Author Topic: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!  (Read 26635 times)

CtrlMagicDel

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #50 on: January 21, 2015, 02:38:38 PM »
This year I set it to 90% until I max out in Feb/March depending on bonuses - raises last year were pretty good and I'm finally getting to the point where I don't feel so bad about going salary. Tried setting higher than 90% but our system doesn't allow that. I complained to HR about it and must have been the first person to ever do so because they thought it could be set to 99%. Roth is already funded so I'll probably spend a couple of months building my savings back up and then throw the rest at my mortgage or Vanguard funds.

seattlecyclone

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #51 on: January 21, 2015, 04:31:23 PM »
There's not much practical difference between a 90% contribution and a 99% contribution because of payroll taxes. You have to pay social security and medicare taxes (7.65%) on your whole bonus (unless your bonus is somehow large enough to put you over the social security income limit for the year already). Then because you had this 7.65% go toward payroll taxes instead of your 401(k), they have to withhold some income tax for that portion of your pay. All in all this means that they have to withhold roughly 10% of your bonus check even if you are allowed to specify 99% 401(k) withholding.

MrsCoolCat

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #52 on: January 21, 2015, 09:14:49 PM »
Wow h2ogal,  I'm kinda doing something similar. I'm starting off 2015 with steam. I like having a larger safety net so I opted for x9% which will bring me to $18k at the end of the 26 week (bi-weekly) yearly pay cycle. My employer allows us to contribute up to 75% and I had to think twice about getting it done early at 75% since I'm still trial and error here. I am proud to say that Friday will be my 2nd paycheck at x9% contribution! I also like/appreciate the comment about if you were to leave for any reason. That does put things into perspective since it's the New Year, and I even sometimes question the stability of the corporate world (well, my boss is crazy anyways). Dully noted! Good luck!
« Last Edit: February 21, 2015, 12:20:44 PM by MrsCoolCat »

h2ogal

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #53 on: February 12, 2015, 07:08:07 PM »
Wow, there are some real bad-asses here. 
I saw a 66%, 75% and 100%!!

Its only a few paydays into the new year, and so far Im holding strong at 50% to 401K plus HSA, etc...... but this week I think I will be eating beans and rice!  Haha! 

Kind of Fun actually to have the challenge of living on a tiny fraction of my paycheck though....

3okirb

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #54 on: February 12, 2015, 07:20:50 PM »
Front loading makes sense if you have a steady market or guaranteed returns, but dollar cost averaging your money in each pay period adds a lot of protection in a volatile market. 

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #55 on: February 13, 2015, 12:06:22 PM »
technically i am front loading just a little bit right now since i didnt change my 401k contribution% but my base pay went up... so now its putting in about $23/check extra.

dividendman

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #56 on: February 13, 2015, 10:15:53 PM »
Front loading makes sense if you have a steady market or guaranteed returns, but dollar cost averaging your money in each pay period adds a lot of protection in a volatile market.

I'm not sure what your definition of volatile or steady is but.... steady never happens yet DCA is still reliably worse over time.

johnny847

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #57 on: February 13, 2015, 11:59:02 PM »
Zero....but I don't have access to a 401k =(

ender

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #58 on: February 14, 2015, 03:02:35 PM »
About 25% now.

I currently am maxing my HSA out with about $1k/month and have some job insecurity. If/when that clears up I expect this percentage to increase a fair bit (plus I hope I get a raise out of the job situation anyways!).

I got my company to increase the maximum percentage to 75% last year and am anxious to take advantage of that.

Pooperman

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #59 on: February 14, 2015, 03:05:23 PM »
Since I'm gettin married this year, I redid my projections. MAXING THE SUCKER!

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #60 on: February 14, 2015, 03:20:33 PM »
Since I'm gettin married this year, I redid my projections. MAXING THE SUCKER!
Whoo! High Five!

Pooperman

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #61 on: February 14, 2015, 03:53:55 PM »
Since I'm gettin married this year, I redid my projections. MAXING THE SUCKER!
Whoo! High Five!

Thanks! and since my 401k is awesome enough to allow me to specify dollar amounts in lieu or percents if I so choose, I can hit 18k exactly with my final paycheck of the year without worry of missing out on matching :D.

CCCA

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #62 on: February 14, 2015, 09:44:36 PM »
just two paychecks into the year, I'm almost at $11000 contributed to my 403b and 457b.  I will slow down the rate slightly but still hit the $36K limit sometime in late summer/early fall.   

clarkfan1979

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #63 on: February 15, 2015, 05:37:01 AM »
My wife and I contribute enough to our 401K to avoid the 25% tax bracket. We are saving the rest in cash to buy rental house #2 within the next 8-10 months. I think we contributed around 14,500 to our 401K which is around 13.3%. Across the two of us, about 4.5% came from our employer and 8.8% from us. We should have contributed $500 more because we barely ended up in the 25% tax bracket this year by $500. We saved around 22K in cash.

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #64 on: February 15, 2015, 12:27:53 PM »
Spliting between ROTH and 401k so not maxing per se, but when I take bonus deferral and what the business is co-contributing, I think Im at about 28% for the year.  Will kick it up to 30% soon as Im moving to a lower cost place.  Once I get my bearings there, I will see if 35% is doable.  All in all, not too shabby, methinks.

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #65 on: February 16, 2015, 07:24:36 AM »
Such badassery going on here. Very inspiring.

I bumped my TSP to $600/2wks a few months back, not enough to max, but in the ballpark. Currently saving up $12k for solar panels and will revisit the TSP rate once that's funded.

Ed Mills

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #66 on: February 16, 2015, 11:46:16 AM »
Greetings Fellow Hardcore Savers...there sure is a lot of badassity in this group!  My wife and I are public school teachers with access to 457 and 403b plans.  Since there is no matching on our 457 or 403b plans, we front-load our plans to the max.  Currently, we are both putting in $4,000 a month into our 457 plans.  Beginning in July, we'll go all in on our 403b plans.  Because I'm over 50, I'll get $48,000 into my plans, and my wife will get $36,000 into hers.  We'll also feed our IRAs this year with another $12,000. 

Good luck to all!  Ed
     

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #67 on: February 17, 2015, 01:52:58 PM »
Greetings Fellow Hardcore Savers...there sure is a lot of badassity in this group!  My wife and I are public school teachers with access to 457 and 403b plans.  Since there is no matching on our 457 or 403b plans, we front-load our plans to the max.  Currently, we are both putting in $4,000 a month into our 457 plans.  Beginning in July, we'll go all in on our 403b plans.  Because I'm over 50, I'll get $48,000 into my plans, and my wife will get $36,000 into hers.  We'll also feed our IRAs this year with another $12,000. 

Good luck to all!  Ed
   
That is so hardcore, you guys are amazing. $96K into tax-deferred savings is huge. I assume that your employer must at least contribute to a pension plan being a public school.

MrMathMustache

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #68 on: February 18, 2015, 09:13:22 AM »
Greetings Fellow Hardcore Savers...there sure is a lot of badassity in this group!  My wife and I are public school teachers with access to 457 and 403b plans.  Since there is no matching on our 457 or 403b plans, we front-load our plans to the max.  Currently, we are both putting in $4,000 a month into our 457 plans.  Beginning in July, we'll go all in on our 403b plans.  Because I'm over 50, I'll get $48,000 into my plans, and my wife will get $36,000 into hers.  We'll also feed our IRAs this year with another $12,000. 

Good luck to all!  Ed
   

Wait a minute, I can contribute $18,000 to a 403(b) AND another $18,000 to a 457 plan in a single calendar year?  why did I not know this?

dandarc

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #69 on: February 18, 2015, 09:17:57 AM »
Greetings Fellow Hardcore Savers...there sure is a lot of badassity in this group!  My wife and I are public school teachers with access to 457 and 403b plans.  Since there is no matching on our 457 or 403b plans, we front-load our plans to the max.  Currently, we are both putting in $4,000 a month into our 457 plans.  Beginning in July, we'll go all in on our 403b plans.  Because I'm over 50, I'll get $48,000 into my plans, and my wife will get $36,000 into hers.  We'll also feed our IRAs this year with another $12,000. 

Good luck to all!  Ed
   

Wait a minute, I can contribute $18,000 to a 403(b) AND another $18,000 to a 457 plan in a single calendar year?  why did I not know this?
Pretty awesome eh?  And if it is a governmental 457, no early withdrawal penalty - fantastic for the early retiree.

boarder42

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #70 on: February 18, 2015, 01:42:36 PM »
best day of the year is after our raises take effect and i can lower my 401k contribution level so i dont miss out on company match.  20% currently.

Money Badger

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #71 on: February 18, 2015, 05:07:39 PM »
I sit here and can't believe how dumb I've been over the years not maxing our 401...   I'm in my mid-40's so it's also a function of income as well as my prior stupidity I guess...  Still haven't been too shabby, but have never been near maxing it...   Average last few years has been around $4K per year plus company match.   

Since MMM, I've ticked up the contribution rate on the 401K the past 4 months to MAX IT OUT to annual $18K for this year plus the company match...   Should hit the max end of November so definitely not as badass as some of you other savings commandos here.    But maxing the Roth is next on the list!

Ganon91

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #72 on: February 19, 2015, 01:29:45 PM »
2015's Projected Investments

Maxing out TSP: $18,000
Maxing out tIRA $5,500
Vanguard Brokerage $15,000

Melf

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #73 on: February 19, 2015, 01:47:44 PM »
I've never maxed my 401K contribution before....never came close.  I did ramp up my contributions near the end of 2014 and got up over 10K for the year though.  I should max for the first time this year with my current contribution rate.  I've already made my Roth IRA max contribution for the year.  All additional savings go to the Vanguard Taxable account in varying lump sums throughout the year.

Elle 8

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #74 on: February 19, 2015, 04:53:04 PM »
I started out the year at $462 a week (we can elect a percent or a flat amount) which would max me out at $24K with the catch-up (first year eligible!).   Then I got really nervous all of a sudden that my emergency fund wasn't high enough.  I don't know why I got this feeling all of a sudden; it was at the same level last year and didn't bother me.  Anyway, I cut my 403b way back for the time being and will increase it again later.  I hope to contribute 20K this year.  Last year I maxed out at $17.5K.

Kwill

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #75 on: February 20, 2015, 06:01:23 AM »
I started out the year at $462 a week (we can elect a percent or a flat amount) which would max me out at $24K with the catch-up (first year eligible!).   Then I got really nervous all of a sudden that my emergency fund wasn't high enough.  I don't know why I got this feeling all of a sudden; it was at the same level last year and didn't bother me.  Anyway, I cut my 403b way back for the time being and will increase it again later.  I hope to contribute 20K this year.  Last year I maxed out at $17.5K.

This is kind of where I am right now. I am thinking of cutting down on my 403b contribution for now and increasing it later in the year if my job search goes well. Looking at my numbers and budget and all, it seems like I should be fine, but increasing the emergency fund and maybe spending just a little more freely are very tempting.

Pooperman

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #76 on: February 20, 2015, 06:37:02 AM »
Since I'm gettin married this year, I redid my projections. MAXING THE SUCKER!
Whoo! High Five!

Thanks! and since my 401k is awesome enough to allow me to specify dollar amounts in lieu or percents if I so choose, I can hit 18k exactly with my final paycheck of the year without worry of missing out on matching :D.

It's $773/paycheck (semimonthly).

mochila

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #77 on: February 20, 2015, 06:40:34 AM »
Technically, 0, as in $0 and 0%. I don't have access to a 401k, and my employer doesn't allow us to frontload our 403b. Our first paycheck was paid 12/30/14, but the benefits were not until 1/5/15, so I will have contributed $750 x 24 pay periods for the max. I'm on half salary for a sabbatical, but I'm seriously considering also maxing out a 457 (which was newly made available to us last year) in 2016, when I return to full pay.

One of my regrets is that 2015 will be only my fifth consecutive year contributing the max, but you've got to start somewhere. I also don't mind being a cautionary tale to younger workers not to misspend their youth.
« Last Edit: February 20, 2015, 06:43:51 AM by mochila »

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #78 on: February 20, 2015, 07:24:56 AM »
I have 25% going into the 401k and 8% in the HSA. I've maxed out all possible retirement space for 2 years now. 2015 will be the third. I'd like to front-load my 401k, but we meet our out-of-pocket max on health insurance ($6000) in the first few months of every year, so it doesn't work for us. I suppose I could pay the medical bills with 12-month interest-free credit cards, and pay them off after the 401k has been maxed out, but that's too much complication for me.

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #79 on: February 20, 2015, 05:24:18 PM »
Been maxing the 401k (now 457) since 2007.  Always max the Roth (wish I did tIRA back when my income qualified)

Big regret was not maxing out the 401k last year in the 3 months while I was at my old job.  I had no clue that I was going to leave the job (I knew I wanted to, but what I want and what I get don't always coincide), and even then, I was operating under the incorrect assumption that you can only contribute $17,500 in 2014 to both 401k and 457.  I had no clue you could do $35,000 between the two.

If only my current employer would offer both a 457 and 401k.  I'm happy enough for the benefits of a 457, but I would love to have my cake and eat it too.

RunHappy

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #80 on: February 21, 2015, 08:36:59 AM »
I just started front loading this year when I realized my employer no longer does matching.  I'm set to max out my 401k contribution in July.

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #81 on: February 21, 2015, 09:07:47 AM »
I just started front loading this year when I realized my employer no longer does matching.  I'm set to max out my 401k contribution in July.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but one of the risks you take with this is if you switch employers mid year and they offer a match that is disbursed in a disadvantageous way:
Say the match is they put in 3% if you contribute 6%. Some employers will just match you 50% of your contributions until you contribute 6%. This won't present a problem for match maximization if you switch employers and you haven't contributed at least $18k - .06*(new salary) to your current 401k.

Other employers will only put in up to 3% per paycheck if you put in at least 6%. So in this setup, if you do not spread out your 401k contributions over the course of the year, you will miss out on some match.

Unless you already have plans to switch employers this year, I don't think this risk is worth fretting over unless your job is particularly unstable - the benefit of front loading is probably greater than the expected value of missed match with a new employer.

Ed Mills

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #82 on: February 21, 2015, 09:56:17 AM »
 
[/quote]
That is so hardcore, you guys are amazing. $96K into tax-deferred savings is huge. I assume that your employer must at least contribute to a pension plan being a public school.
[/quote]

Yes, we do have pension too.  We'll qualify for those when we turn 60. Together my wife and I will get about $40,000 a year from our pensions.  That plus our savings, a paid off home, and our frugal ways will be more than enough for us to enjoy our retirement. 

Dan, the double 401k-style plans seems almost too good to be true, right?  If only more people used them!  Since 2009 my wife and and I maxed out all of our accounts; it is amazing how fast our wealth grew by using a PYFX method, pay yourself first to the extreme.  In our eyes, wages are not for spending and consumption, they are for savings.         

ADKMike

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #83 on: February 22, 2015, 08:12:10 PM »
After looking at our household income, I increased my TSP contribution from 6% to 50%. Still trying to figure out why it took me so long to do this (better late than never).

Dexterous

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #84 on: February 23, 2015, 02:11:40 AM »
I'm not so much of a badass that I can front load my TSP (military) contributions yet.  BUT I did set my contribution level to 20% - that, plus a bonus in March, should put me at the max by November!!  MY FIRST TIME MAXING TSP and both Roths for myself and my wife.  I seriously couldn't be more proud, and I haven't been able to tell anyone but you guys!
Excellent.  Congratulations.  I wish we could read about more people maximizing their tax-deferred contributions.

Here ya go!!  I max my traditional TSP and 2x Roth IRAs for my wife and I.  I do tell my coworkers about that, because I try to inspire them to reduce their debt/spending, and increase savings.  I've succeeded with several people in the past year, so I'm fairly happy about that -- probably more so than for work itself!  Hah
« Last Edit: February 23, 2015, 05:59:08 AM by Dexterous »

dandarc

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #85 on: February 23, 2015, 07:30:32 AM »
Dan, the double 401k-style plans seems almost too good to be true, right?  If only more people used them!  Since 2009 my wife and and I maxed out all of our accounts; it is amazing how fast our wealth grew by using a PYFX method, pay yourself first to the extreme.  In our eyes, wages are not for spending and consumption, they are for savings.         

It is amazing how fast it happens once you see the light - it was December 2013 / January 2014 when we had just paid off our condo, and our retiremet accounts were at 103K.  I had just started reading MMM, and was like "crap" - came home and said to wife "lets try and put 100K into investments this year".  Today it is about 230K, and we sold the condo / moved to a somewhat more expensive house last year (fantastic decision - we are much closer to everything now).  All told, we added about 94K to retirement accounts last year - then of course there was some growth as well.

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #86 on: February 23, 2015, 08:21:17 AM »
Wow on some of these numbers.  We will max out everything we can this year, works out to about 50% of our after tax income. If we can manage raises or cutting other spending, DH employer allows additional after tax contributions for the backdoor roth, still contemplating that one.   

$24k to DH 401k plus a 6% match
18k to my 401k plus a 4.5% match
$6k to DH ESOP plus a 18% match
$5.5k to my IRA
$6.5k to DH IRA

johnny847

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #87 on: February 23, 2015, 09:51:02 AM »
I'm not so much of a badass that I can front load my TSP (military) contributions yet.  BUT I did set my contribution level to 20% - that, plus a bonus in March, should put me at the max by November!!  MY FIRST TIME MAXING TSP and both Roths for myself and my wife.  I seriously couldn't be more proud, and I haven't been able to tell anyone but you guys!
Excellent.  Congratulations.  I wish we could read about more people maximizing their tax-deferred contributions.

Here ya go!!  I max my traditional TSP and 2x Roth IRAs for my wife and I.  I do tell my coworkers about that, because I try to inspire them to reduce their debt/spending, and increase savings.  I've succeeded with several people in the past year, so I'm fairly happy about that -- probably more so than for work itself!  Hah
I'm surprised that you actually succeeded in inspiring some of your coworkers! Congrats! Most people just think oh no way in hell can I max out my savings (and public sector employees aren't exactly the best paid employees to begin with....)

Dexterous

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #88 on: February 23, 2015, 02:25:04 PM »
I'm not so much of a badass that I can front load my TSP (military) contributions yet.  BUT I did set my contribution level to 20% - that, plus a bonus in March, should put me at the max by November!!  MY FIRST TIME MAXING TSP and both Roths for myself and my wife.  I seriously couldn't be more proud, and I haven't been able to tell anyone but you guys!
Excellent.  Congratulations.  I wish we could read about more people maximizing their tax-deferred contributions.

Here ya go!!  I max my traditional TSP and 2x Roth IRAs for my wife and I.  I do tell my coworkers about that, because I try to inspire them to reduce their debt/spending, and increase savings.  I've succeeded with several people in the past year, so I'm fairly happy about that -- probably more so than for work itself!  Hah
I'm surprised that you actually succeeded in inspiring some of your coworkers! Congrats! Most people just think oh no way in hell can I max out my savings (and public sector employees aren't exactly the best paid employees to begin with....)

I only succeeded *that* much with 1 person to max their TSP and civilian accounts.  The others are just reducing debts (mostly car payments) and raised investments by a couple percent.

h2ogal

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #89 on: February 23, 2015, 02:28:07 PM »
Quote
I'm surprised that you actually succeeded in inspiring some of your coworkers! Congrats!

Don't you find that so often people are 'funny' about taking about money!  They will go into gory detail about their Diet plans, their house remodeling plans, their vacation plans, love life, etc....but try to talk about Financial Plans, they will clam right up, and look at you like you have 3 heads! 

Money is a Dont Ask/Dont Tell item with most of my friends and family!

Thats one reason why I LOVE YOU GUYS so much!!

UltraRunning

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #90 on: February 24, 2015, 06:24:21 AM »
Guys and Gals!

Had an idea to do something different this year with 401k contribution rates.  Instead of spreading my contributions over the year I'm maxing out contribution as early as possible in the year.  I just set my contribution at the max they allow - 50% of gross pay.  (Not sure I can sustain this level, but Im going to try it, and if I do I can max out 401K in by May!)

Here were my thoughts on why it makes sense to do this:

1. If I leave my current company for any reason during 2015, and I have a 401k 'waiting period' at a new job, then I wont lose any contribution opportunity. 

2. More time the $$ are in the market, more time to grow and compound.

3. My company does a year - end true up so I wont miss out on "match"  (Other places I have worked in the past didn't do this, so you had to plan to contribute the 6% each month or miss the match that month).

What do you guys plan to do, and why??

Chiming in from a low income mustachian.  I earn about 36k after taxes.  When I get a 5% raise this April i will be moving my 401k contribution from 35% to 40%.   Congrats on being able to max out your 401k.  Thats a great accomplishment.  Best wishes in grinding towards your fi date. Also, when will you be FI?

johnny847

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #91 on: February 24, 2015, 09:28:29 AM »
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I'm surprised that you actually succeeded in inspiring some of your coworkers! Congrats!

Don't you find that so often people are 'funny' about taking about money!  They will go into gory detail about their Diet plans, their house remodeling plans, their vacation plans, love life, etc....but try to talk about Financial Plans, they will clam right up, and look at you like you have 3 heads! 

Money is a Dont Ask/Dont Tell item with most of my friends and family!

Thats one reason why I LOVE YOU GUYS so much!!
Haha yea.

I'm pretty vocal about that kind of stuff in my lab, but I guess because we're grad students and still learning to handle our own personal finances, they're more receptive to my unsolicited advice.

RunHappy

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #92 on: February 24, 2015, 12:00:42 PM »
I just started front loading this year when I realized my employer no longer does matching.  I'm set to max out my 401k contribution in July.
Not sure if you're aware of this, but one of the risks you take with this is if you switch employers mid year and they offer a match that is disbursed in a disadvantageous way:
Say the match is they put in 3% if you contribute 6%. Some employers will just match you 50% of your contributions until you contribute 6%. This won't present a problem for match maximization if you switch employers and you haven't contributed at least $18k - .06*(new salary) to your current 401k.

Other employers will only put in up to 3% per paycheck if you put in at least 6%. So in this setup, if you do not spread out your 401k contributions over the course of the year, you will miss out on some match.

Unless you already have plans to switch employers this year, I don't think this risk is worth fretting over unless your job is particularly unstable - the benefit of front loading is probably greater than the expected value of missed match with a new employer.

My company does not do 401k matching.  I am not planning to switch employers but I am planning to take maternity leave from September to the end of the year, so front loading was the best option.

tallen

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #93 on: February 24, 2015, 12:45:07 PM »
Just started putting $346 weekly in this year (will put me $8 short of $18000 max),was putting in 15%. Funny thing is they tried to tell me federal law says I can only contribute up to 15% of my gross pay. After a little insistence they where mistaken they called the Bank that runs our plan and found out that law was repealed over 10 years ago, and I'm the 1st person in the company to ever want more than 15% taken out of my pay for them to check on it. Puts me in the 15% tax bracket for my 40 hrs and even a few hours overtime before the 25% kicks in.

johnny847

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #94 on: February 24, 2015, 12:46:28 PM »
I'm the 1st person in the company to ever want more than 15% taken out of my pay for them to check on it.
????

How big is this company, and how long has this company been around?

tallen

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #95 on: February 24, 2015, 12:56:32 PM »
I'm the 1st person in the company to ever want more than 15% taken out of my pay for them to check on it.
????

How big is this company, and how long has this company been around?

Been around at least 50 years, and probably 100-150 employees (maybe more, there is 2 plants and I work at the small one)

anon-e-mouse

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #96 on: February 24, 2015, 10:02:26 PM »
Finally changed my 401k deduction to $750 biweekly.  This will be my first year ever maxing out.  You guys (and gals) inspire the %#=+* outta me!

RNwastash

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #97 on: February 24, 2015, 10:16:09 PM »
Maxing out the 403b's for hubby and I, $24k for him, and $18k for me, spread out over 26 paychecks.  I wish I could frontload, but need the $$for monthly bills- mortgage, utilities, etc.

johnny847

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #98 on: February 24, 2015, 10:23:39 PM »
Maxing out the 403b's for hubby and I, $24k for him, and $18k for me, spread out over 26 paychecks.  I wish I could frontload, but need the $$for monthly bills- mortgage, utilities, etc.
When was your (or your husbands?) first paycheck of the year? You may end up with 27 paychecks this year if your first paycheck was 1/1 or 1/2.

27y/oTennesseeRetiree

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Re: 2015 401k Contribution Rate - Please chime in!
« Reply #99 on: March 03, 2015, 08:20:44 PM »
I convinced my employer to add an after tax 401(k). Why this is taking Months I don't know... Trying not to bother them more than once a month.

Right now I'm at 45%. Hoping to push it to 100%... Well 100% less health insurance, as, medi, and taxes.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!