Serious question, my old 401k from a job I left in 2015 was just sitting there for years.

I mean, I never really looked at it, idk, I just forgot. Then last week I finally logged in and saw it was still in the default 'target date' fund from back then. I moved it into a simple index fund mix instead, which felt way more clear for what I actually want now. Has anyone else found an old account and had to basically start over with it?

4 comments

4 Comments

victor_robinson362mo ago

Serious question? Come on, you just found free money. That target date fund was probably doing fine on autopilot. Starting over makes it sound like it was wasted, but it was just quietly growing. You just changed the recipe, you didn't burn the dinner.

gavin_burns491mo ago

Spot how we do this with all kinds of stuff, not just money. We act like changing our mind means the old choice was a total waste, when really it just got us here.

briannguyen1mo ago

Yeah, "it just got us here." But is that always true? What about when the old choice actually held you back, like staying in a bad job for years too long because you already put time in? That's not just a stepping stone, that's sunk cost. How do you tell the difference between a useful step and a trap you should've left sooner?

harper8592mo ago

Victor's right, it wasn't wasted time. The old fund did its job. Just treat the new one as your main focus now and let the old balance keep doing its thing.