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by slg 3404 days ago
Your priority should be to contribute to your 401k up to the max company match, Roth/IRA up to federal limit (the choice between the two depends on age and income), then finally 401k up the the limit you are comfortable.

The reasoning for this order is that any company match is free money that you are leaving the table if you don't contribute. However, many 401ks have limited investment options, restrict you to a particular bank, and involve added paperwork when moving jobs. That is why Roth/IRAs come next. However, those have fairly low limits at $5,500 per year. Therefore if you are planning to save more you should take advantage of the tax breaks of a 401k before investing retirement savings in a traditional brokerage account.