Check your 401k lately? You might be happy if you do!

**Greebo** · 09-21-2009, 12:46 PM

This morning, listening to Dave archives, I heard him mention that the stock market is back up 40% from March of this year.

So I opened up the old 401k plan, and saw a number in there I didn't expect to see again.

Without getting into actual dollars, year to date, mine has gained/recovered 17.68%, leaving it only -18.67% since last year. That's nearly a 50% regain from last year's losses.

So - how is your 401k looking today compared to 1/1/09 and 9/21/08?

**nodmicks** · 09-21-2009, 01:01 PM

Hummmmm off to look!

**monkeywrangler71** · 09-21-2009, 01:11 PM

Too much work to give you actual percentages, but we have regained all of our losses from last fall, and have a positive gain on top of it.

A few things haven't come back, but we are heavily exposed to one company (way too heavily exposed) that is doing better than before the crash. Gains there have more than made up for losses eslewhere.

**nodmicks** · 09-21-2009, 01:21 PM

We are just about even with last fall

and Greebo may I say your avatar creeps me out

**Greebo** · 09-21-2009, 01:24 PM

Gee, I wonder why the news media isn't all over the regain like they were over the fall...

Oh. Sorry. Forgot.

Fear sells.

**itlw8** · 09-21-2009, 01:45 PM

dh has FAR too much in company stock in a company he no longer works for but we left it because it was doing FANTASTIC well untill last fall... the company stock has rebounded but some of the rest still has to catch up

At some point he has to do something but it is my understanding if he moves it the company stock is sold... and while we should reduce that ( when it is up) we really hate to sell something that is doing so good.

**kita** · 09-21-2009, 01:45 PM

I have made up about 80% of the loss. I think that it will be back up to July 2008 level within a few months. Don't know if it will hold.. Oh, well.

**Greebo** · 09-21-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by itlw8

dh has FAR too much in company stock in a company he no longer works for but we left it because it was doing FANTASTIC well untill last fall... the company stock has rebounded but some of the rest still has to catch up

At some point he has to do something but it is my understanding if he moves it the company stock is sold... and while we should reduce that ( when it is up) we really hate to sell something that is doing so good.

One thing you could do is look for a mutual fund that includes your company stock in its portfolio, thus allowing you to benefit from its regrowth without being overly exposed in that area.

**monkeywrangler71** · 09-21-2009, 01:53 PM

@itlw8. Is the stock being held in a company pension? Get him to call the administrator and ask if it can be transferred. When I left work I was able to transfer my stock into a self directed trading account at my institution and then sell it at my leisure. In Canada this is called a transfer 'in kind', when the actual stock is moved, as opposed to a transfer 'in cash' where the stock is sold and the money is transferred. You might call it something different.

**Pianolady** · 09-21-2009, 02:30 PM

Yep, mine has now made up for all the losses of the last year. Since I started my IRA at the "bottom", I'm hoping putting money into it now will pay off later.

**frugal is fun** · 09-21-2009, 02:32 PM

I looked last week and I was pretty darn close to where I was a year ago.

**savvy_sniper** · 09-21-2009, 02:38 PM

Mine has recovered some, but still has a way to go.

**Greebo** · 09-21-2009, 02:46 PM

I really feel for those people who pulled all their money out 6 months ago.

**itlw8** · 09-21-2009, 02:48 PM

I guess we need to find out what should be done... As it is we are in our 50's and ALL of our retirement is in stocks one way or another... This year pointed out how big a risk that is. We need to diversify into some safer stuff.

I really need to go talk money with my 85 yr old Mother now SHE seems to have it all figured out. especially for having raise 4 of us as a single mother. Granted she had a profession to fall back on something in the 60"s most Women did not have.

**Greebo** · 09-21-2009, 02:54 PM

Originally Posted by itlw8

I guess we need to find out what should be done... As it is we are in our 50's and ALL of our retirement is in stocks one way or another... This year pointed out how big a risk that is. We need to diversify into some safer stuff.

http://www.daveramsey.com/sa/mutualfunds/

I personally (insert disclaimer here) believe that a well balanced strategy for investing covers both paper AND property. Both markets - the financial and the real estate - have a diverse range of opportunities available to you.

In finance there are stocks, stock funds, bonds, bond funds, money markets - and more. Different types of investments offer different levels of risk and returns. Likewise in real estate you can simply own your own, you can buy investment properties (but I don't recommend buying a property that loses money monthly on the gamble of high returns later), and you can invest in REITs - Real Estate Investment Trusts - which are investment programs built around real estate that blur the line between property and paper.

Consult with a professional to determine your options.