Originally Posted by
JesuitValen
What's your alternative? The extra wages dumped into a CD or savings? What about every United guy who lost their whole pension in 2003? Those guys dont even get half. They get nada. They can't even kick it at Burgerking until the market rebounds.
401k is the best of a bad situation and works for the majority of Americans
Diversification. I'm fortunate to owe only on a mortgage with no other debt. I contribute 12% to the 401k (to get the 50% match up to 6% of the salary), max out a Roth, and have a couple other investments. Yep, all of them can tank, but the odds of them all going simultaneously is less than if all the money was in just the 401k. I'd rather have more money in my pocket every month to do with as I see fit than anything locked to the company.