Why Should I Contribute To My 401K? 
This is an excellent question ! I 'm glad that you asked . Look at it like this - the more that you put away today , the greater you 'll have later . The thing that really grows your 401k is interest , and that interest grows over time . If you contribute enough to get your employer to match what you invest , you essentially double your money for free . That money , if invested wisely , will continue to earn interest , and continue to grow . Even if you leave the job , and never make another contribution , that account is yours , and continues to grow . Having a source of income when you reach retirement age is crucial to keeping yourself out of the ranks of those dependent upon Social Security . It does n't work well - 55 % of American Elder Citizens currently live at or below the poverty line . Please do n't let yourself be one , okay ? Thanks for asking ! 