Watch the bottom line
You start a job, sign up for the company’s 401(k) plan and then you … forget about it. Corporations partner with a financial company that typically handles the investment program and sends you a quarterly/annual status report.

Want to take more control over your investments? Here are six tips for managing (and getting the most out of) your 401k account. — Scott Steinberg

· Keep an eye on expenses. Internal expenses within your selected investments create a drag on overall performance. Keeping these lower can help you improve the returns you experience in your plan.

· Consider enrolling in automatic rebalancing. Accounts can be set to automatically rebalance to your selected asset allocation. This will help prevent you from unintentionally altering your allocation over time as different investments perform differently. This can help you avoid inadvertently taking on more risk over time as riskier assets tend to grow more quickly. Automatic rebalancing takes the guesswork out of this necessary part of investment management.

• Capitalize on employer contribution matching. To quickly boost savings, improve investment earnings, and avoid leaving free money on the table, automatically set your paycheck to deduct the maximum 401(k) contribution possible.

• Make a point to regularly increase your savings by 1%. Reducing your income by pennies today can lead to thousands in compound interest gains tomorrow and help you get in the savings habit.

• Diversify your assets. A well-balanced portfolio includes a mix of stocks, bonds and other investment holdings, helping offset risk in challenging times while boosting your potential upside during periods of market growth. Target date investment portfolios available in many plans do this heavy lifting for you.

• Maintain a long-term focus. Remember not to try to time the market. Instead, think about taking a slow-and-steady approach, growing investments over time rather than chasing breakout gains.
Best in (college) class
When it comes to college selection, location is just as important as the school itself. And while most incoming freshmen attending public four-year colleges and universities enroll within 50 miles of their home, exploring beyond that radius could pay off for students who consider a school in one of these states. — Bridget McCrea
Ranks in the top 10 for total number of colleges, known for hands-on instruction and low student-to-faculty ratios, according to a 2021 MoneyRates.com study of Best States for College Students.Ranks in the top 10 for student retention, graduation rates and number of school choices.With 156 different four-year colleges, it ranks third for number of school choices and the same for graduation rates.Boasts the best average student-teacher ratio of any state at 11-to-1, the second best graduation rate and fifth lowest average cost.Home to 231 different four-year colleges, it ranks in the top 10 for retention rates and offers the second highest number of school options.
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