YOU HAVE FOUND OUR OLD WEB SITE. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR NEW AND IMPROVED SITE!     403(b) Stories In an effort to personalize the 403(b) plan so that participants can learn from one another, 403(b)wise profiles real people who contribute to the 403(b) retirement plan.     James, 58, univeristy vice president Arizona What is your estimated current balance? $2.1 million.   What got you started investing in a 403(b)? The organization I was working for had a great matching program with TIAA-CREF, and I did not want to miss the opportunity of getting the match — an instant 100% profit on my money!   How long have you contributed to a 403(b)? Thirty-one years. If you are a regular committed investor this thing really works. Many people told me years ago to just be a regular contributor and it will provide a great retirement for you, and it has worked.   Who do you invest with today and how much do you contribute monthly? TIAA-CREF; about $1,000 a month which my university matches.   Do you contribute to a 457(b)? I started about 25 years ago. I am with TIAA-CREF and I invest about $200 a month now. There's no match. The balance is about $150,000.   What is your risk tolerance? High, but on my retirement account not as high. I am a little safer. On things outside of my retirement account I will tolerate a much larger risk.   What is your approach to asset allocation? Although half of my contributed dollars in retirement accounts are in bonds, only about a third of my other holdings are, as equities have done much better in the marketplace. I also keep an emergency fund in short term CD's.   What is your feeling on using an advisor? I enjoy managing my holdings myself. No one is as interested in my holdings as I am.   What is your investment philosophy? Diversify and understand that much of what happens to the market investors generally have no control over such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks.   What have you learned about investing? Diversify properly and then sleep well at night. And, most importantly, money is only a very small part of my general happiness. It doesn't rank anywhere near as important as my family, my faith and my freedom!   When would you like to retire? When I no longer feel like I am contributing at the level I want to, and when the desire to try something else exceeds my desire to do what I am currently doing.   What is your advice for the beginning investor? Contribute regularly, diversify, play it safe with your retirement accounts, and take more risk with the money outside of retirement. One thing I have enjoyed immensely as I have gotten older is giving more money away. My wife and I love to help causes we believe in and the satisfaction we get from helping these causes is terrific. It truly is "more blessed to give than receive." Plus, since we have a growing retirement account we feel much more able to give other monies away... and the more we give the more we want to give.   What is your advice for the late-start investor? Contribute regularly and be bit more of a risk taker...then hope and pray Social Security is still around.   Would you like to share your 403(b) story? If so we want to hear from you! We are especially interested in participants who use an agent or advisor, and participants who have a 457(b). For your participation we will send you a complimentary copy of Teach and Retire Rich. If you are interested email us at: contactus@403bwise.com and type "403(b) stories" in the subject line.   Home | Disclaimer | © 2007 bWise Guys, LLC. All rights reserved.				More 403(b) Stories Mike, 35 Middle School Teacher, Olney, MD Matthew, 38 Accountant for research institute, Washington, DC Joe, 58 Elementary School Teacher, Los Angeles, CA Kady, 31 University Library Technician, Las Vegas, NV Related Link How One Teacher Got Wise to the 403(b)