Questions tagged [contribution]

Money put into retirement plans, political campaigns or charities are known as contributions. Questions here may be around the limits of how much one can contribute in various situations to various plans they may access.

Money put into retirement plans, political campaigns or charities are known as contributions. Questions here may be around the limits of how much one can contribute in various situations to various plans they may access.

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What is the logic behind a 50% of X% 401(k) contribution match?

In the situation where an employer is contributing a match to a 401(k), apparently a common formula is to match 50% of employee contributions up to a percentage of their salary. I have also seen this phrased as "50 cents for every dollar". If the…
friggle
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Why would someone who thought they will work until they die contribute to a pension plan?

One of the shocking graphs going round at the moment is from many millennials expect to work until they die: Now I'm a UK millennial who wants to retire early, however if I did think I were going to work until I die, why do I have to contribute* to…
Bad_Bishop
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Do traditional and Roth 401k have the same annual contribution limit?

According to everything I can find, the annual contribution limit for both traditional and Roth 401k is the same ($16500 in 2010). Since the Roth is post-tax, doesn't that mean I can save more for retirement by maxing out a Roth 401k than by maxing…
Mark E. Haase
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Could my employer match contribution have caused me to have an excess 401K contribution?

Could my employer's match have caused me to have an excess 401K contribution? For 2020, I contributed the maximum into my 401k-Roth, $19,500. I also made a catch-up contribution (I'm eligible) to my 401k-traditional of $6500 for 2020. So I believe…
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Why is there such disparity of max contribution limits between 401K accounts and regular IRA accounts?

In 2011, regular IRA accounts allowed only $5,000 maximum contribution, while 401K accounts allowed up to $16,500. Why is there such a disparity? Why do tax advantages favor employees of large employers that can afford 401K programs?
Chirag Patel
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How much should I be contributing to my 401k given my employer's contribution?

I realize that this is similar to at least one question here, however, there are some differentiators. I can contribute a max of 5% of my net salary to the 401k fund. The employer matches 50% of whatever I contribute. So at most, the employer will…
NeedAdvice
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Is an employer within their rights to limit 401k contributions to 25% of compensation?

I would like to ask a specific question regarding employer limitations on 401k contributions. I have read other posts in the forum that explain that limitations often exist on highly compensated employees depending on the contribution level of…
EMILY
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Confusion about Roth 401K: Better for me to do pre-tax or Roth post-tax contributions?

My company offers a 401K and a Roth 401K. Given the income level of my family (married filing jointly status), IRAs aren't really an option. We're past the Roth IRA limits and get no deduction for a regular IRA. Currently I contribute to my…
justkt
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Can I make a lump sum contribution to my employer's 401(k) plan?

I recently sold a rental property and have a surplus of cash sitting around. If possible, I'd like to make a lump sum contribution to my employer's 401(k) plan. Is that possible? Or would I need to increase my contribution percentage a whole bunch…
Jacob
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Can I withdraw Roth 401k contributions penalty-free before age 59.5?

I know that with a Roth IRA, contributions can be withdrawn penalty-free at any time. If I rollover a Roth 401k into a Roth IRA, can I do the same with the contributions made to the Roth 401k? I've read that the entire Roth 401k->Roth IRA rollover…
Andrew Coleson
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Who keeps track of my contributions to my Roth IRA?

Since withdrawals up to the amount you contributed in a Roth IRA are tax and penalty free, who keeps track of that amount? I've transferred my Roth IRA from one broker to another so the new broker doesn't know the total amount I've put in. I don't…
Michael Pryor
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How to intentionally overcontribute to 401(k) to maximize new employer's matching?

I knew that I was going to leave my former company for one of the Bay Area startups. Expecting that I would not have a 401(k) account there, I frontloaded my contributions and maxed out my 401(k) account with my former employer. I'm currently at…
akavalar
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How much should I contribute to my 401(k)?

My employer allows me to contribute a certain percentage of my salary to my 401(k). My employer will also match a certain portion of my percentage. How much should I invest in my 401(k)? Should I invest the maximum or should I invest less and use…
brainimus
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If I have a 401k for a partial year can I still contribute the maximum amount?

I will only have a 401k for part of this year. Am I still able to contribute up to the maximum contribution limit ($18,500 in 2018 this year) even though I only will have the plan for part of the year? I moved from a job that did not have a 401k…
Jordan Brough
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Does employer matching count toward the yearly 401(k) limit?

The federal government limits how much I can put into a 401(k) per year. For 2017, I think it's $18,000. Is this just my contributions, or does it count employer matching?
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