What is the best fund to invest my 401(k) in?

Over the 15 years in this data set, a low-cost S&P 500 index fund produced the highest annualized return of the common plan-menu categories compared. More than ten years from retirement, that is the Refined FI default. Inside ten years, a 70% S&P 500 and 30% stable-value or short-term-bond mix shifts the job from growth to protecting the balance you already built.

How can a 401(k) fund choice delay retirement?

A lower annualized return needs more years of contributions to reach the same balance. This calculator holds the contribution constant and solves for the extra years a chosen allocation requires to match what a low-cost S&P 500 index fund reaches over the same period.

Is this 401(k) calculator financial advice?

No. The tool is educational, uses historical returns, and does not provide personalized investment, tax, legal, or financial advice.

What Does Your 401(k) Allocation Cost You?

Pick the mix you think is best. This shows how many extra years of work that choice buys, measured against a low-cost S&P 500 index fund.

Step 1

How far are you from retirement?

Years, not a date. If you are unsure, use your best estimate.

years

Step 2

Choose your allocation

Most plans put you in a target-date fund by default. Move any slider to build the mix you would pick instead. The rest adjusts to keep you at 100%.

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What Does Your 401(k) Allocation Cost You?

How far are you from retirement?

Choose your allocation

Email me my 401(k) results

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