Should You Direct Deposit Your Investments?

My number one piece of advice is to use your employer’s direct deposit to automate savings. Most people believe that their entire paycheck should be sent to their checking account before being disbursed towards expenses & savings, which means people see their entire paycheck before making any savings decisions. I recommend clients have 90% of their paycheck go towards their checking account and send 10% to another account investment or saving. If you design your direct deposit by using two accounts – one for expenses and one for savings – then your savings will automatically increase as your salary does and your percent of income savings will remain constant throughout your working career. Supplementing this plan by utilizing a 401(k) or adding a small amount each month could be the difference between a very successful retirement and a tight one.