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Free 401(k) advice from your employer

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Whenever the topic of retirement and 401(k)s comes up, most of my friends say the same thing: "I just get the form and check off whatever -- I don't really understand any of it".

As the Associated Press reported today, that's bad. An increasing number of 401(k) plans are offering workers free phone advice on topics like asset allocation.

According to the article, "A new Charles Schwab examination of the 401(k) plans it oversees found that investors who rely on some professional advice for investment decisions enjoy greater returns than those who go it alone."

It's great that these companies are providing this advice, and also underscores one of the reasons I don't think investors need to hire professional help, unless they have a ton of money or a hugely complex financial situation: Books, magazines, the internet, and the telephone offer good information on basic personal finance concepts: No one should pay a financial planner $80 an hour to have concepts like diversification and risk explained to them.

If you have a 401(k), take advantage of the free advice that's provided: You'll earn better returns than going it alone, and you won't be wasting money on hired help.

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Last updated: November 26, 2009: 09:40 PM

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