Smart401k Blog

Over the next few weeks, tens of thousands of young adults will put on a funny looking hat, walk across a stage and receive a college diploma. Bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready to take on the world, some of these graduates will move on to additional education. Some will take their first steps into full-time employment. Others will pause to take a look at life and try figure out what comes next.

Whichever boat you’re in (or your children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews are in), it’s never too early to start thinking about how you’ll advance your career and work toward the lifestyle and retirement you’ve always wanted.  (more…)

The sunshine and warmer weather can only mean one thing. You guessed it: summer is right around the corner. This time of year, there are two things you can do to prepare for a nice, relaxing summer: lawn care and 401(k) care.

The first task that I take on as summer approaches is getting my yard back in shape after months of being buried under a layer of winter frost. This usually includes re-seeding and fertilizing the lawn, followed by a few trips to the nursery to get the landscaping up to par.

In both landscaping and retirement investing, making a long-term plan can give you the most bang for your buck and, hopefully, bring years of enjoyment. (more…)

Several weeks ago, I received my annual Social Security statement and was intrigued. (The statement basically shows how much you’ve earned each year since you started working.) A part of the Q&A section on the first page caught my eye: Will Social Security still be around when I retire? (more…)

Recent years have been bumpy for the market, and following a long-term strategy has helped lots of folks stay even-keeled and wisely invested – including me. It wasn’t always easy to watch the market’s ups and downs. But I’ll keep doing what I’m supposed to do so I can stay on track with my retirement strategy.

So what did I do right? There are five basic things I’m thankful I did.

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My name is Kevin, and I have a fear of snakes.  Even though I know most of them are harmless, I cannot fight the urge to head the other direction as quickly as I can.  I’ve always been somewhat embarrassed by my excessive fear, but it turns out this is fairly common.  Studies suggest that this fear has been conditioned in humans because of the danger snakes posed for our ancestors.  And besides, the manly-man Indiana Jones was also terribly afraid of snakes.

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