Hello, The easy answer is the sooner the better and this is for so many reasons. First, the sooner you start, the sooner your account can start to grow. Many folks have heard about the 'miracle of compound interest'. This is when an investment account grows significantly by earning interest on what you invested, but also on the accumulated interest from previous periods. It's a snowball effect. What people aren't told is that it takes many years for the miracle to actually happen. So the sooner you start, the sooner the investments can start to work for you. Secondly, by starting early, you are now getting into the habit of saving for your own retirement. Further, since your 401(k) deferrals come right from your paycheck, you are automatically saving for yourself. And if your company matches any of your contributions, that means they are putting money into your retirement account for you, but if you contribute. Please let me know if this helps, if you need more color, etc. I'm available by email or mobile 201 232 0676. Thanks. Eric
If your employer offers a match of any kind, invest in your 401(k) immediately. That's free money! If they do not offer a match, pay off all debt (not including your mortgage) before investing in it.
Investing in your 401k should always be a priority. My 2 favorite words in the english language are compound interest and yours should be too. This is how you set yourself up for a successful retirement. Your investment should be a set percentage of your income. I like to be aggressive at 9% but you do you. And the draw should be automatic from your paycheck so you don't have to think about it. You should also always ask if your employer does matching making it a double win.