [...]

By: Carol Skinner

Carol Skinner — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:19:25 +0000

While I applaud your efforts to better educate plan participants, I encourage a better understanding of the 5500. In your article, “Know your 401k fees” you mistaked how a participant can determine how much of their account is “used to pay the bills” and thereby excludes from the investment return calculation. The line item on the 5500 filing entitled, Net Adm Expenses includes MORE than just plan fees. The 5500 form includes benefit payments as an “expense” to the plan, so the net Adm Expense amount INCLUDES the amount paid out to participants. Your overarching logic is correct in that a participant can determine what is being ‘lost’ to internal fees, but the calculation must use only the total of Adm and Investment fees as a divisor into the total plan assets. Additionally, I suggest half-weighting the contributions and benefit payments against the beginning balance, instead of using the ending plan balance. Traditionally, contributions and payments are made throughout the year, not as of the beginning of the year.

By: Friday Link Love And Carnival Roundup | Amateur Asset Allocator

Friday Link Love And Carnival Roundup | Amateur Asset Allocator — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:51:56 +0000

[...] a Tennessee fan but I won’t hold that against him. Special thanks for including my post on knowing your 401k plan fees. A few of my favorite [...]

By: Curt

Curt — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 20:51:52 +0000

These fees really suck. I don’t have time to figure these out. I’m better off not putting any money into my 401k in the first place. I don’t believe the ‘free money’ argument pitched by most financial advisers (most of them also believed in the financial industry).

I think people would be better off paying off their debts and creating a savings account. Saving for retirement before getting out of debt is a foolish idea – even with a company match – that will likely be gone by the time you can take the money out anyway.

The only good that the govenment created 401k savings plan has brought is that it provided the stock market with a base that cannot be quickly sold. That base is not found in foreign markets, which is why they can dive 50-70% very quickly .