How to Pick the Right Target-Date Fund - 72

Your 401(k) plan options probably include at least one target-date fund. Joe Anderson, CFP® and Alan Clopine, CPA discuss this one-step strategy for investing for retirement in episode 72 of the YMYW podcast, then answer listeners' investing questions. Original publish date October 8, 2016 (hour 2). Note that content may be outdated as rules and regulations have changed.

00:00 - Intro

02:47 - “Unfortunately, a lot of you are not using these target-date funds correctly…first of all, a target-date fund has its own allocation.”

07:53 - “There are two expenses in any investment: expense ratios and then the other cost is risk.”

11:32 - “Should I withhold my taxes when purchasing a home?”

17:06 - “Will I be taxed if I don’t touch the funds in a transferred IRA?”

19:21 - “We now have a monthly standing lunch n’ learn; it’s called Road to Retirement…it’s an introduction to financial planning and the key areas you should look at. We’ll go into some specific strategies when it comes to taxes, Social Security, investments.”

22:02 - “What are the pros and cons of investing before/after tax dollars into a 401(k)?”

26:34 - “If we were disciplined enough to save those tax savings and invest it, we’d probably come out ahead…but most of us don’t do that and we just spend whatever we have.”

28:59 - “What should I do with my portion of my ex-husband's IRA?”

32:47 - “I am 51 years old and finally in a job which offers a 401(k) option…should I invest in my 401(k) or pay off my debt?”

35:58 - “Even if I don’t have an [employer] match, I still want to save for retirement and I don’t want to ignore it. The longer you give that money to compound, the more you’re going to have. So the sooner you start saving, the better.”