Washington, DC —
FINRA today
launched its Smart
401(k) Investing online learning center. The learning center pulls
together the most critical information on 401(k) plans and outlines the
different options and special features that should be considered when investing
in 401(k) plans.
FINRA launched Smart
401(k) Investing to help the more than 47 million 401(k) plan
participants to better understand their plans and other retirement options and
to educate those who may not yet have begun to save for retirement.
Whether an investor is just starting
out or has already retired, Smart 401(k) Investing has the information
needed to understand 401(k) plans. Smart 401(k) Investing guides
investors through the process of enrolling and managing a 401(k) account and
answers questions about everything from 401(k) investment options to asset
allocation and diversification, from moving a 401(k) when changing jobs to
handling withdrawals after retirement. It also provides a number of interactive
tools, including a Minimum Required Distribution Calculator that allows the user
to quickly calculate the amount of money the law requires investors to withdraw
from their 401(k), or traditional IRA by April 1st of the year following the
year they turn 70 1/2. By simply inputting the investor's age and account
balance, the calculator determines the required withdrawal factor, minimum
required distribution (MRD), and the required rate of return needed for the next
year to maintain an account balance following a withdrawal.
The learning center is available at Investor/Smart/401k/
"There is no doubt that 401(k)
assets are an integral part of retirement income for millions of Americans and
so the choices that investors make in managing and investing their 401(k) assets
are critically important," said Mary L. Schapiro, FINRA Vice Chairman and
President of Regulatory Policy and Oversight. "The information in Smart
401(k) Investing can help make the decision process easier by offering clear
and concise information about 401(k) investing."
Smart 401(k) Investing is the
second in FINRA's Smart Investing series. The Smart Investing series
offers comprehensive information plainly, simply, and without bias to help
investors reach their goals. The first in the series -
Smart Saving for College - helps families better understand 529 plans
and other college savings options.
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