http://www.doughroller.net/investing/rollover-401k-to-ira
Should You Rollover a 401(k) to an IRA
by DR
in INVESTING
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I quit my job last month. After more than six years investigating the financial audits of public companies, I’ve decided to go back to the private practice of law. So after a summer sabbatical, I’ll be returning to my old firm in August. And that raises one important question—should I rollover my 401k to an IRA.
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I’d suggest that the GENERAL rule of thumb is ROLLOVER. The SPECIFIC rule is you better have a superior reason for not doing it.
Rationale:
(1) 401Ks have sponsors (your old employer) and providers (e.g., Fidelity; Vangard; others) rarely does this relationship not have its conflicts. The literature is replete with examples of often illegal activities. You have to be very skeptical of what decisions are being made for you.
(2) Fees. You don’t know all the fees and guess who pays them.
(3) Investment options. Always limited by comparison. I’m a perma bear! (Have you seen what the US Gooferment has done to the money, the debt, the deficit, the spending, and the entitlements? And, you think this is going to be good!) Try and put your retirement money into gold. You can in certain IRAs.
(4) As a bear, I am interested if my retirement savings retain their value. A nice account denominated in Swiss Francs or Chinese Yuan would be comforting. How sure are you that you’re going to keep your wealth?
(5) If you have multiple accounts, and you have multiple mutual funds labeled GROWTH and or VALUE, how in heaven’s name will you diversify. They could be investing in the same stuff wildly increasing your risk. They could be even taking opposite sides of the same bet. So you’re paying fees to bet both red and black.
(6) Underlying the whole proposition is the trustworthiness of the “casino”. At least with an IRA, you’re picking your poison.
As a bear, I think the days of “invest in anything cause it all appreciates” are over. I remember the Sixties bear, and have grandfolks who lived through the Great Depression. They were scared. And so should we be.
BTW did I mention I like the Tea Party and “vote the bums out” strategy. Cutting Gooferment drastically is the only way to save the economy and our retirement money. We need more producers and less drones / vampires in DC.
imho ymmv fwiw
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Maybe you shouldn’t be in a 401K in the first place? Heresy!
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Reinke Faces Life 