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401(K) Plans Starting To Earn Again

By Cornelius Nunev


It seems like there's nothing but bad news going around these days, but then again a lot of it is down to the media just fear-mongering again because it gets rankings. Anyway, there is something to give a lot of people hope, specifically if they have retirement anxiety. A number of reports indicated that 401(k) plans are starting to make cash again, after years of stagnation.

Get the retirement plan you were promised

In the past few years, a number of people who have 401(k) plans were shocked to see them go from being nest eggs to rotten ones as the stock market tanked. A large number of current and soon-to-be retirees were mortified and cast into uncertainty. According to the Huffington Post, a number of surveys of individuals in what is called "Generation Y," the people born after Generation X and missed out on wearing flannel, have indicated this demographic are somewhat pessimistic about retirement.

USA Today pointed out that a number of people are beginning to stress less about retirement as their 401(k) plans and accounts are starting to rebound and earn cash again. It is pretty exciting for lots of people.

Huge increases

USA Today reports that multiple numbers have been reported, but they all show positive gains in the plans. 401(k) plans are tax-protected mutual funds, more or less, so when Lipper reported an 11.4 percent increase in the average stock mutual fund, it essentially meant that retirement accounts are increasing by at least that much.

Since 2009 when the market hit rock bottom, the typical stock mutual fund really increase 124 percent, according to Lipper, which is good news. At the start of the year, the typical 401(k) account had $70,970, according to Aon Hewitt, which increased to $74,380.

Time magazine pointed out that the average employer-sponsored retirement plan valued 25 percent in the last three years, 401(k) policies increased 28 percent, as reported by investment firm Funds Advisor.

Various states saw different increases too. The red states saw a 28 percent increase while blue states only saw 25 percent. Individuals in Arkansas only saw a 1 percent increase while those in Mississippi saw an 80 percent increase.

Seeing largest gains

People who contributed to their 401(k) plans regularly saw the most gains, which both Time and USA Today reported to be a common thing.

Just like a snowball, retirement accounts can make more money and accumulate more with more cash added to it. A little more money should be contributed to the account monthly so that it can make more cash each month.



 
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