conversation: User (WiscOrangy): "Hey all, I just got a job at a grocery store that matches your first 4% of contributions. I'm pretty sure this is pretty good, and I'd like to take advantage of it, but I'm not sure if there's some sort of fine print I should read for stuff like vesting periods and the like. How do I know it's just a straight no BS saving option that I'll be able to easily transfer and use later? Thank you!"
  Self: "First thing, if there's a 4% match, make sure to set your contribution to at least 4%. That's free money; don't throw it away.\n\nIf you can stomach setting your contribution higher than 4%, go for it. Very few 17yos have this opportunity.\n\nAs far as a vesting period, that usually means a period of time between when you get the money and when it's really yours. If you quit before the vesting period is up, you lose the money. By design it's to encourage people to stick around at the job -- turnover for employers is very expensive. One year is a typical initial vesting period; after that contributions vest immediately, but check your plan -- there are many different possibilities.\n\nWhen you do eventually leave the job, one thing you must not do is withdraw the money. This money is for your eventual retirement. While at 17 it may be difficult to conceive of such a future event, the bottom line is that now is the very best time for you to save. Waiting until you are in your 40s or later will not give you enough time to grow a sufficiently large retirement egg. The more you can save earlier, the longer it has time to grow, and the more you will end up with. When you eventually do retire, you can either be poor or be rich -- this is your choice, and decisions you make now will greatly direct that eventuality."
  User (WiscOrangy): "Thank you! I appreciate the advice. Do you happen to know an easy way to find out about vesting period? It's through Empower. I don't think I'll be there super long so this is important to me."
  Self: "Your plan administrator and/or HR department should have this information.\n\nIf you don't plan on being at the company long enough for the vesting period to pass, you may want to skip the 401(k) and open a Roth IRA at a discount brokerage instead. I like Schwab, Vanguard, and Fidelity; others are also good."
  