Retirement Accounts

This is a little bit off topic for a trading web site but it is essential that you plan for the future.  The plans that the government has established (IRAs, 401(k)s, 403(b)s, SEPs and Keoughs) make it easier to save for retirement.  The key thing to know about saving for retirement is that the earlier you start, the easier it is to do.  The reason for this is the magic of compounding. 

A final note, once you make contributions to a retirement account, you should only take money out of the account for retirement living expenses.  You should never withdraw these funds for any other purpose, especially discretionary purchases.  The reason for this is that there are onerous early withdrawal penalties and also you have lost the ability to re-contribute the funds that were withdrawn in the future due to the funding limitations place on these accounts.