Economic Status: This 34-year-old woman has been at her company for five years, makes $90,000 a year, and has saved $40,000 in a 401(k). Her husband makes $60,000 a year and has saved about $20,000 in his 401(k). They have one four-year-old child and are planning to have another within a year.
Financial Considerations: Being prepared for high turnover at biotechs, planning for retirement, saving for college, on a comfortable joint income.
Goals: Focus on retirement: Hal Schweiger, a financial planner with Capital Financial Advisers in San Diego, says that the couple can retire in 30 years with about $5.6 million if they both maximize contributions to their 401(k) plans. To buffer against the inherent uncertainty of working in the biotech sector, Schweiger recommends building up an emergency fund equivalent to six month's salary in something like a money market account.
The Plan: Maximizing her 401(k) contribution means contributing eight ...
