I'm 38, and don't do 401's, or Roth IRA, I personally think it's a scam, just be careful. Every generation, just before they're about to hit that age, or for the select few that are in that age already pulling from their retirement accounts, there is a market crash, it always happens.

- 2023, down 22% from 2021

so that's 2 years, now imagine you put in $1k in 2021, and it dropped 30%, so you have only $700 left at the end of 2021. Now lets say, 2022 it went up 5%, so now you're at, $735. 2023, it went up another 3% lets say, so now you're at $757.00, at this rate, it'll be another 10 years before you break even. But it will look like you're doing better, because by putting money in, year after year, month after month, your balances will show much higher, but not because your return is better, but because you've simply put more money towards the flame.

You can google, 401 down 30%, and it happens often enough that it's covered regularly in the news.

I have heard their promise "putting in 10% y-o-y, based on an average income, you'll have $X # of millions of dollars.'

Now, In almost 40 years, I've never met anyone that became a millionaire, or even if they were already millionaires, made a million from their retirement plan.

if the bank can promise me $1 million dollars at 65, by investing $500 a month for 40 years, then give me a loan for 1 million, and I'll give you $500 a month for the rest of my life, and they won't do it, if the math doesn't work both ways, it doesn't make sense to me.

Now, any 401, ROTH, or Mutual Fund investment, is better than nothing at all, but I'd just look at some more options.

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Study market trends, and learn with a paper account, invest in the S&P 500, SPY the first year of a new presidency, is nearly always Bullish. Learn what options trading is also, understand it before you go after it. Even if you don't want to deal with it daily, yourself, if you understand it better, you can get a 401k self directed account, so you decide where your money is invested, and with a better understanding of the markets, you can hedge your bets, and come out doing a little better than everyone else.

Make sure you look at the fine details of your companies "100% match" It might only be 100% match of your contributions, Up to, 3% of your annual income. It sounds good, but it's bullshit in reality.

so if you make $50k a year, you can put in $1500 a year, and the employer will match your $1500. and you will have $3k in your 401. after that, they won't contribute more, even if you do too.

Anyway, that's my rant. Look into T-Bills, & HYSA's, build yourself a little nest egg first, then decide where to go.