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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">When it comes to the question of how much you should contribute to their 401(k) account, the best answer is usually as much as you can. But that amount may differ based on your age and current financial circumstances. Additionally, the pre-tax annual contribution limit for 2022 is $20,500, although older workers may add more.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">Most employees contributing to a 401(k) typically contribute a certain percentage of their salary up to the annual maximum allowed. Many financial advisors recommend deferring between 10 and 15 percent of your salary into a 401(k), but the percentage that is right for you depends on the following three factors:</p>
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<ol class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size"><li><strong>Your age:</strong> The earlier you start contributing the better, due to the compounding effect of money. The fewer years you have between now and when you plan to start tapping into your 401(k) in retirement, the higher the percentage of your salary you should contribute for the years you remain in the workforce.</li><li><strong>How much of your take-home pay you can afford to contribute:</strong> This is particularly important if you are also responsible for student loans or car loans, mortgage or rent, child or doggie day care or perhaps even medical bills.</li><li><strong>Understanding what your retirement will look like and your retirement goals:</strong> Maintaining your current standard of living after retiring requires about 80 percent of your pre-retirement income. This is called a replacement ratio, and common sources of retirement funds in addition to your 401(k) include Social Security, pensions, IRAs, income from rental properties and inheritances. Having a realistic retirement goal is important and can impact your contribution decision.</li></ol>
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<h2 class="has-black-color has-text-color has-extra-large-font-size">How much can you contribute to a 401(k)?</h2>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">The IRS places contribution limits on 401(k)s: For 2022, the contribution limit is $20,500, with an additional $6,500 allowed in catch-up contributions for workers who are age 50 or older.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">How soon you are eligible to join your employer’s 401(k) depends on how the plan has been set up. Some plans allow employees to join on the first day of employment, but other plans may require up to a one-year waiting period. If your employer’s plan has a waiting period, consider setting up an IRA so that you can start saving right away.</p>
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<h2 class="has-black-color has-text-color has-extra-large-font-size">Employer matching contributions</h2>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">For employees who work at organizations that provide a 401(k) match, the IRS limits noted above do not include employers’ contributions. If your employer does provide a match, you should try to contribute at least as much as the company will match, since this is basically “free money.”</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">A common match formula is 50 cents for each dollar saved, up to 6 percent of pay. So if an employee contributes 6 percent and the employer contributes 3 percent, the employee is actually saving a total of 9 percent per year.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">If your employer does not offer a match, some employees have found it to be a smart move to first contribute the maximum to an IRA, and only then begin contributions to their company’s 401(k).</p>
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<h2 class="has-black-color has-text-color has-extra-large-font-size">Pay tax now or later when contributing to your 401(k)</h2>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">When you sign up with your employer’s 401(k), you will need to decide if your contributions will be pre-tax or after-tax, that is, whether they go into a traditional 401(k) or a Roth 401(k), if your employer offers a Roth option.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">Saving on a pre-tax basis means you are deferring the tax liability on your contribution until after you retire. As an example, a worker aged 50-plus in the 12 percent tax bracket (married filing jointly) with $80,000 in taxable income who defers the maximum for 2022 – $27,000 – will reduce their tax bill by $3,240.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">Saving for retirement on an after-tax basis in a Roth 401(k) means you pay taxes on your contributions now, at your current tax rate, so that when you access the money during retirement, the withdrawals will be tax-free as long as funds have been in the account for a minimum of five tax years.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">If your employer plan allows it, you can take advantage of both types of contributions to diversify your tax position at retirement.</p>
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<h2 class="has-black-color has-text-color has-extra-large-font-size">When determining your contribution percentage, consider automatic boosts</h2>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">In 2021, the average employee contribution to a Vanguard 401(k) plan was 7.3 percent of pay, according to Vanguard 401(k) data. Meanwhile, only 23 percent of 401(k) participants saved more than 10 percent of their salary for retirement in 2021.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">If you can’t afford to contribute that much initially, many employers will allow you to increase your contribution percentage automatically each year (up to a maximum of 10 percent), which may be a more comfortable and gradual way to increase your contribution amount.</p>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">A 401(k) can be one of your best tools for creating a secure retirement. But you may want to also consider some retirement investing alternatives.</p>
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<h2 class="has-black-color has-text-color has-extra-large-font-size">Bottom line</h2>
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<p class="has-black-color has-text-color has-large-font-size">Contributing to a 401(k) account can be one of the best investments you make for your future. Even if you cannot contribute the maximum amount, starting as early as you can and being consistent with contributions throughout your career will ensure smooth sailing into retirement.</p>
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<p></p>
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<p>To read the full article, <a href="https://www.bankrate.com/retirement/how-much-should-you-contribute-to-401k/">click here.</a></p>
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