News

Saving for retirement can be a bit tricky. Everyone claims to have some kind of secret to make your retirement account grow, but you can’t always trust every tip you receive. Now more than ever, saving for retirement is vital. No longer are we guaranteed pensions or health benefits so retirement accounts may very well be our only financial security for the future.

While we may not be providing any of those fantastical “get rich” secrets, there are some common retirement account mistakes that we hope you avoid. We recently came across this video from Suze Orman that we thought carried some insightful advice about what not to do with your retirement account. Below, we’ve included the 5 major mistakes she mentions.

1. Not contributing to a 401[k] that has a matching contribution– If you’re not doing this, you’re letting go of free money that could potentially fund your future.

2. Not taking advantage of a Roth 401[k] or a Roth IRA– These withdrawals are not taxed.

3. Investing in a variable annuity, bond fund, or target date fund inside a retirement account– These investments are simply not worth it.

4. Taking a loan from your 401[k]– You’ll actually be having your money taxed twice.

5. Taking an early withdrawal from a retirement account to solve a financial problem– Retirement accounts are protected from bankruptcy so using that money to early could really cause financial issues later.