RETUPD Archives | Page 9 of 22

Nov

2023

IRA Withdrawal Rules: All You Need to Know

Guide to IRA Withdrawal Rules

By Sheryl Nance-Nash | invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

The purpose of Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) is to allow you to save for your golden years, so there are strict IRA withdrawal rules meant to make it harder to access that money for other reasons.

Ideally you sock away money consistently and your investment grows over time. You also get the benefit of tax breaks. But it’s important to keep the IRA rules for withdrawals in mind to make the most of your accounts.

Key Points

• Traditional and Roth IRAs have specific withdrawal rules and penalties to protect retirement savings.

• Roth IRA withdrawal rules include the five-year rule for penalty-free withdrawals, and required minimum distributions for inherited IRAs.

• Traditional IRA withdrawals before age 59 ½ incur regular income taxes and a 10% penalty.

• There are exceptions to the penalty, such as using funds for medical expenses, health insurance, disability, education, and first-time home purchases.

• Many experts recommend that early IRA withdrawals should be a last resort due to the potential impact on retirement savings and tax implications.

Roth IRA Withdrawal Rules

When can you withdraw from a Roth IRA? The rules for IRA withdrawals are different for Roth IRAs and traditional IRAs. For instance, qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax free, since you make contributions with after-tax funds. And there are some other rules about Roth IRAs to keep in mind as well.

The Five-year Rule

If you have a Roth IRA, you may face a Roth IRA withdrawal penalty if you withdraw funds you deposited less than five years ago. This is known as the “five-year rule“. These Roth IRA withdrawal rules also apply to the funds in a Roth rolled over from a traditional IRA. In those cases, if you make a withdrawal from a Roth IRA account that you’ve owned for less than five years, you’ll owe a 10% tax penalty on the account’s gains.

For inherited Roth IRAs, the five-year rule applies to the age of the account, so if your benefactor opened the account more than five years ago, you can access the funds penalty-free. If you tap into the money before that, you’ll owe taxes on the gains.

Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) on Inherited Roth IRAs

If you’re wondering about Roth IRA distribution rules, in most cases, you do not have to pay required minimum distributions on money in a Roth IRA account. However, for inherited Roths, IRA withdrawal rules mandate that you take required minimum distributions.

There are two ways to do that without penalty:

• Withdraw funds by December 31 of the fifth year after the original holder died. You can do this in either partial distributions or a lump sum. If the account is not emptied by that date, you could owe a 50% penalty on whatever is left.

• Take withdrawals each year, based on your life expectancy.

💡 Quick Tip: Did you know that you must choose the investments in your IRA? Once you open a new IRA and start saving, you get to decide which mutual funds, ETFs, or other investments you want — it’s totally up to you.

Traditional IRA Withdrawal Rules

If you take funds out of a traditional IRA before you turn 59 ½, you’ll owe regular income taxes on the contributions and the gains, per IRA tax deduction rules, plus a 10% penalty. Brian Walsh, CFP® at SoFi specifies, “When you make contributions to a traditional retirement account, that money is going to grow without paying any taxes. But when you take that money out—say 30 or 40 years from now—you’re going to pay taxes on all of the money you take out.”

RMDs on a Traditional IRA

The rules for withdrawing from an IRA mean that required minimum distributions kick in the year you turn 73. After that, you have to take distributions each year, based on your life expectancy. If you don’t take the RMD, you’ll owe a 50% penalty on the amount that you did not withdraw.

When Can You Withdraw from an IRA Without Penalties?

You can make withdrawals from an IRA once you reach age 59 ½ without penalties.

In addition, there are other situations in which you may be able to make withdrawals without having to pay a penalty. These include having medical expenses that aren’t covered by health insurance (as long as you meet certain qualifications), having a permanent disability that means you can no longer work, and paying for qualified education expenses for a child, spouse, or yourself.

Read more about these and other penalty-free exceptions below.

9 Exceptions to the 10% Early-Withdrawal Penalty on IRAs

Whether you’re withdrawing from a Roth within the first five years or you want to take money out of a traditional IRA before you turn 59 ½, there are some instances where you don’t have to pay the 10% penalty on your IRA withdrawals.

1. Medical Expenses

You can avoid the early withdrawal penalty if you use the funds to pay for unreimbursed medical expenses that total more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI).

2. Health Insurance

If you’re unemployed for at least 12 weeks, IRA withdrawal rules allow you to use funds from an IRA penalty-free to pay health insurance premiums for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents.

3. Disability

If you’re permanently disabled and can no longer work, you can withdraw IRA funds without penalty. In this case, your plan administrator may require you to provide proof of the disability before signing off on a penalty-free withdrawal.

4. Higher Education

IRA withdrawal rules allow you to use IRA funds to pay for qualified education expenses, such as tuition and books for yourself, your spouse, or your child without penalty.

5. Inherited IRAs

IRA withdrawal rules state that you don’t have to pay the 10% penalty on withdrawals from an IRA, unless you’re the sole beneficiary of a spouse’s account and roll it into your own, non-inherited IRA. In that case, the IRS treats the IRA as if it were yours from the start, meaning that early withdrawal penalties apply.

6. IRS Levy

If you owe taxes to the IRS, the agency may take it directly out of your IRA account. In that case, the IRS will not assess the 10% penalty. If you take the money out of the account yourself, however, to pay taxes, you’d also have to pay the 10% penalty.

7. Active Duty

If you’re a qualified reservist, you can take distributions without owing the 10% penalty. This goes for a military reservist or National Guard member called to active duty for at least 180 days after September 11, 2001.

8. Buying a House

While you can’t take out IRA loans, you can use up to $10,000 from your traditional IRA toward the purchase of your first home — and if you’re purchasing with a spouse, that goes for each of you. The IRS defines first-time homebuyers as someone who hasn’t owned a principal residence in the last two years. You can also withdraw money to help with a first home purchase for a child or your spouse’s child, grandchild, or parent.

In order to qualify for the penalty-free withdrawals, you’ll need to use the money within 120 days of the distribution.

9. Substantially Equal Periodic Payments

Another way to avoid penalties under IRA withdrawal rules, is by starting a series of distributions from your IRA, spread equally over your life expectancy. To make this work, you must take at least one distribution each year and you can’t alter the distribution schedule until five years have passed or you’ve reached age 59 ½, whichever is later.

The amount of the distributions must use an IRS-approved calculation that involves your life expectancy, your account balance, and interest rates.

💡 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.

Is Early IRA Withdrawal Worth It?

While there may be cases where it makes sense to take an early withdrawal, most advisors agree that it should be a last resort. These are disadvantages and advantages to consider.

Pros of IRA Early Withdrawal

• If you have a major expense and there are no other options, taking an early withdrawal from an IRA could help you cover the cost.

• An early withdrawal may help you avoid taking out a loan you would then have to repay with interest.

Cons of IRA Early Withdrawal

• By taking money out of an IRA account early, you’re robbing your own nest egg not only of the current value of the money but also future years of compound growth.

• Money taken out of a retirement account now can have a big impact on your financial security in the future when you retire.

• You may owe taxes and penalties, depending on the specific situation.

Opening an IRA With SoFi

Like 401(k)s, IRAs are powerful, tax-advantaged accounts you can use to save for retirement. However, it is possible to take money out of an IRA if you need it before retirement age. Just remember, even if you’re able to do so without an immediate tax penalty, the withdrawals could leave you with less money for retirement later.

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.

FAQ

Can you withdraw money from a Roth IRA without penalty?

You can withdraw your own contributions to a Roth IRA without penalty no matter what your age. However, you cannot withdraw the earnings on your contributions before age 59 ½, or before the account has been open for at least five years, without incurring a penalty.

What are the rules for withdrawing from a Roth IRA?

You can withdraw your own contributions to a Roth IRA at any time penalty-free. But to avoid taxes and penalties on your earnings, withdrawals from a Roth IRA must be taken after age 59 ½ and once the account has been open for at least five years.

However, there are a number of exceptions in which you typically don’t have to pay a penalty for an early withdrawal, including: some medical expenses that aren’t covered by health insurance, being permanently disabled and unable to work, or if you’re on qualified active military duty.

What are the 5 year rules for Roth IRA withdrawal?

Under the 5-year rule, if you make a withdrawal from a Roth IRA that’s been open for less than five years, you’ll owe a 10% penalty on the account’s earnings. If your Roth IRA was inherited, the 5-year rule applies to the age of the account. So if you inherited the Roth IRA from a parent, for instance, and they opened the account more than five years ago, you can withdraw the funds penalty-free. If the account has been opened for less than five years, however, you’ll owe taxes on the gains.

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Nov

2023

What Is the Average Rate of Return on a 401(k)?

By Samuel Becker | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

The average rate of return on 401(k)s is typically between 5% and 8%, depending on specific market conditions in a given year. Keep in mind that returns will vary depending on the individual investor’s portfolio, and that those numbers are a general benchmark.

While not everyone has access to a 401(k) plan, those who do may wonder if it’s an effective investment vehicle that can help them reach their goals. The answer is, generally, yes, but there are a lot of things to take into consideration. There are also alternatives out there, too.

Key Points

• The average rate of return on 401(k)s is typically between 5% and 8%, depending on market conditions and individual portfolios.

• 401(k) plans offer benefits such as potential employer matches, tax advantages, and federal protections under ERISA.

• Fees, vesting schedules, and early withdrawal penalties are important considerations for 401(k) investors.

• 401(k) plans offer limited investment options, typically focused on stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

• Asset allocation and individual risk tolerance play a significant role in determining 401(k) returns and investment strategies.

Some 401(k) Basics

To understand what a 401(k) has to offer, it helps to know exactly what it is. The IRS defines a 401(k) as “a feature of a qualified profit-sharing plan that allows employees to contribute a portion of their wages to individual accounts.”

In other words, employees can choose to delegate a portion of their pay to an investment account set up through their employer. Because participants put the money from their paychecks into their 401(k) account on a pre-tax basis, those contributions reduce their annual taxable income.

Taxes on the contributions and their growth in a 401(k) account are deferred until the money is withdrawn (unless it’s an after-tax Roth 401(k)).

A 401(k) is a “defined-contribution” plan, which means the participant’s balance is determined by regular contributions made to the plan and by the performance of the investments the participant chooses.

This is different from a “defined-benefit” plan, or pension. A defined-benefit plan guarantees the employee a defined monthly income in retirement, putting any investment risk on the plan provider rather than the employee.

Benefits of a 401(k)

There are a lot of benefits that come with a 401(k) account, and some good reasons to consider using one to save for retirement.

Potential Employer Match

Employers aren’t required to make contributions to employee 401(k) plans, but many do. Typically, an employer might offer to match a certain percentage of an employee’s contributions.

Tax Advantages

As mentioned, most 401(k)s are tax-deferred. This means that the full amount of the contributions can be invested until you’re ready to withdraw funds. And you may be in a lower tax bracket when you do start withdrawing and have to pay taxes on your withdrawals.

Federal Protections

One of the less-talked about benefits of 401(k) plans is that they’re protected by federal law. The Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) sets minimum standards for any employers that set up retirement plans and for the administrators who manage them.

Those protections include a claims and appeals process to make sure employees get the benefits they have coming. Those include the right to sue for benefits and breaches of fiduciary duty if the plan is mismanaged, that certain benefits are paid if the participant becomes unemployed, and that plan features and funding are properly disclosed. ERISA-qualified accounts are also protected from creditors.

401(k) Fees, Vesting, and Penalties

There can be some downsides for some 401(k) investors as well. It’s a good idea to be aware of them before you decide whether to open an account.

Fees

The typical 401(k) plan charges a fee of around 1% of assets under management. That means an investor who has $100,000 in a 401(k) could pay $1,000 or more. And as that participant’s savings grow over the years, the fees could add up to thousands of dollars.

Fees eat into your returns and make saving harder — and there are companies that don’t charge management fees on their investment accounts. If you’re unsure about what you’re paying, you should be able to find out from your plan provider or your employer’s HR department, or you can do your own research on various 401(k) plans.

Vesting

Although any contributions you make belong to you 100% from the get-go, that may not be true for your employer’s contributions. In some cases, a vesting schedule may dictate the degree of ownership you have of the money your employer puts in your account.

Early Withdrawal Penalties

Don’t forget, when you start withdrawing retirement funds, some of the money in your tax-deferred retirement account will finally go toward taxes. That means it’s in Uncle Sam’s interest to keep your 401(k) savings growing.

So, if you decide to take money out of a 401(k) account before age 59 ½, in addition to any other taxes due when there’s a withdrawal, you’ll usually have to pay a 10% penalty. (Although there are some exceptions.) And at age 73, you’re required to take minimum distributions from your tax-deferred retirement accounts.

Potentially Limited Investment Options

One more thing to consider when you think about signing up for a 401(k) is what kind of investing you’d like to do. Employers are required to offer at least three basic options: a stock investment option, a bond option, and cash or stable value option. Many offer more than that minimum, but they stick mostly to mutual funds. That’s meant to streamline the decision-making. But if you’re looking to diversify outside the basic asset classes, it can be limiting.

How Do 401(k) Returns Hold Up?

Life might be easier if we could know the average rate of return to expect from a 401(k). But the unsatisfying answer is that it depends.

Several factors contribute to overall performance, including the investments your particular plan offers you to choose from and the individual portfolio you create. And of course, it also depends on what the market is doing from day to day and year to year.

Despite the many variables, you may often hear an annual return that ranges from 5% to 8% cited as what you can expect. But that doesn’t mean an investor will always be in that range. Sometimes you may have double-digit returns. Sometimes your return might drop down to negative numbers.

Issues With Looking Up Average Returns As a Metric

It’s good to keep in mind, too, that looking up average returns can create some issues. Specifically, averages don’t often tell the whole story, and can skew a data set. For instance, if a billionaire walks into a diner with five other people, on average, every single person in the diner would probably be a multi-millionaire — though that wouldn’t necessarily be true.

It can be a good idea to do some reading about averages and medians, and try to determine whether aiming for an average return is feasible or realistic in a given circumstance.

Some Common Approaches to 401(k) Investing

There are many different ways to manage your 401(k) account, and none of them comes with a guaranteed return. But here are a few popular strategies.

60/40 Asset Allocation

One technique sometimes used to try to maintain balance in a portfolio as the market fluctuates is a basic 60/40 mix. That means the account allocates 60% to equities (stocks) and 40% to bonds. The intention is to minimize risk while generating a consistent rate of return over time — even when the market is experiencing periods of volatility.

Target-Date Funds

As a retirement plan participant, you can figure out your preferred mix of investments on your own, with the help of a financial advisor, or by opting for a target-date fund — a mutual fund that bases asset allocations on when you expect to retire.

A 2050 target-date fund will likely be more aggressive. It might have more stocks than bonds, and it will typically have a higher rate of return. A 2025 target-date fund will lean more toward safety. It will likely be designed to protect an investor who’s nearer to retirement, so it might be invested mostly in bonds. (Again, the actual returns an investor will see may be affected by the whims of the market.)

Most 401(k) plans offer target-date funds, and they make investing easy for hands-off investors. But if that’s not what you’re looking for, and your 401(k) plan makes an advisor available to you, you may be able to get more specific advice. Or, if you want more help, you could hire a financial professional to work with you on your overall plan as it relates to your long- and short-term goals.

Multiple Retirement Accounts

Another possibility might be to go with the basic choices in your workplace 401(k), but also open a separate investing account with which you could take a more hands-on approach. You could try a traditional IRA if you’re still looking for tax advantages, a Roth IRA (read more about what Roth IRAs are) if you want to limit your tax burden in retirement, or an account that lets you invest in what you love, one stock at a time.

There are some important things to know, though, before deciding between a 401(k) vs. an IRA.

💡 Quick Tip: Can you save for retirement with an automated investment portfolio? Yes. In fact, automated portfolios, or robo advisors, can be used within taxable accounts as well as tax-advantaged retirement accounts.

How Asset Allocation Can Make a Difference

How an investor allocates their resources can make a difference in terms of their ultimate returns. Generally speaking, riskier investments tend to have higher potential returns — and higher potential losses. Stocks also tend to be riskier investments than bonds, so if an investor were to construct a portfolio that’s stock-heavy relative to bonds, they’d probably have a better chance of seeing bigger returns.

But also, a bigger chance of seeing a negative return.

With that in mind, it’s going to come down to an investor’s individual appetite for risk, and how much time they have to reach their financial goals. While there are seemingly infinite ways to allocate your investments, the chart below offers a very simple look at how asset allocation associates with risks and returns.

Asset Allocations and Associated Risk/Return
Asset Allocation	Risk/Return
75% Stock-25% Bonds	Higher risk, higher potential returns
50% Stock-50% Bonds	Medium risk, variable potential returns
25% Stock-75% Bonds	Lower risk, lower potential returns

Ways to Make the Most of Investment Options

It’s up to you to manage your employer-sponsored 401(k) in a way that makes good use of the options available. Here are some pointers.

Understand the Match

One way to start is by familiarizing yourself with the rules on how to maximize the company match. Is it a dollar-for-dollar match up to a certain percentage of your salary, a 50% match, or some other calculation? It also helps to know the policy regarding vesting and what happens to those matching contributions if you leave your job before you’re fully vested.

Consider Your Investments

With or without help, taking a little time to assess the investments in your plan could boost your bottom line. It may also allow you to tailor your portfolio to better accomplish your financial goals. Checking past returns can provide some information when choosing investments and strategies, but looking to the future also can be useful.

Plan for Your Whole Life

If you have a career plan (will you stay with this employer for years or be out the door in two?) and/or a personal plan (do you want to buy a house, have kids, start your own business?), factor those into your investment plans. Doing so may help you decide how much to invest and where to invest it.

Find Your Lost 401(k)s

Have you lost track of the 401(k) plans or accounts you left behind at past employers? It may make sense to roll them into your current employer’s plan, or to roll them into an IRA separate from your workplace account. You might also want to review and update your portfolio mix, and you might be able to eliminate some fees.

Know the Maximum Contributions for Retirement Accounts

Keep in mind that there are different contribution limits for 401(k)s and IRAs. For those under age 50, the 2023 contribution limit is $22,500 for 401(k)s and $6,500 for IRAs. For those 50 or older, the 2023 contribution limit is $30,000 for 401(k)s and $7,500 for IRAs. Other rules and restrictions may also apply.

Learn How to Calculate Your 401(k) Rate of Return

This information can be useful as you assess your retirement saving strategy, and the math isn’t too difficult.

For this calculation, you’ll need to figure out your total contributions and your total gains for a specific period of time (let’s say a calendar year).

You can find your contributions on your 401(k) statements or your pay stubs. Add up the total for the year.

Your gains may be listed on your 401(k) statements as well. If not, you can take the ending balance of your account for the year and subtract the total of your contributions and the account balance at the beginning of the year. That will give you your total gains.

Once you have those factors, divide your gains by your ending balance and multiply by 100 to get your rate of return.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you have a beginning balance of $10,000. Your total contributions for the year are $6,000. Your ending balance is $17,600. So your gains equal $1,600. To get your rate of return, the calculation is:

(Gains / ending balance) X 100 =

($1,600 / $17,600) X 100 = 9%

Savings Potential From a 401(k) Potential by Age

It can be difficult to really get a feel for how your 401(k) savings or investments can grow over time, but using some of the math above, and assuming that you keep making contributions over the years, you’ll very likely end up with a sizable nest egg when you reach retirement age.

This all depends, of course, on when you start, and how the markets trend in the subsequent years. But for an example, we can make some assumptions to see how this might play out. For simplicity’s sake, assume that you start contributing to a 401(k) at age 20, with plans to start taking distributions at age 70. You also contribute $10,000 per year (with no employer match, and no inflation), at an average return of 5% per year.

Here’s how that might look over time:

401(k) Savings Over Time
Age	401(k) Balance
20	$10,000
30	$128,923
40	$338,926
50	$680,998
60	$1,238,198
70	$2,145,817

Using time and investment returns to supercharge your savings, you could end up with more than $2 million through dutiful saving and investing in your 401(k). Again, there are no guarantees, and the chart above makes a lot of oversimplified assumptions, but this should give you an idea of how things can add up.

Alternatives to 401(k) Plans

While 401(k) plans can be powerful financial tools, not everyone has access to them. Or, they may be looking for alternatives for whatever reason. Here are some options.

Roth IRA

Roth IRAs are IRAs that allow for the contribution of after-tax dollars. Accordingly, the money contained within can then be withdrawn tax-free during retirement. They differ from traditional IRAs in a few key ways, the biggest and most notable of which being that traditional IRAs are tax-deferred accounts (contributions are made pre-tax).

Learn more about what IRAs are, and what they are not.

Traditional IRA

As discussed, a traditional IRA is a tax-deferred retirement account. Contributions are made using pre-tax funds, so investors pay taxes on distributions once they retire.

HSA

HSAs, or health savings accounts, are another vehicle that can be used to save or invest money. HSAs have triple tax benefits, in that account holders can contribute pre-tax dollars to them, allow that money to grow tax-free, and then use the holdings on qualified medical expenses — also tax-free.

Retirement Investment

Typical returns on 401(k)s may vary, but looking for an average of between 5% and 8% would likely be a good target range. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be up or down years, and averages, themselves, can be a bit misleading.

While your annual return on your 401(k) may vary, the good news is that, as an investor, you have options about how you save for the future. The choices you make can be as aggressive or as conservative as you want, as you choose the investment mix that best suits your timeline and financial goals.

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.

FAQ

What is the typical 401(k) return over 20 years?

The typical return for 401(k)s over 20 years is between 5% and 8%, assuming a portfolio sticks to an asset mix of roughly 60% stocks and 40% bonds. There’s also no guarantee that returns will fall within that range.

What is the typical 401(k) return over 10 years?

Again, the average rate of return for 401(k)s tends to land between 5% and 8%, with some years providing higher returns, and some years providing lower, or even negative returns.

What was the typical 401(k) return for 2022?

The average 401(k) lost roughly 20% of its value during 2022, as increasing interest rates and shifting economic conditions over the course of the year (largely due to increasing inflation) caused the economy to sputter.

Nov

2023

What Is a Dead Cat Bounce and How Can You Spot It?

By Ashley Kilroy | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing | Comments Off

A “dead cat bounce” is a colorful way of describing an unexpected price jump that occurs after a long, slow decline — and typically just before another price drop.

A dead cat bounce carries that morbid name because the price spike in a particular stock or market sector isn’t “live” (i.e. it’s not a real rebound), and characteristically it doesn’t last.

The danger can be that the apparent rebound creates false value, or optimism. That said, some investors may be able to take advantage of a dead cat bounce to create a short position. Unfortunately, it’s hard to identify a dead cat bounce until after the fact.

Nonetheless, investors may want to know some of the signs of this price pattern, as it can help them gauge certain market movements.

Key Points

• A dead cat bounce refers to a temporary price jump after a decline, often followed by another drop.

• It is difficult to identify a dead cat bounce in real-time, making it challenging for investors to take advantage of it.

• Dead cat bounces can occur in individual stocks, bonds, or entire markets.

• Investors should be cautious when interpreting price movements and consider other factors before making investment decisions.

• Active investors may use technical analysis and market indicators to help identify potential dead cat bounces.

What Is a Dead Cat Bounce?

The meaning of “dead cat bounce” comes from a bleak saying among traders that even a dead cat will bounce if it’s dropped from a high enough height.

Thus, when a security or market experiences a steady decline, and then appears to bounce back, only to decline again — it’s known as a dead cat bounce. The “recovery” doesn’t have a rhyme or reason; it’s merely part of a short-term market variation, perhaps driven by market sentiment or other economic factors.

Sometimes what appears to be a dead cat bounce can turn into a stock market crash.

A Dead Cat Bounce Is Specific

If you’re learning how to invest in stocks, bear in mind that a dead cat bounce is not used to describe the ups and downs of a typical trading day — it refers to a longer-term drop, rebound, and continued drop. The term wouldn’t apply to a security that’s continuing to grow in value. The revival must be brief, before the price continues to fall.

It’s also important to point out that this financial phenomenon can pertain to individual securities such as stocks or bonds, to stock trading as a whole, or to a market.

Why Identify a Dead Cat Bounce?

Even for experienced traders or short-term investors using sophisticated technical analysis, it can be difficult. Sometimes a rally is actually a rally; sometimes a drop indicates a bottom.

The point of trying to distinguish whether the rise in price will continue or reverse is because it can influence your strategy. If you have a short position, and you anticipate that a rally in stock price will end in a reversal, you may want to hold steady. If you think the rally will continue, you’ll want to exit a short position.

Example of a Dead Cat Bounce

To illustrate a dead cat bounce, let’s suppose company ABC trades for $70 on June 5, then drops in value to $50 per share over the next four months. Between Oct. 7 and Oct. 14, the price rises to $65 per share — but then starts to rapidly decline again on Oct. 15. Finally, ABC’s stock price settles at $30 per share on Oct. 16.

This pattern is how a dead cat bounce might appear in a real-life trading situation. The security quickly paused the decline for a swift revival, but the price recovery was temporary before it started falling again and eventually steadied at an even lower price.

History of Dead Cat Bounces

There are countless examples of the dead cat bounce pattern in stocks and other securities, as well as whole markets. One of the most recent affected the entire stock market during the Covid pandemic.

The U.S. stock market lost about 12% during one week in February 2020, and appeared to revive the following week with a 2% gain. But it turned out to be a false recovery, and the market dipped back down again until later that summer.

Why Does a Dead Cat Bounce Happen?

A dead cat bounce is often the result of investors believing the market or security in question has hit its low point and they try to buy in to ride the turnaround. It can also occur as a result of investors closing out short positions.

Since these trends aren’t driven by technical factors, that’s why the bounce is typically short-lived — usually lasting a couple of days, or maybe a couple of months on the outside.

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How to Spot A Dead Cat Bounce

Because a dead cat bounce is often an illusion of actual intrinsic value, investors may be tempted to jump on an investment opportunity before it makes sense to do so.

The following typical sequence of events may help an investor correctly identify a dead cat bounce as it might occur with a specific stock.

1. There is a gap down.

Typically the stock opens lower than the previous close, usually a significant amount like 5% (or perhaps 3% if the stock isn’t prone to volatility).

2. The security’s price steadily declines.

In a true dead cat bounce scenario, that initial gap down will be followed by a sustained decline.

3. The price sees a monetary gain for a short time.

At some point during the price drop, there will be a turnaround as the price appears to bounce back, close to its previous high.

4. A security’s price begins to regress again.

The rally is short, however, and the stock completes its dead cat bounce pattern with a final decline in price.

Dead Cat Bounce vs Other Patterns

How do you know whether the pattern you’re seeing is really a classic dead cat bounce versus other types of movements? Here are some clues.

Dead Cat Bounce or Rally?

One way to stay alert for a dead cat bounce with a particular stock is to consider whether the now-rising stock is still as weak as it was when its price was falling. If there’s no market indicator as to why the stock is rebounding, it might make sense to suspect a dead cat bounce.

Dead Cat Bounce or Lowest Price?

Since investors are looking for opportunities to profit, they try to find investment opportunities that allow them to buy low and sell high.

Therefore, when assessing investment opportunities, a successful investor might try to recognize emerging companies, and buy shares of their stock while the price is low and before other investors get wind of the lucrative company.

Since companies go through business cycles where stock prices fluctuate, pinpointing the lowest price point might be hard to determine. There’s no way to know if a dead cat bounce is happening, until the prices have resumed their descent.

Dead Cat Bounce or Bottom of a Bear Market?

Investors may also confuse a dead cat bounce for the actual bottom of a bear market. It’s not uncommon for stocks to significantly rebound after the bear market hits bottom.

History shows that the S&P 500 often sees substantial gains within the first few months of hitting bottom after a bear market. But these rallies have been sustained, and thus are not a dead cat bounce.

Investing Strategies to Avoid a Dead Cat Bounce

For investors who want a more hands-on investing approach — meaning active investing vs. passive — it’s generally better to use investing fundamentals to evaluate a security instead of attempting to time the market (and risk mistaking a dead cat bounce for an opportunity).

Investors who are just starting may want to consider building a portfolio of a dozen or so securities. Picking a few stocks allows investors to monitor performance while giving their portfolio a little diversification. This means the investor distributes their money across several different types of securities instead of investing all of their money in one security, which in turn can help to minimize risk.

Active investors could also consider selecting stocks across varying sectors to give their portfolio even more diversification instead of sticking to one niche.

Investors with restricted funds might consider investing in just a few stocks while offsetting risk by investing in mutual funds or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

For investors who would prefer not to execute an active investing strategy alone, they can speak with a professional manager. Working with a professional manager may help the investors better navigate the intricacies of various market cycles.

Limitations in Identifying a Dead Cat Bounce

As noted several times here, a dead cat bounce can’t really be identified with 100% certainty until after the fact. While some traders may believe they can predict a dead cat bounce by using certain fundamental or technical analysis tools, it’s impossible to do so every single time.

If there were a way to accurately predict market movements or different patterns, people would always try to time the market. But there are no crystal balls in investing, as they say.

The Takeaway

With 20-20 hindsight, investors and analysts can clearly see that an individual security or market has experienced a steady drop in value, a brief rebound, and then a further drop — a phenomenon known as a dead cat bounce.

Unfortunately, though, it can be too hard for most investors to distinguish between a dead cat bounce and a bona fide rally, or the bottom of a given market or security’s price. Still, knowing what to look for may help investors make more informed choices, especially when it comes to making a choice around keeping or closing out a short position.

For investors who want to take an active role in investing, an online trading platform like SoFi Invest® offers the opportunity to manage your money the way you want. When you open an Active Invest account with SoFi, you can trade stocks you’re familiar with or explore different investment opportunities, including IPO shares, fractional shares, and more.

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Investment Risk: Diversification can help reduce some investment risk. It cannot guarantee profit, or fully protect in a down market.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs): Investors should carefully consider the information contained in the prospectus, which contains the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other relevant information. You may obtain a prospectus from the Fund company’s website or by email customer service at [email protected]. Please read the prospectus carefully prior to investing.
Shares of ETFs must be bought and sold at market price, which can vary significantly from the Fund’s net asset value (NAV). Investment returns are subject to market volatility and shares may be worth more or less their original value when redeemed. The diversification of an ETF will not protect against loss. An ETF may not achieve its stated investment objective. Rebalancing and other activities within the fund may be subject to tax consequences.

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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Oct

2023

When Can You Withdraw From Your 401(k)?

By LeeMarie Kennedy | Growing Wealth, invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

If you have a 401(k), odds are, you can withdraw money from it–but there are rules, penalties, and taxes to take into account, depending on several factors. Even so, if you’ve diligently contributed to a 401(k) fund, and watched your balance grow,, you may have found yourself wondering “When can I withdraw from my 401(k) account?”

It’s a common question, and some key things to consider include whether you’re still working or already retired, if you qualify for a hardship withdrawal, whether it makes sense to take out a 401(k) loan, or rollover your 401(k) into another account.

What Are The Rules For Withdrawing From a 401(k)?

Because 401(k) accounts are retirement savings vehicles, there are restrictions on exactly when investors can withdraw 401(k) funds. Typically, account holders can withdraw money from their 401(k) without penalties when they reach the age of 59½. If they decide to take out funds before that age, they may face penalty fees for early withdrawal.

That said, there are some circumstances in which people can take an early withdrawal from their 401(k) account before 59 ½. Each plan should have a description that clearly states if and when it allows for disbursements, hardship distributions, 401(k) loans, or the option to cash out the 401(k).

💡 Quick Tip: How do you decide if a certain trading platform or app is right for you? Ideally, the investment platform you choose offers the features that you need for your investment goals or strategy, e.g., an easy-to-use interface, data analysis, educational tools.

What Age Can You Withdraw From 401(k) Without Penalty?

The rules about the penalties for 401(k) withdrawals depend on age, with younger workers generally facing higher penalties for withdrawals, especially if they’re not yet retired.

The IRS provision known as the “Rule of 55” allows account holders to withdraw from their 401(k) or 403(b) without any penalties if they’re 55 or older and leaving their job in the same calendar year.

In the case of public safety employees like firefighters and police officers, the age to withdraw penalty-free under the same provision is 50.

Under the Age of 55

When 401(k) account holders are under the age of 55 and still employed at the company that sponsors their plan, they have two options for withdrawing from their 401(k) without penalties:

1. Taking out a 401(k) loan.

2. Taking out a 401(k) hardship withdrawal.

If they’re no longer employed at the company, account holders can roll their funds into a new employer’s 401(k) plan or possibly an IRA.

Between Ages 55–59 1/2

The Rule of 55, as previously mentioned, means that most 401(k) plans allow for penalty-free retirements starting at age 55, with the exception of public service officials who are eligible as early as 50. Still, there are a few guidelines to consider around this particular IRS provision:

1. Account holders who retire the year before they turn 55 are subject to a 10% early withdrawal penalty tax.

2. If account holders roll their 401(k) plans over into an IRA account, the provision no longer applies. A traditional IRA account holder cannot withdraw funds penalty-free until they are 59 ½.

3. Once a 401(k) account holder reaches 59 ½, access to their funds depends on whether they are retired or still employed.

After Age 73

In addition to penalties for withdrawing funds too soon, you can also face penalties if you take money out of a retirement plan too late. When you turn 73, you must withdraw a certain amount, known as a “required minimum distribution (RMD),” every year, or face a penalty of up to 50% of that distribution.

Withdrawing 401(k) Funds When Already Retired

If a 401(k) plan holder is retired and still has funds in their 401(k) account, they can withdraw them penalty-free at age 59 ½. The same age rules apply to retirees who rolled their 401(k) funds into an IRA.

Withdrawing 401(k) Funds While Still Employed

If a 401(k) plan holder is still employed, they can access the funds from a 401(k) account with a previous employer once they turn 59 ½. However, they may not have access to their 401(k) funds at the company where they currently work.

401(k) Hardship Withdrawals

Under certain circumstances, 401(k) plans allow for hardship withdrawals or early distributions. If a plan allows for this, the criteria for eligibility should appear in plan documents.

Hardship distributions are typically only offered penalty-free in the case of an “immediate and heavy financial need,” and the amount disbursed is not more than what’s necessary to meet that need. The IRS has designated certain situations that can qualify for hardship distributions, including:

• Certain medical expenses

• Purchasing a principal residence

• Tuition and educational expenses

• Preventing eviction or foreclosure on a primary residence

• Funeral costs

• Repair expenses for damage to a principal place of residence

The terms of the plan govern the specific amounts eligible for hardship distributions. In some cases, account holders who take hardship distributions may not be able to contribute to their 401(k) account for six months.

As far as penalties go, hardship distributions may be included in the account holder’s gross income at tax time, which could affect their tax bill. And if they’re not yet 59 ½, their distribution may be subject to an additional 10% tax penalty for early withdrawal.

Taking Out a 401(k) Loan

Some retirement plans allow participants to take loans directly from their 401(k) account. If the borrower fulfills the terms of the loan and pays the money back in the agreed upon timeframe (usually within five years), they do not have to pay additional taxes on it.

That said, the IRS caps the amount someone can borrow from an eligible plan at either $50,000, or half of the amount they have saved in their 401(k)—whichever is less. Also, borrowers will likely pay an interest rate that’s one or two points higher than the prime.

IRA Rollover Bridge Loan

The IRS allows for short-term tax and penalty-free rollover loans, assuming you follow a 60-day rule. In short, the 60-day rollover rule requires that all funds withdrawn from a retirement account be deposited into a new retirement account within 60 days of their distribution, so, within that 60-day window, you can use the money as a bridge loan.

401(k) Withdrawals vs Loans

While most financial professionals would likely tell you that it’s wise to keep your retirement funds where they are for as long as possible, withdrawals and loans are possible. If you do find yourself looking at either withdrawing or borrowing money from your retirement accounts, it may be best to use the loan option as you won’t get dinged on taxes–and assuming that you can pay the money back within the given time frame.

But again, this is likely a decision that should be made with the help of a financial professional.

Cashing Out a 401(k)

Cashing out an old 401(k) occurs when a participant liquidates their account. While it might sound appealing, particularly if a plan holder needs money right now, cashing out a 401(k) can have some drawbacks. If the plan holder is younger than 59 ½, the withdrawn funds will be subject to ordinary income taxes and an additional 10% penalty tax. That means that a significant portion of their 401(k) would go directly to the IRS.

Rolling Over a 401(k)

Instead of cashing out an old 401(k), account holders may choose to roll over their 401(k) into an IRA. In many cases, this strategy allows participants to continue saving for retirement, avoid unnecessary penalty fees, and reduce their total number of retirement accounts.

The Takeaway

While it may be possible to withdraw money from a 401(k) at almost any time, there are things to consider, such as taxes and penalties. Certain factors like age, employment status and hardship eligibility determine whether you can make a withdrawal from your 401(k).

In cases where plan participants do not meet age requirements for withdrawing 401(k) funds penalty-free, they can still take out a 401(k) loan, cash out a pre-existing 401(k) plan, or rollover their 401(k) into a different retirement account. As always, though, it may be best to discuss your options with a financial professional.

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.

FAQ

Can you take out 401(k) funds if you only need the money short term?

It’s possible, and one way that some people “borrow” from their 401(k)s for short periods of time is by utilizing the 60-day rollover window. While you’d need to open a new retirement account, this rollover period can allow you to borrow retirement funds tax and penalty-free for a short period of time.

How long does it take to cash out a 401(k) after leaving a job?

The period of time between when you leave a job and when you can withdraw money from your 401(k) will depend on your employer and the company that administers your account, but probably won’t take longer than two weeks.

What are other alternatives to taking an early 401(k) withdrawal?

Perhaps the most obvious alternative to taking an early 401(k) withdrawal is to take out a loan from your retirement account instead, which allows savers to repay the money over time without penalty.

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Oct

2023

Are Mutual Funds Good for Retirement?

By Rebecca Lake | invest, Investing, Preparing for Retirement | Comments Off

Mutual funds are one option investors may consider when building a retirement portfolio. A mutual fund represents a pooled investment that can hold a variety of different securities, including stocks and bonds. There are different types of mutual funds investors may choose from, including index funds, target date funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

But how do mutual funds work? Are mutual funds good for retirement or are there drawbacks to investing in them? What should be considered when choosing mutual funds for retirement planning?

Those are all important questions to ask when determining the best ways to build wealth for the long term.

Understanding Mutual Funds

A mutual fund pools money from multiple investors, then uses those funds to invest in a number of various securities. Mutual funds can hold stocks, bonds, short-term debt, and other types of securities.

How a mutual fund is classified or categorized can depend largely on what the fund invests in and what type of investment strategy it follows. For example, index funds follow a passive investment strategy, as these funds attempt to mimic the performance of a stock market benchmark. So a fund that tracks the S&P 500 index would attempt to replicate the returns of the companies included in that index.

Target-date funds utilize a different strategy. These funds automatically adjust their asset allocation based on a target retirement date. So a 2050 target-date fund, for example, may shift more of its asset allocation toward bonds or fixed-income and away from stocks as the year 2050 approaches.

Exchange-traded funds or ETFs trade on an exchange just like stocks. This is a departure from the way mutual funds are typically traded, with the price being set at the end of the trading day.

How Mutual Funds Work

Mutual funds work by allowing investors to purchase shares in the fund. Buying shares makes them part-owner of the fund and its underlying assets. As such, investors have the right to share in the profits of the fund. So if a mutual fund owns dividend-paying stocks, for example, any dividends received would be passed along to the fund’s investors.

Depending on how the fund is structured or what the brokerage selling the fund offers, investors may be able to receive any dividends or interest as cash payments or they may be able to reinvest them. With a dividend reinvestment plan or DRIP, investors can use dividends to purchase additional shares of stock, often bypassing brokerage commission fees in the process.

Investors pay an expense ratio to invest in mutual funds. This reflects the annual cost of owning the fund, expressed as a percentage. Passively managed mutual funds, including index funds and target date funds, tend to have lower expense ratios. Actively managed funds, on the other hand, tend to be more expensive, but the idea is that higher fees may seem justified if the fund produces above-average returns.

Investors can learn more about how a particular mutual fund works, what it invests in, and the fees involved by reading the fund’s prospectus.

💡 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.

Mutual Funds for Retirement Planning

Mutual funds are arguably one of the most popular investment options for retirement planning. According to the Investment Company Institute, 52.3% of U.S. households totaling approximately 115.3 million individual investors owned mutual funds in 2022. Older generations such as Baby Boomers and Gen Xers—those who may be planning for retirement—are more likely to have mutual funds, the research found.

So are mutual funds good for retirement? Here are some of the pros and cons to consider.

Pros of Using Mutual Funds for Retirement

Investing in mutual funds for retirement planning could be attractive for investors who want:

• Convenience

• Simplified diversification

• Professional management

• Reinvestment of dividends

Investing in a mutual fund can offer exposure to a wide range of securities, which can help with diversifying a portfolio. And it may be easier and less costly to purchase a single fund that holds 10 or 20 stocks than to purchase individual shares of each of those companies.

Mutual funds are professionally managed, so investors can rely on the fund manager’s expertise and knowledge. You don’t need to be as hands-on as you would need to be if you were day trading individual stocks. And if the fund includes dividend reinvestment, you can increase your holdings automatically which can make it easier to grow wealth.

Cons of Using Mutual Funds for Retirement

While there are some advantages to using mutual funds for retirement planning, there are also some possible disadvantages, including:

• Potential for high fees

• Overweighting risk

• Under-performance

• Tax inefficiency

As mentioned, mutual funds and ETFs carry expense ratios. While some index funds may charge as little as 0.15% in fees, there are some actively managed funds with expense ratios well above 1%. If those higher fees are not being offset by higher than expected returns (which is never a guarantee), the fund may not be worth it. Likewise, buying and selling mutual fund shares could get expensive if your brokerage charges steep trading fees.

While mutual funds make it easier to diversify, there’s the risk of overweighting one’s portfolio — owning the same holdings across different funds. For example, if you’re invested in five mutual funds that hold the same stock and the stock tanks, that could drag down your portfolio.

Something else to keep in mind is that a mutual fund is typically only as good as the fund manager behind it. Even the best fund managers don’t always get it right. So it’s possible that a fund’s returns may not live up to your expectations.

On the other hand, you may also have to contend with unexpected tax liability at the end of the year if the fund sells securities at a gain. Just like other investments, mutual funds and ETFs are subject to capital gains tax. Whether you pay short- or long-term capital gains tax rates depends on how long you held a fund before selling it.

Pros	Cons
• Mutual funds offer convenience for investors • It may be easier and more cost-effective to diversify using mutual funds vs. individual securities • Investors benefit from the fund manager’s experience and knowledge • Dividend reinvestment can make it easier to grow wealth	• Some mutual funds may carry higher expense ratios than others • Overweighting can occur if investors own multiple funds with the same underlying assets • Fund performance may not always live up to the investor or fund manager’s expectations • Income distributions can result in unexpected tax liability for investors

Pros

Cons

• Mutual funds offer convenience for investors

• It may be easier and more cost-effective to diversify using mutual funds vs. individual securities

• Investors benefit from the fund manager’s experience and knowledge

• Dividend reinvestment can make it easier to grow wealth

• Some mutual funds may carry higher expense ratios than others

• Overweighting can occur if investors own multiple funds with the same underlying assets

• Fund performance may not always live up to the investor or fund manager’s expectations

• Income distributions can result in unexpected tax liability for investors

Investing in Mutual Funds for Retirement Planning

The steps to invest in mutual funds for retirement are simple and straightforward.

1. Start with an online brokerage account, individual retirement account (IRA) or 401(k). You can also buy a mutual fund directly from the company that created it, but a brokerage account or retirement account is usually the easier way to go.

2. Set your budget. Decide how much money you can afford to invest in mutual funds. Keep in mind that the minimum investment for a particular fund can vary. One fund may allow you to invest with as little as $100 while another might require $1,000 to $3,000 to get started.

3. Choose funds. If you already have a brokerage account, this may simply mean logging in, navigating to the section designated for buying funds, selecting the fund or funds and entering in the amount you want to invest.

4. Submit your order. You may be asked to consent to electronic delivery of the fund’s prospectus when you place your order. If your brokerage charges a fee to purchase mutual funds, that amount will likely be added to the order total. Once you submit your order to purchase mutual funds, it can take a few business days to process.

Determining If Mutual Funds Are Right for You

Whether it makes sense to invest in mutual funds for retirement can depend on your time horizon, risk tolerance, and overall investment goals. If you’re leaning toward mutual funds for retirement planning, here are a few things to consider.

Investment Strategy

When comparing mutual funds, it’s important to understand the overall strategy the fund follows. Whether a fund is actively or passively managed may influence the level of returns generated. The fund’s investment strategy may also determine what level of risk investors are exposed to.

For example, index funds are designed to meet the market. Growth funds, on the other hand, typically have a goal of beating the market. Between the two, growth funds may produce higher returns — but they may also entail more risk for the investor and carry higher expense ratios.

Choosing funds that align with your preferred strategy, risk tolerance, and goals matters. Otherwise, you may be disappointed by your returns or be exposed to more risk than you’re comfortable with.

Cost

Cost is an important consideration when choosing mutual funds for one reason: Higher expense ratios can drain away more of your returns.

When comparing mutual fund expense ratios, it’s important to look at the amount you’ll pay to own the fund each year. But it’s also important to consider what kind of returns the fund has produced historically. A low-fee fund may look like a bargain but if it generates low returns then the cost savings may not be worth much.

It’s possible, however, to find plenty of low-cost index funds that produce solid returns year over year. Likewise, you shouldn’t assume that a fund with a higher expense ratio is guaranteed to outperform a less expensive one.

Fund Holdings

It’s critical to look under the hood, so to speak, to understand what a particular mutual fund owns and how often those assets turn over. This can help you to avoid overweighting your portfolio toward any one stock or sector.

Reading through the prospectus or looking up a stock’s profile online can help you to understand:

• What individual securities a mutual fund owns

• Asset allocation for each security in the fund

• How often securities are bought and sold

If you’re interested in tech stocks, for example, you may want to avoid buying two funds that each have 10% of assets tied up in the same company. Or you may want to choose a fund that has a lower turnover rate to minimize your capital gains tax liability for the year.

Other Types of Funds for Retirement

Mutual funds, and target date funds in particular, are one of the ways to save for retirement. But there are other options you might consider. Here’s a brief rundown of other types of funds that can be used for retirement planning.

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

A real estate investment trust isn’t a mutual fund, per se. But it is a pooled investment that allows multiple investors to own a share in real estate. REITs pay out 90% of their income to investors as dividends. You may consider a REIT if you’d like to reap the benefits of real estate investing (i.e. diversification, inflationary hedge, etc.) without actually owning property.

Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)

Exchange-traded funds are another retirement savings option. Investing in ETFs can offer more flexibility compared to mutual funds. They may carry lower expense ratios than traditional funds and be more tax-efficient if they follow a passive investment strategy.

Income Funds

An income fund is a specific type of mutual fund that focuses on generating income for investors. This income can take the form of interest or dividend payments. Income funds can be an attractive option for retirement planning if you’re interested in creating multiple income streams or reinvesting dividends until you’re ready to retire.

Bond Funds

Bond funds focus exclusively on bond holdings. The type of bonds the fund holds can depend on its objective or strategy. For example, you may find bond funds or bond ETFs that only hold corporate bonds or municipal bonds while others offer a mix of different bond types. Bond funds are generally considered fairly safe, and they may help round out the fixed-income portion of your retirement portfolio.

IPO ETFs

An initial public offering or IPO represents the first time a company makes its shares available for trade on a public exchange. Investors can invest in individual IPOs or multiple IPOs through an ETF. IPO ETFs invest in companies that have recently gone public so they offer an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. IPO ETFs are generally considered safer than IPOs, but still, they are relatively risky.

The Takeaway

Mutual funds can be part of a diversified retirement planning strategy. Regardless of whether you choose to invest in mutual funds, ETFs or something else, the key is getting started sooner rather than later. Time can be one of your most valuable resources when investing for retirement.

Invest with as little as $5 with a SoFi Active Investing account.

Photo credit: iStock/kali9

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