conversation: User (LiftRideBang): "I am a 27 year old male making $80,000 before taxes, stock, profit sharing. I live in California. \n\nMy employer offers both 401k options (Roth and Traditional). The company matches 50% of my deferred compensation up to the first 6% I contribute. I contribute 6% of my salary, they match with 3% plus an additional 5% (added bonus). \n\nI plan to work until at least 65 in some capacity should I remain healthy enough to do so. I do not think that I am disciplined enough to calculate and reinvest my tax savings from deferring taxes on the Traditional 401k back into a 401k. I am confident that I will be in the higher tax bracket within the next three years and at that point I realize that it may be wiser to switch my contribution to a traditional 401k. If I leave my employer, any contributions to either the traditional or Roth 401k are rolled into either traditional or Roth IRAs. \n\nWhich 401k should I be contributing to now? \n\nMy thinking is that if I were to go to a higher tax bracket and switch my contribution to a traditional 401k, I can still maximize my contribution to the Roth IRA. This is my understanding and it is very possible that I am missing something. So I defer to the knowledge here to give me some confidence in one decision or the other."
  Self: "I would go with your plan of focusing on the 401k, and Roth IRA. You will have many more options for your Roth IRA provider than in your 401k."
  DocBrownMusic (DocBrownMusic): "Not necessarily true. It's more about the provider than the fact that it's a 401k vs IRA. My Roth 401k has access to every fund I've looked up through it and compares to my father's options through his IRA"
  