Two comments came in over the long weekend that impart insight about time, money, and retirement.
I thought it would be a good to pass on their experience. Enjoy.
Barbara in Shorewood, WI wrote:
My husband died last year and I have been sorting through files to obtain his retirement funds. I found some old records showing that he set aside $10 per pay period to purchase an annuity through his employer in 1979-80. He left that job in 1980 and his total contribution was about $250. That annuity is now valued at $44000. There really is no better way to fund your retirement than to start early.
H in Fort Collins, CO
This really is an affirmation of the importance of leaving 401K savings or similar intact. In 1978 I changed jobs, wanted to raid my TIAA-CREF account-then about $10,000. I learned I would have penalties, etc. I left it intact. Thirty years later is has grown to nearly 350,000. I always kept it in the common stock fund, earnings were reinvested. Impossible to predict the future, but clearly time and compounding can lead to excellent results…. Try not to disturb your retirement money, years will pass faster than you can imagine.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.