Young Investors: 401(k) Savings and Compound Interest

When you're a young investor, retirement may seem far away. But there are good reasons to start preparing now through sensible budgeting, contributing to a 401(k), or similar workplace retirement savings plan, and taking other practical steps. The years go by quickly, but in your case, time is an ally. It will take a while to reach your financial goals but getting there is much easier if you start saving for retirement now.

Putting yourself on the right path to having enough retirement savings requires a long-term focus and consistent investing over many years to help ensure your savings are there when you need them. Social security is unlikely to pay enough to cover your expenses at retirement age, so start saving for retirement as soon as you can. Here are tips to get you going.

A retirement plan is one component of an overall financial plan. Everyone knows the rent is due at the beginning of the month—so there's no reason you shouldn't be prepared. Paying your bills on time and regularly tracking income and expenses are foundational principles of retirement planning. Another good idea: Build an emergency fund, a savings account that covers about six months' worth of living expenses. When you receive a bonus, tax refund, or other windfall, consider only spending half and saving the other half in your emergency fund or an individual retirement account (IRA).

Also, credit card debt at potentially high interest rates may derail your budget, so aim to pay off your card balances every month. Additionally, there are many choices when it comes to credit cards, with a wide range of interest rates, fees, perks, rewards, and credit limits, so it's important to do your research and understand what you're signing up for.

When your budget allows, contributing as much of your monthly income as you can to a 401(k), 403(b), or similar workplace retirement savings plan is a worthy goal. For 2025, workers younger than 50 can contribute a maximum of $23,500, unless your employer's plan has lower maximum contribution limits. Workers 50 or older can contribute another $7,500 ($11,250 if you're between the ages of 60–63) per year in catch-up contributions.

If your company offers to match a percentage of your contribution, take advantage of it—an employer match is literally free money. Contribute whatever you can to get at least all that matching contribution. Every time you get a raise, consider increasing the amount you're saving by the same percentage.

Compound returns, also known as compound interest or compounding, happens when you earn returns, or profits, on your previous investment gains—meaning you earn profits on top of your earlier profits. The sooner you put compounding to work for you, the better.

For example, suppose one investor, starting at age 25 invests $2,000 in the market every year for eight years, while another waits until age 33. At an average annual return of 8%, the first investor would only need the initial $16,000 to build a nest egg of $125,000 by age 55. The second investor would have to invest nearly three times as much and still would be several thousand dollars behind the first investor once they turn 55.

Even a small amount of money invested each month makes a huge difference in your retirement income, thanks to compounding. For someone who's got 40 years to save, compounding could make the difference between not having enough in retirement and building a nest egg of $1 million.

After building a financial foundation, consider adding another type of IRA to your retirement savings plan. A Roth retirement fund can provide tax-free income once you retire. A Roth IRA can be a good alternative if your company doesn't offer a 401(k).

Another advantage of tax-free withdrawals from a Roth IRA is that Medicare premiums are based on your taxable retirement income. Reducing your health care costs in retirement means you'll keep more of the money you have coming in and make your retirement savings last longer.

One of the first things to do is gauge the level of risk you're comfortable with in your retirement investments.

An overly conservative approach can sacrifice needed growth to beat inflation, while investments that are too aggressive can create too much exposure to market volatility. Exactly how much risk you take depends on your individual situation. Consider discussing your risk tolerance level with a financial planner or investment advisor. One benefit of starting to save for retirement early is that you have time to weather more market ups and downs.

Overemphasizing any particular investment—whether it's an index fund, your company's stock, or something else—can be risky. This is where diversification comes in, based on the rationale that many investors potentially might benefit from having their portfolio spread across different types of assets.

As a young investor, time is one of your most valuable assets, but it goes by quickly (as you may have heard). That's all the more reason to establish healthy savings habits, get going on a nest egg, and learn about personal finance—not next week or month but as soon as possible.

The two most important things with a retirement plan are to get started and be consistent. Even small contributions made each month can grow, and you can increase your contributions to your retirement account as your financial situation changes throughout your life. Saving early and making regular contributions can give you a head start on planning for retirement, which may allow you to reach your financial goals sooner. Start saving for retirement now, and your future self will thank you.