the 401(k) experiment isn't working
It's time to build cashflow
The Revenue Act of 1978 ushered in the modern day 401(k) plan used by most companies today. The original intention behind the plan was to serve as the third leg in a stool to prepare employees for retirement. The other two were Company Pension Plans and Social Security.
Companies quickly realized the operational savings with a company sponsored 401(k) and slowly phased out pension plans. While the 401(k) does provide employees to offset a portion of their income to retirement accounts (and reduce their tax burden), most invest too late or implement conservative strategies when they are decades from retirement.
Once retired and no additional income is entering the household, the 401(k) plan becomes a fund of scarcity. The anxiety of wondering if you will outlive your retirement nest egg. The lack of control while your funds drift up and down with the markets. It's a feeling I felt recently with my kids 529 college savings plan.
We started my kids 529 plans within a month after each was born. We put addition funds into their accounts, but noticed we had to switch to more conservative allocations as they neared college. It was a balancing act ensure we would have enough for all four years. Anxiety grew as I realized tuition was growing faster than my investments. What took their lifetime to grow evaporated in 4 years with each tuition payment. There was nothing left at the end. It was at that moment I told myself, this is not how I want my retirement to go. I don't want to live out of scarcity, but out of an overflowing abundance. Commerical real estate offers that for us and it can for you as well.
