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Should You Use Your 401(k) as a First-Time Home Buyer?

Withdrawing money from a 401(k) to buy a house may be allowed by your company-sponsored plan, but this tactic is not always advisable, especially for first-time home buyers.

When it comes to using money from a 401(k), first-time home buyers need to keep in mind a few things, including the rules and penalties around early withdrawals from a 401(k) account — as well as the potential loss of retirement savings.

Before you consider using a 401k to buy a house, explore alternatives like withdrawing funds from a Roth IRA, seeking help from a Down Payment Assistance Program (DAP), or seeing if you qualify for other types of home loans.

Let’s take a look at the pros, cons, and important considerations that can help prospective homebuyers make a more informed decision about using funds from a 401(k) to buy a home.

Can You Use a 401(k) to Buy a House?

Before you quickly search up “401k first time home buyer,” here’s the answer: If you’re a first-time home buyer, and your employer plan allows it, you can use your 401(k) to help buy a house. There are a couple of ways to access the funds.

First, it’s possible for a first-time homebuyer to take a loan from an existing 401(k). Your employer generally sets the rules for 401(k) loans, but you typically must pay back the loan, with interest, within five years. You pay yourself interest to help offset the loss of investment growth, since the funds are no longer invested in the market.

You can take out a 401(k) loan for a few different reasons (e.g., qualified educational expenses, medical expenses), depending on your plan’s policies. Those using a loan to purchase a residence may have more time to pay back the loan.

In certain rare circumstances, in the case of an “immediate and heavy financial need,” the IRS will allow you to make a 401(k) hardship withdrawal to purchase a primary residence. Hardship withdrawals do not cover mortgage payments, but using a 401(k) for a down payment for a first-time home buyer could be allowed.

The IRS has very strict rules for qualifying for a hardship withdrawal . And if you don’t meet them, the funds you withdraw will be subject to income tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty.

First-time homebuyers can
prequalify for a SoFi mortgage loan,
with as little as 3% down.


How Much of Your 401(k) Can Be Used For Home Purchase?

Generally, home buyers who want to use their 401(k) funds to finance a real estate transaction can borrow or withdraw up to 50% of their vested balance or a maximum of $50,000 — whichever is less. This limit typically applies to any 401(k) loan, not only a home purchase.

4 Potential Drawbacks of Using Your 401(k) to Buy a House

Taking money out of a 401(k) to buy a house may be allowed, but it’s not always recommended.

1. Withdrawal limits

Since there are limits on the amount you can withdraw or borrow for a home purchase, bear in mind that the total amount you can access may not cover all the costs (e.g., the down payment and closing costs) of the transaction. Be sure to run the numbers, to ensure that a 401(k) loan makes sense.

2. Lost contributions

Homebuyers who borrow from their 401(k) plans can’t make additional contributions to the accounts or receive matching contributions from their employers while paying off the loan. Depending on how much they were contributing, these home buyers could miss out on years of retirement contributions while they’re paying back the loan. That could take a substantial bite out of their overall retirement savings.

3. Automatic repayment terms

Generally, it’s not up to you to repay the loan; your company will deduct the loan payments automatically from your paycheck. This could be viewed as a convenience, since you don’t have to think about it, or as an inconvenience, as it lowers your take-home pay.

4. Loan terms change if you leave your job.

Finally, if an individual borrows from their 401(k) to purchase a home and leaves employment at their company (whether voluntarily or via layoff), the loan balance may be deducted from their remaining 401(k) funds in what’s called an offset. An offset is then treated like an early withdrawal, and potentially subject to taxes and a 10% penalty if the borrower is under 59 ½.

As an example: Derek is 35 and has $100,000 in his 401(k) and borrows $30,000 for a home purchase. He pays back $5,000 including interest, but still owes $25,000 when he takes another job. The remaining $25,000 would be deducted from his 401(k) as an offset, leaving $75,000 in the 401(k) or rollover IRA. Worse, the $25,000 would be treated by the IRS as an early withdrawal or distribution, and Derek would owe taxes, plus a 10% penalty ($2,500).

Terms may vary depending on the terms of your loan and the plan rules.


💡 Quick Tip: Before opening an investment account, know your investment objectives, time horizon, and risk tolerance. These fundamentals will help keep your strategy on track and with the aim of meeting your goals.

Pros and Cons of Using a 401(k) to Buy a House

Here are the pros and cons of using a 401(k) to buy a home, at a glance:

Pros of Using a 401(k) to Buy a House

Cons of Using a 401(k) to Buy a House

Individuals may be able to purchase a home that they might otherwise not be able to afford. Individuals can’t make regular contributions to their 401(k) while making loan payments.
When using a 401(k) loan, individuals are borrowing money from themselves, so they don’t owe interest to a bank or other institution. Borrowed or withdrawn funds aren’t growing inside the 401(k) account, potentially derailing an individual’s retirement savings.
Interest rates are generally low. If a person doesn’t qualify for a hardship withdrawal and they’re under age 59 ½, withdrawals would be subject to income tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty.
You don’t have to meet any credit requirements. If a person leaves their job before the loan is repaid, the balance owed could be deducted from the remainder of their 401(k) funds as an offset. For those under 59 ½, the amount of the offset would be considered a distribution and the borrower would potentially owe taxes and a 10% penalty.

What are the Rules & Penalties for Using 401(k) Funds to Buy a House?

Here’s a side-by-side look at some key differences between taking out a 401(k) loan and withdrawing funds from a 401(k).

401(k) loans

401(k) withdrawals

•   Must be repaid with interest in a certain period of time — usually 5 years.

•   Qualified loans are penalty free and tax free, unless the borrower defaults or leaves their job before closing the loan.

•   The maximum loan amount is 50% of the vested account balance, or $50,000, whichever is less. (For accounts with a vested account balance of less than $10,000, the maximum loan amount is $10,000.)

•   Interest accrued on the loan goes back into the 401(k), so the borrower is basically paying interest back to themselves. The interest is also tax-deferred until retirement.

•   If the borrower doesn’t repay the loan on time, the loan is treated as a regular distribution (a.k.a. withdrawal) and subject to taxes and an early withdrawal penalty of 10%.

•   Do not have to be repaid.

•   Usually allowed only in the case of “financial hardship,” which can include medical expenses, funeral expenses, and primary home-buying expenses, if the individual meets strict IRS criteria for “hardship.”

◦  Subject to income tax and a 10% early withdrawal penalty for people under age 59 ½.

•   One can only withdraw enough to cover the immediate expense (a down payment, for example, not future monthly mortgage payments), with a limit of 50% of the vested balance or $50,000—whichever is less

•   You can only withdraw enough to cover the immediate expense (a down payment, for example, not future mortgage payments), with a limit of 50% of the vested balance or $50,000 — whichever is less.

What are the Alternatives to Using a 401(k) to Buy a House?

For some first-time homebuyers, there may be other, more attractive options for securing a down payment than taking money out of a 401(k) to buy a house. Here are a few of the alternatives.

Withdrawing Money from a Roth IRA

Using a Roth IRA to help buy a first home can be a smart alternative to borrowing from a 401(k) that might be beneficial for some home buyers. Unlike 401(k)s, Roth IRA contributions are made with after-tax dollars.

Contributions can be withdrawn at any time, tax free; earnings can be withdrawn without a penalty at age 59 ½ or older, as long as you’ve held the account for at least five years.

If you’re under 59 ½ or don’t meet the five-year criteria, some exceptions may apply for a first-time home purchase.

•  After the account has been open for five years, Roth IRA account holders who are buying their first home are allowed to withdraw up to $10,000 in investment earnings with no taxes or penalties. (Meaning a person could withdraw the amount of their total contribution plus up to $10,000 in investment earnings.) The $10,000 is a lifetime limit.

•  Roth IRA funds can be used to help with the purchase of a first home not only for the account holders themselves, but for their children, parents, or grandchildren.
One important requirement to note is that time is of the essence when using a Roth IRA to purchase a first home: The funds have to be used within 120 days of the withdrawal.

💡 Quick Tip: How much does it cost to set up an IRA? Often there are no fees to open an IRA, but you typically pay investment costs for the securities in your portfolio.

Low- and No-Down-Payment Home Loans

There are certain low- and no-down-payment home loans that homebuyers may qualify for that they can use instead of using a 401(k) for a first time home purchase. This could allow them to secure the down payment for a first home without tapping into their retirement savings.

•  FHA loans are insured by the Federal Housing Administration and allow home buyers to borrow with few requirements. Home buyers with a credit score lower than 580 qualify for a loan with 10% down, and those with credit scores higher than 580 can get a loan with as little as 3.5% down.

•  Conventional 97 loans are Fannie Mae-backed mortgages that allow a loan-to-value ratio of up to 97% of the cost of the loan. In other words, the home buyer could purchase a house for $400,000 and borrow up to $388,000, leaving only a down payment requirement of 3%, or $12,000, to purchase the house.

•  VA loans are available for U.S. veterans, active duty members, and surviving spouses, and they require no down payment or monthly mortgage insurance payment. They’re provided by private lenders and banks and guaranteed by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

•  USDA loans are a type of home buyer assistance program offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to buy or possibly build a home in designated rural areas with an up-front guarantee fee and annual fee. Borrowers who qualify for USDA loans require no down payment and receive a fixed interest rate for the lifetime of the loan. Eligibility requirements are based on income, and vary by region.

Other Types of Down Payment Assistance

For home buyers who are ineligible for no-down payment loans, there are a few more alternatives instead of using 401(k) funds:

•  Down Payment Assistance (DAP) programs offer eligible borrowers financial assistance in paying the required down payment and closing costs associated with purchasing a home. They come in the form of grants and second mortgages, are available nationwide, can be interest-free, and sometimes have lower rates than the initial mortgage loan.

•  Certain mortgage lenders provide financial assistance by offering credits to cover all or some of the closing costs and down payment.

•  Gifted money from friends or family members can be used to cover a down payment or closing costs on certain home loans.

The Takeaway

Generally speaking, a 401(k) can be used to buy a house, either by taking out a 401(k) loan and repaying it with interest, or by making a 401(k) withdrawal (which is subject to income tax and a 10% withdrawal fee for people under age 59 ½).

However, using a 401(k) for a first-time home purchase is usually not advisable. Both qualified loans and withdrawals have some potential drawbacks — primarily the possibility of owing taxes and a penalty under certain conditions. Fortunately, there are other options. Certain Roth IRA withdrawals can be made tax and penalty free. Qualified homebuyers can also seek financial help from down payment assistance programs and other low- or no-interest plans.

As you weigh your choices, it helps to know where your retirement stands. Many people lose track of retirement accounts when they change jobs. To help manage your retirement funds, consider doing a 401(k) rollover. That’s when you move funds from an old 401(k) to an IRA.

Ready to invest for your retirement? It’s easy to get started when you open a traditional or Roth IRA with SoFi. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

Easily manage your retirement savings with a SoFi IRA.


SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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Guide to Unfreezing Your Credit Report

If you use your credit card for everything, from paying bills to ordering takeout to booking trips, you put yourself at risk for fraudsters to steal your credit card information.

One way to protect your sensitive information is to put a freeze on your credit report. A credit freeze provides you with an extra layer of security because it prevents anyone from running a hard inquiry on your report or potentially opening a new line of credit without your permission.

But at some point you might want to open a new credit card or apply for a loan. So how do you unlock a credit freeze? In this guide, you’ll learn all about how to unfreeze credit.

What Does it Mean to Unfreeze Credit?

When you freeze your credit report, you can’t open a new line of credit, whether that’s a credit card, mortgage, auto loan, or something else. At the same time, no one can run a hard inquiry on your credit report — so lenders, landlords, even potential employers can’t access it. While there are limits on who can legally look at your credit report, a credit freeze can provide peace of mind that no one can open an account in your name.

When you unfreeze your credit, it’s like you’re turning back on the credit report. Once your credit is unfrozen, you can once again open a new line of credit, and lenders can run a hard pull on your report.

How a Credit Freeze Works

Also known as a security freeze, a credit freeze restricts access to your credit file. Credit freezes don’t happen automatically. You have to reach out to each of the three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — to ask for a credit freeze.
Thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, if you request a credit freeze over the phone or online, the credit bureaus are required to freeze your report within 24 hours. If you send the request via mail, they have up to three business days.

When you make a credit freeze request, each bureau will give you a PIN (personal identification number) or password that you need when you decide to lift the freeze.

A credit freeze is often confused with a credit lock, but they’re two separate things. A credit lock is a service you sign up for, and there’s usually a subscription fee. It’s similar to a credit freeze as you block access from most lenders. However, you can freeze or unfreeze it at any time on your phone or computer, and you don’t have to wait for it to go into effect.

A credit freeze is free, and you have to go through the credit bureaus to thaw your credit, and it takes about an hour to go into effect.

Types of Credit Freeze Lifts

At some point you may think about unlocking your credit freeze. When the time comes, there are two main types of credit freeze lifts:

Temporary lift

A temporary lift will unfreeze your credit report for a designated time period. You can choose how long you’d like your credit to be thawed, but it’s typically anywhere from one to 30 days.

You can thaw your credit freeze temporarily to apply for new credit, take out a loan, or apply to rent an apartment. But once you’re done with that financial task, the freeze restarts.

Permanent lift

A permanent lift will thaw your credit freeze for an indefinite amount of time. You might want to go this route if you don’t want to go through the steps of freezing and unfreezing your credit and find that the trouble isn’t worth the benefits.

Recommended: How to Read and Understand Your Credit Report

Ways to Unfreeze Credit Using Bureaus

How do you unfreeze your credit? You just need to contact each of the credit bureaus. You can do it in one of three ways:

•   Phone: If you request a lift by phone, the credit bureaus are required to thaw your credit within an hour.

•   Online: If you make the request online, your credit freeze will also be lifted within the hour.

•   Mail: You can also request a credit thaw by mail. If you go this route, expect the lift to happen within three business days.

Recommended: How to Dispute a Credit Report and Win Your Case

When You Should Unfreeze Your Credit

Generally, you need to unfreeze your credit anytime someone needs to review your credit report, like if you’re opening a new line of credit or applying for a loan. Some common scenarios of when you’ll need to unfreeze your credit:

•   Applying for a credit card

•   Applying for a mortgage, personal loan, or car loan

•   Applying for a line of credit

•   Hunting for an apartment

Recommended: Common Credit Report Errors and How to Dispute Them

Credit Freeze vs. Fraud Alert

If you’re at high risk for fraud, or you suspect you’ve been a victim of a credit card scam, or you just want to take extra precautions, you can set up a fraud alert on your credit report. When you have a fraud alert in place, a lender or creditor needs to verify your identity before they can issue you a new line of credit or approve you for a loan.

To place a fraud alert, you only need to reach out to one of the three credit bureaus. By law, that credit bureau must let the other two credit bureaus know you placed a fraud alert. In turn, all three credit bureaus will place a fraud alert on your credit file.

Initial fraud alerts are free, and initial fraud alerts last one year. After one year, you can renew it. Extended fraud alerts last for seven years, but they are for victims of identity theft, and you must submit a police report to qualify.

A credit freeze, on the other hand, blocks any party, including lenders and creditors, from accessing your credit. You need to place a credit freeze separately with each of the three credit bureaus, which lasts indefinitely. They can only be lifted when you make a request.



💡 Quick Tip: On-time payments are key to building your credit score. To ensure that you make your payments in time, consider setting up automatic payments or set a calendar reminder of your due date.

The Takeaway

Unfreezing your credit report is relatively simple, and it’s easy to set up a temporary lift should you decide you want to apply for a new credit card or personal loan. There are a few different ways you can go about thawing your credit as needed, and the credit bureaus have to unfreeze your credit within an hour of you making the request by phone or online.

Whether you're looking to build credit, apply for a new credit card, or save money with the cards you have, it's important to understand the options that are best for you. Learn more about credit cards by exploring this credit card guide.

FAQ

Can I unfreeze my credit?

You can unfreeze your credit anytime by going through each of the three credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — and requesting a lift on your credit freeze. You can ask for either a permanent or temporary lift. The thaw usually lasts anywhere from one to 30 days if it’s temporary.

Can you freeze your credit automatically?

Credit freezes don’t happen automatically. You will need to contact the three credit bureaus and make a proper request. You can do so online, by telephone, or via snail mail.

How soon can I unfreeze my credit after freezing?

You can unfreeze your credit as frequently as you like and request a credit lift as soon as you freeze it. If you made the request online or over the phone, it can take up to an hour to unfreeze your credit. If you send the request in the mail, it can take up to three business days.

How long does it take to unfreeze your credit?

It depends on the credit bureau and how you made your request. If you requested your credit to unfreeze or “thaw” over the phone or email, the credit bureaus must lift it within an hour. If you made the request by mail, the credit bureaus must unfreeze your credit within three business days.

Can I still use my credit card after freezing my credit?

Freezing your credit doesn’t impact your ability to use your credit card. You can freely make purchases on your card, book trips, redeem your cash-back points, and so forth. But if you want to do something that requires a hard pull of your credit — apply for new credit, loan, or submit a rental application for an apartment — you’ll need to unfreeze first.

Photo credit: iStock/nortonrsx


Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

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What Is Modern Monetary Theory (MMT)?

Modern Monetary Theory, Explained

Money Monetary Theory or MMT is an alternative economic theory which says that governments that create and control their own currency should be able to do so without limits. More specifically, the heterodox theory argues that these governments shouldn’t fear incurring debt to further economic growth because they can not run out of money.

MMT emphasizes the creation of more money to meet a variety of economic needs, such as improving infrastructure, improving the quality of government-funded education, or expanding access to healthcare. While that may sound appealing, critics of the theory believe it could lead to an increase in inflation and skyrocketing national debt.

What Is MMT?

Modern Monetary Theory is an economic theory often associated with investment fund manager Warren Mosler, author of “The 7 Deadly Innocent Frauds of Economic Policy.” In the 2010 book, Mosler suggests governments that control their own currency can never run out of money or go bankrupt, since they can simply print more money.

Modern Monetary Theory challenges the idea that governments should pay for spending with taxes. Instead, the theory holds that taxes are a means of controlling inflation amid rising prices rather than funding the government’s spending initiatives. MMT can be seen as an extension of quantitative easing, in which a government’s central bank purchases long-term securities in order to boost the money supply.

Both seek to put more money into circulation, though Modern Monetary Theory doesn’t necessarily support the idea of resorting to negative interest rates to stimulate spending, which can occur with quantitative easing.


💡 Quick Tip: The best stock trading app? That’s a personal preference, of course. Generally speaking, though, a great app is one with an intuitive interface and powerful features to help make trades quickly and easily.

Traditional Economics vs Modern Monetary Theory

In terms of its application, MMT economics is quite different from traditional economic theory. Specifically, it challenges the idea that printing more money to fund spending is inherently bad. Traditional economists view printing money as a less-than-ideal way to manage fiscal policy, since doing so can lead to rising inflation or a devaluation of currency.

Here’s a closer look at how traditional economic theories and modern economic theory compare.

Traditional Monetary Theory Explained: Key Concepts

•   When the economy is struggling, the government can give it a boost using monetary and fiscal stimulus, or quantitative easing.

•   Governments rely on interest rate policy to control inflation and the stability of currency values.

•   Interest rate policy can also be used to stimulate spending during recessionary environments by encouraging borrowing while rates are low.

•   Taxes and debt insurance are the two primary means by which governments fund their spending.

•   Unlimited government spending and debt can lead to economic destabilization.

Modern Monetary Theory Explained: Key Concepts

•   Governments that control their own currency effectively have access to unlimited spending, as they can always print more money.

•   A country that follows MMT cannot go bankrupt or become insolvent unless it’s by political choice.

•   Unlimited spending fuels economic growth and reduces unemployment.

•   Taxes can curb inflation but they’re not their primary source of government funding.

•   If a government incurs national debt, it can print more money to meet those obligations without fear of runaway inflation, deflation, or devaluing its currency.

In terms of inflation theory, MMT says the biggest risk is a government outspending its available supply of resources, such as raw materials or workers. But this scenario is rare, since it would require full employment or a shortage of supplies. If it did occur, MMT would dictate that the government could use taxation to manage inflation.

Modern Monetary Theory also states that governments don’t need to sell bonds to raise funds, since they can print their own money. Under this theory, the bond market becomes optional, rather than a requirement for maintaining government cash flows.

Modern Monetary Theory: Potential Benefits

While MMT is considered a radical theory in some circles, it has a simplistic appeal. If governments that control their currency can simply print more money as needed, then they have endless resources to promote economic growth. Deficits don’t disappear under this type of modern economic theory, rather they may grow.

From a taxpayer perspective, Modern Monetary Theory also has benefits, since it may mean fewer tax hikes to pay for government funding initiatives. Just like deficits, taxes wouldn’t disappear. But there’d be less fear of the government introducing new tax measures solely as a means of managing its own spending or debt.


💡 Quick Tip: When you’re actively investing in stocks, it’s important to ask what types of fees you might have to pay. For example, brokers may charge a flat fee for trading stocks, or require some commission for every trade. Taking the time to manage investment costs can be beneficial over the long term.

Modern Monetary Theory Flaws

While MMT has many vocal supporters, it’s also drawn plenty of critics, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Kenneth Rogoff, former Chief Economist and Director of Research at the International Monetary Fund. The consensus, for the most part, is that Modern Monetary Theory poses too great of a risk to national economies. Specifically, critics raise these arguments:

•   Unlimited spending is not a catch-all solution. While MMT gives governments leeway to print money as needed, doing so is not necessarily a foolproof solution for tackling problems like unemployment or rising inflation. Again, if there’s a scarcity of resources or full employment, governments still have to rely on taxation to bring inflation under control.

•   Unchecked debt is problematic. When an economy experiences a boom cycle, the national deficit may receive less attention. But it can become a very real financial problem governments have to deal with when the economy enters a recession and printing more money may not be a realistic solution.

•   Rising rates could trigger hyperinflation. If rising deficits are accompanied by rising interest rates, the scales could tip from inflation to hyperinflation. This means rapid, out-of-control price increases and steep declines in currency values. Both of those can contribute to an economic crisis or collapse.

Those who suggest MMT is problematic may point to countries like Venezuela and Zimbabwe as examples of how it can go wrong. Though neither country specifically subscribed to Modern Monetary Theory, both relied on the printing of currency to navigate economic troubles. In both cases, the end result was severe hyperinflation and financial crises.

The Takeaway

Money Monetary Theory (MMT) says that governments that create and control their own currency should be able to do so without limits. If applied to the U.S. economy, Modern Monetary Theory could potentially impact your investments in different ways. So it’s important to keep this theory in mind when building a portfolio.

For example, it’s important to consider how inflation might affect the value of your investments. If inflation rises or the government has to impose tax increases to fund spending, that could affect the profitability and spending of the companies you invest in. Investing in companies that are more inflation- or recession-proof may help to insulate your portfolio against those risks.

Ready to invest in your goals? It’s easy to get started when you open an investment account with SoFi Invest. You can invest in stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, alternative funds, and more. SoFi doesn’t charge commissions, but other fees apply (full fee disclosure here).

For a limited time, opening and funding an Active Invest account gives you the opportunity to get up to $1,000 in the stock of your choice.


Photo credit: iStock/ferrantraite

SoFi Invest®

INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

SoFi Invest encompasses two distinct companies, with various products and services offered to investors as described below: Individual customer accounts may be subject to the terms applicable to one or more of these platforms.
1) Automated Investing and advisory services are provided by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser (“SoFi Wealth“). Brokerage services are provided to SoFi Wealth LLC by SoFi Securities LLC.
2) Active Investing and brokerage services are provided by SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org). Clearing and custody of all securities are provided by APEX Clearing Corporation.
For additional disclosures related to the SoFi Invest platforms described above please visit SoFi.com/legal.
Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Claw Promotion: Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $25 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

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Relative Strength Index (RSI) Explained

Relative Strength Index (RSI) Explained

Relative Strength Index, or RSI, is a momentum indicator used to measure a stock’s price relative to itself and its past performance. Developed by technical analyst J. Welles Wilder, the Relative Strength Index focuses purely on individual stock price movements to identify trading trends for a specific security, based on the speed and direction of those price changes.

RSI allows swing investors to compare the price of something to itself, without factoring in the performance of other stocks or the market as a whole. Investors use RSI to pinpoint positive or negative divergences in price for a security or to determine whether a stock is overbought or oversold.

The RSI indicator is useful in technical analysis, which revolves around finding trends in stock movements to determine optimal entry and exit points. Understanding what the Relative Strength Index measures and how it works is central to a technical trading strategy.

What Is RSI in Stocks?

The Relative Strength Index is a rate of change or momentum oscillator that tracks stock price movements. You can visualize it as a line graph that moves up or down, based on a stock’s price at any given time. The Relative Strength Index operates on a scale from 0-100. Where the RSI indicator is within this range can suggest whether a stock has reached an overbought level or if it’s oversold.

RSI is not the same thing as Relative Strength analysis. When using a Relative Strength Comparison (RSC), you’re comparing two securities or market indexes to one another to measure their relative performance.


💡 Quick Tip: Investment fees are assessed in different ways, including trading costs, account management fees, and possibly broker commissions. When you set up an investment account, be sure to get the exact breakdown of your “all-in costs” so you know what you’re paying.

How Does the RSI Indicator Work?

The Relative Strength Index operates on a range from 0-100. As stock prices fluctuate over time, the index can move up or down accordingly. Traders typically use the RSI to track price movements over 14 periods (i.e. trading days), though some may use shorter or longer windows of time.

When the RSI indicator reaches 70 or above, it could mean the underlying asset being measured is overbought. An RSI reading of 30 or below, on the other hand, suggests that the asset is oversold. The length of time a stock remains in overbought or oversold territory depends largely on the strength of the underlying trend that’s driving price movements.

The Relative Strength Index can throw off different patterns, depending on whether stocks are in a bull market or bear market. Investors compare the movements of the RSI indicator with actual price movements to determine whether a defined pricing trend actually exists and, if so, in which direction it might be heading. Analyzing moving averages for the stock can help determine the presence of a clear pricing trend.

Recommended: 5 Bullish Indicators for a Stock

RSI Formula

Here’s what the Relative Strength Index formula looks like:

RSI = 100 – (100 / (1 + RS))

In this formula, RS represents the ratio of the moving average of the tracking period’s gains divided by the absolute value of the moving average of the tracking period’s losses.

Here’s another way you might see the Relative Strength Index formula displayed:

RSI = 100 – [100 / ( 1 + (Average of Upward Price Change / Average of Downward Price Change ) ) ]

The RSI formula assumes that you’re able to follow a stock’s pricing changes over your desired tracking period. More importantly than that, however, is knowing how to make sense of Relative Strength Index calculations, which investors often display via a stock oscillator.

Interpreting RSI Results

Reading the Relative Strength Index isn’t that difficult when you understand how the different ranges work. Depending on where the RSI indicator is for a particular stock or market index, it can tell you whether the market is bullish or bearish. You can also use the RSI, along with other technical analysis indicators, to determine the best time to buy or sell.

Above 70

An RSI reading of 70 or higher could indicate that a stock is overbought and that its price might move back down. This could happen through a reversal of the current price movement trend or as part of a broader correction. It’s not unusual for stocks to have an RSI in this range during bull market environments when prices are rising. If you believe that the stock’s price has reached or is approaching an unsustainable level, an RSI of 70 or higher could suggest it’s time to exit.

Below 30

When a stock’s RSI reading is 30 or below, it typically means that it’s oversold or undervalued by the broader market. This could signal a buying opportunity for value investors but it could also indicate the market is turning bearish. It’s more common to see RSI readings of 30 or below during downtrends when stock prices may be in decline across the board.

40 to 90 Range

During bull markets, it’s not uncommon to see the Relative Strength Index for a stock linger somewhere in the 40 to 90 range. It’s less common to see the RSI dip to 30 or below when prices are steadily moving up. An RSI reading of 40 to 50, roughly the middle of the 0-100 scale can indicate support for an upward trend.

10 to 60 Range

In bear markets, or those filled with fear, uncertainty, and doubt, it’s more common to see the Relative Strength Index hover somewhere in the 10 to 60 range. It’s not unusual for stocks to reach 30 or below when the market is already in a downward trend. The middle point of the RSI can act as a support point, though the range shifts slightly to between 50 and 60.

Common RSI Indicators

Relative Strength Index indicators can help investors spot pricing trends. That includes identifying up and down trends, as well as sideways trends when pricing levels consolidate. The reliability of these indicators often hinges on the current phase of a stock or the market as a whole. When reading RSI indicators, it’s important to understand divergence and swing rejections.

Divergence

A divergence represents a variation or disagreement between the movement of the RSI indicator and the price movements on a stock chart. For example, a bullish divergence means the indicator is making higher lows while the price movement is establishing lower lows. This type of divergence can hint at increasing bullish momentum with a particular stock or the greater market.

A bearish divergence, on the other hand, happens when the indicator is making lower highs while prices are establishing higher highs. This could indicate that investor sentiment is becoming less bullish.

Swing Rejections

A swing rejection is a specific trading technique that involves analyzing RSI movements when pushing above 30 or below 70. Swing rejections can be bullish in nature or bearish.

For example, a bullish swing rejection has four parts or steps:

•   RSI is at an oversold level

•   RSI moves above 30

•   A dip is recorded without rating as oversold

•   RSI passes its recent high

Meanwhile, a bearish swing rejection also has four parts or steps:

•   RSI reaches an overbought level

•   RSI drops below 70

•   RSI hits new highs without dropping back to overbought levels

•   RSI passes recent lows

Swing rejections make it possible to utilize divergence indicators to spot bullish or bearish trends in their earliest stages.


💡 Quick Tip: How to manage potential risk factors in a self-directed investment account? Doing your research and employing strategies like dollar-cost averaging and diversification may help mitigate financial risk when trading stocks.

Is RSI a Good Indicator to Use?

Yes, in certain circumstances. Relative Strength Index can be a good indicator to use in technical analysis, as it can make it easier to detect when a stock or the broader market is overbought or oversold. Understanding how to interpret RSI and its correlation to price movements could help you spot buy or sell signals and detect bull market or bear market trends.

That said, RSI also has some limitations. For example, the RSI can produce false positives or false negatives when bullish or bearish trends don’t align with the way a stock’s price is moving. Like other technical analysis indicators, it’s not an exact way to gauge the market’s momentum. So if stocks are hovering somewhere in the 40 to 60 range, it may be difficult to decipher whether the mood is bearish or bullish.

When using RSI, it’s helpful to incorporate other technical analysis indicators to create a comprehensive picture of the market. Exponential moving average (EMA), for example, is a type of moving average that uses the weighted average of recent pricing data to draw conclusions about the market.

Traders often use RSI in conjunction with other trend indicators, such as the Moving Average Convergence Divergence, the Stochastic Oscillator, or the Volume-Weighted Average Price.

RSI vs MACD

Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is a technical analysis indicator that investors may use alongside RSI. This indicator can help them determine when to buy or sell, based on the correlation between two moving averages for the same security.

Specifically, it requires looking at a 12-period moving average and a 26-period moving average. To find the MACD line, you’d subtract the 26-period from the 12-period, resulting in a main line. The next step is creating a trigger line, which is the nine-period exponential moving average of the main line. The interactions between these two lines can generate trading signals.

For example, when prices are strongly trending in a similar direction the main line and trigger line tend to move further apart. When prices are consolidating, the lines move closer together. If the main line crosses the trigger line from below, that can produce a buy signal. If the main line crosses the trigger line from above, that can be construed as a signal to sell.

While RSI and MACD are both trend indicators, there are some differences. Relative Strength Index measures the distance between pricing highs and lows. So you’re looking at the average gain or loss for a security over time, which again usually means 14 periods. The MACD, on the other hand, focuses on the relationship between moving averages for a security. It’s a trend-following signal that, like RSI, can indicate momentum.

RSI vs Stochastic Oscillator

The stochastic oscillator is a momentum indicator for technical analysis that shows where a stock’s closing price is relative to its high/low pricing range over a set period of time. The stochastic oscillator can also be used to track pricing for a market index.

Central to the use of the stochastic oscillator is the idea that as a stock’s price increases, the closing price inches closer to the highest point over time. When the stock’s price decreases, the closing price lands closer to the lowest low. Investors use this indicator to determine entry and exit points when making trades.

However, investors interpret RSI and stochastic oscillator readings differently. For example, with a stochastic oscillator, a reading of 20 or below generally means a stock is oversold, versus the 30 or below range for RSI readings. When used together, Relative Strength Index and stochastic oscillators can help with timing trades to maximize profit potential while minimizing the risk of losses.

Can You Use RSI to Time the Crypto Market?

Stocks are not the only asset class for which investors use the RSI. Investors also use the Relative Strength Index to assess conditions in the crypto markets and whether it’s time to sell or continue to HODL.

Cryptocurrency traders may use RSI to gauge momentum for individual currencies. Again, they’re looking at the highs and lows to get a sense of which way prices are moving at any given time. The RSI indicator can help with choosing when to buy or sell, based on previous price movements.

The same rules apply to crypto that apply to stocks: An RSI reading of 70 or above means overbought while a reading of 30 or below means oversold. Likewise, a reading above 50 signals a bullish trend while a reading below 50 can signal a bearish trend. Investors can also use a bearish divergence or bullish divergence to spot a pullback or an upward push.

As with stocks, however, it’s important to remember that RSI is not 100% accurate.

Recommended: Crypto Technical Analysis: What It Is & How to Do One

The Takeaway

RSI can be used to pinpoint positive or negative divergences in price for a stock or to determine whether it’s overbought or oversold. If you’re interested in technical analysis and trending trading, RSI can be a useful metric for making investment decisions.

The RSI is just one tool that you can use to devise a strategy for your portfolio. There are other less technical tools you can use as well when you’re starting to build a portfolio.

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