The update proves why a match is bad. You're limited to $18k from the company. Also assuming the match was kept with a company contribution on top of it you are limiting in some cases what you can get from the company because your contribution is diluting the $53k combination max. We need a big company contribution and we take our own money elsewhere to athother account. Btw for those living under a rock the company's contribution would be to an account in our name as well so it could never be stolen like a pension.