Match & Out Strategy: 401(k) and Roth IRA

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Oct 12, 2026

Discover the “Match and Out” approach to maximizing retirement savings. Learn how to coordinate employer 401(k) matches, Roth IRAs, backdoor Roth contributions, Solo 401(k)s, HSAs, and spousal participation. The discussion also explores side-business income, advanced contribution strategies, and year-end planning for building a disciplined, tax-advantaged retirement system.

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ADVICE

Capture The Match Before Contributing More

Contribute enough to your workplace 401(k) to capture the full employer match, then reassess where additional dollars should go.
A 4% match on a $100,000 salary requires $4,000 from you and produces another $4,000 from the company.

ADVICE

Use A Backdoor Roth After The Match

Direct post-match contributions toward a Roth IRA for broader investment choices, potentially lower fees, and tax-free qualified growth.
High earners can use a backdoor Roth by making a nondeductible traditional IRA contribution and converting it.

ANECDOTE

A Physician Stacks Consulting Income Into Retirement

A hospital physician contributed to his employer 401(k) only enough for the match, then used consulting and temporary 1099 work to fund a Solo 401(k).
Separate self-employment income allowed him to add retirement contributions beyond the workplace plan.

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If you're ready to take greater control of your retirement investments, Directed IRA can help you open a self-directed IRA or Solo 401(k) and explore investment opportunities beyond the traditional stock market, including real estate, private lending, private companies, and more.

How can you maximize your retirement savings by strategically using a 401(k), Roth IRA, and Solo 401(k)? In this episode of the Directed IRA Podcast, Mat Sorensen and Mark J. Kohler break down the “Match and Out” strategy, a practical approach to making the most of your available retirement accounts and building tax-advantaged wealth.

Rather than automatically putting every retirement dollar into your employer-sponsored 401(k), Mat and Mark explain how to prioritize employer matching contributions, explore Roth IRA opportunities, and layer additional retirement accounts to potentially increase how much you can save each year.

In this episode, they cover:

The Match and Out Strategy: Why taking full advantage of your employer's 401(k) match is often the first step in your retirement savings plan.
Roth IRA Strategies: How a Roth IRA can offer greater investment flexibility and tax-free growth, including the backdoor Roth IRA strategy for eligible high-income earners.
Maximizing a Solo 401(k): How self-employed individuals and people with side businesses or consulting income may be able to contribute to a Solo 401(k) alongside an employer-sponsored plan.
Stacking Retirement Accounts: How to coordinate multiple retirement accounts to maximize contributions and take advantage of available tax benefits.
Involving Your Spouse: How a spouse who works in a qualifying business may be able to participate in a Solo 401(k) strategy.
Year-End Retirement Planning: Why the final months of the year can be an important time to review your income, employer match, and retirement contribution strategy.

For questions or to learn more about this episode's topic, book a call with an IRA specialist here: https://directedira.com/appointment/

Interested in learning more about alternative investments? Join us this year at the Alternative Asset Summit October 22 & 23, where you'll hear from industry experts and connect with like-minded investors exploring new ways to build wealth: https://altassetsummit.com/

Other:

Mat Sorensen: https://matsorensen.com

Mark J. Kohler: https://markjkohler.com/

KKOS Lawyers: https://kkoslawyers.com

Main Street Business https://mainstreetbusiness.com