Mutual Funds Are the Way to Go for IRA-401K Funding
From 1991-2007 I increased my 401K plan over 3, 000% using company stock and mutual funds, ETF's are popular, but are passive, index managed vehicles with subpar gains most of the time and hard to pick if you do not know what sector is hot.
Believe me, I did not earn a fortune in the insurance industry during the 1990's and mid-2000's. Religious payroll contribution of 6% did the trick. Plus I was in the hot service sector and my company stock increased 1200% in one case and another 500% in the other when my division was spun off. Sure, lucky me, but the 2000's brought on a private equity firm buyout of my spun off division and mutual funds were the only game in town: between 2001-2007 I increased my portfolio 11.36% annually with just Fidelity mutual funds in the Mid-Cap Value arena and the Large Cap Value arena.
The next 3-5 years looks good for stocks after we get over this final hump of the recession and the Fed starts to slowly raise interest rates in a timely manner. Company stock should do well and a 25% allocation in a 401K plan would be a prudent choice.
As far as mutual funds, I would go with a mix of Mid-Cap and Large Cap Value…the two areas that take off after a recession as new monies are put to work in R&D at small to medium sized firms and Value stocks in the Large Cap arena are the hottest new thing. Slow and steady investment and dollar cost averaging never hurt anyone, especially the 20 and 30 somethings who have time to over come downturns in the economy.
But you might be saying, why is this 50's something guy smiling after the Financial Crisis of 2008? Because I was 90% cash since late 2007! After the Dow backed down from 14, 000 level, I knew the party was over for a while. One thing all investors should have is a stop in mind for ANY investment be it investment monies or 401K monies.
The market contracts regularly on a 5%-10% correction basis and then snaps back; once the correction hits an 11% or 12% correction, the next move is a 20% correction or greater like we experienced in the Fall of 2008 and the Spring of 2000.
Watch your investments monthly or better yet bi-weekly and have a level when it dips go mainly to cash while being eligible to remain in the mutual funds you are in. Hopefully, your 401K plan is good and matches not only company stock but mutual fund contributions as well.
Become a student of the market! Its hard to do I know with a full-time job and family.
Learn and prosper!
Check out my websites: www.make100percent.com and www.thetradersalliance.com . Also look into the following mutual funds: FLPSX, FCNTX, FDVLX and TAVFX for the Value mix I spoke of earlier. These are the funds I was in and the funds that I am still invested.
Steven Kinney is a day trader and internet marketer with various websites: www.make100percent.com, www.thetradersalliance.com and www.makeingmoneyonamazon.com.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
