View Single Post
  #13 (permalink)  
Old 02-12-2006, 08:11 PM
baselle baselle is offline
$ Saving HS Senior
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Seattle
Posts: 326

Points: 3566.50
Donate
Default Re: IRA & long-term savings vs. Paying all CC debt?

Sounds like you are making great progress, and I agree with everyone else ... this is not the time to slack off when you are sooo close. Pay off the debt. Then at least get 6 paychecks into an emergency fund.

But - you have the luxury of time to learn about your next steps to invest. While you are paying off the debt in these next couple of months, learn about what funds are in your 401K. Are they mutual funds, or company stock, or what? Take a peek in Morningstar.com and see whether you have decent allocation choices, how they have been performing, and what their fund fees are. Are they worth putting more than 2% in? If they are, I would definitely begin to bump them up 1-2% per quarter. If they are not and you think there are better choices out there, then its time for an IRA. When you are finished with an IRA (4000$/yr, 5000$/yr next year), then go back and bump your 401K into the best choices you've decided on based on what have.

So many people want to do things bass ackward. Learn before you plan, plan before you implement.
Reply With Quote