do you count 401k matches, etc. as part of % you are contributing from salary towards retirement

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't count it. If your employer started contributing more or less would you contribute less or more to balance it out? I wouldn't. So it doesn't matter.

I would count it for this very reason. If your employer changes their contribution, then it should occasion the conversation about whether to change your strategy (even if you ultimately don't).

The end game is what matters - amount invested over X time leading a projected outcome Y. To begin running that equation, it just makes sense to count up your contribution and any matching contributions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't count it. If your employer started contributing more or less would you contribute less or more to balance it out? I wouldn't. So it doesn't matter.

I would count it for this very reason. If your employer changes their contribution, then it should occasion the conversation about whether to change your strategy (even if you ultimately don't).

The end game is what matters - amount invested over X time leading a projected outcome Y. To begin running that equation, it just makes sense to count up your contribution and any matching contributions.

I think the answer to this question likely varies depending on your income. For those of us with less disposable income, we likely do count the employer contribution, and probably would contribute less or more to make up for changes, because we have other needs/wants we could use that money for if we didn't feel we had to save it for retirement.

Rather than blindly "maxing" out my retirement savings, I am aiming for a certain amount of retirement savings by a certain date, and I would (and do) adjust contributions accordingly. If I don't "need" those contributions to meet my goal, I have other things to spend that money on--adding to emergency savings, contributing to kids' college accounts, home maintenance, occasionally replacing cars as needed, etc.

[Anonymous]

I count by option 3 because that's how much is going into your retirement accounts.