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Maintain an Automatic-Investment Plan

Immediately you start working, even if you’re not the budgeting type, you need to somehow find a way to “pay yourself first.” And, in this instance, the only option available is to have an Automatic-Investment Plan through a discount brokerage. This plan on the whole withdraws a predetermined amount of money from your account and buys you some investment as specified by you.

The best automatic investment plans available enables full-time employees contribute with their pre-tax money before they even get their paychecks.

401k, for example, has several advantages:
It enables you have a pre-tax investment thereby paving a way for you to pay less tax
Your yearly distributions and dividends will not be taxed also
It makes you have company match – although it is not a huge amount; rather, it’s an instant return on investment!
It makes the reallocation of your portfolio very easy
It also gives an automatic dollar cost averaging

401k is that type of employer-funded defined contribution retirement plan under section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 401(k)) which allows a worker to save for retirement while deferring income taxes on the money they saved (contributions) and earnings until withdrawal. You can learn more about it by talking to investment experts, especially discount brokers.

Below are certain methods you can use to maintain an automatic investment account:

Payroll Deduction: You can set up a payroll deduction to deposit a portion of your paycheck into your choice investor’s account. Even with mortgage you can do same; it’ll automatically pay the mortgage each month.

If you’re employed in a company that offers this option, this it’s a very good way to save money by paying yourself first; but it’s wise to use it for investing purposes only. Direct deposit can also be used, but it typically does not offer the ability to split up your paycheck into several accounts; therefore, you need some discipline to divert a portion of your money for investing.

Other Methods

Apart from the aforementioned methods, there are other methods by which you can save money into an automatic investment account; you can talk to an expert for guidance because these methods require proper discipline.

Proceed With Caution

Investment options are usually limited with a company 401k plan. If you have any thought of leaving your company or being laid off in the next year, invest in something very safe so that when you go to move the money it will be there.