In this episode of the Smart Wealth & Retirement Podcast, financial advisors and retirement planners Jim Martin & Casey Bibb of Martin Wealth Solutions tackle a popular piece of financial advice: “Always max out your 401(k).”

Jim and Casey explain why this rule of thumb can be helpful in some situations — but harmful in others. They walk through how tax brackets, employer matches, cash flow needs, future tax uncertainty, and account diversification all play a role in determining whether maxing out a 401(k) actually makes sense for you.

This episode encourages listeners to move beyond blanket advice and instead focus on intentional retirement planning that aligns savings strategies with long-term goals, flexibility, and tax efficiency.

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00:00 – Introduction: The “max out your 401(k)” question 01:30 – Why this advice is so commonly given 03:02 – The benefits of maxing out a 401(k) 04:58 – Employer match vs. full max contributions 06:22 – Tax brackets and future tax uncertainty 08:10 – When maxing out doesn’t make sense 10:06 – Balancing retirement savings with cash flow 12:02 – 401(k)s vs. Roth and taxable accounts 14:04 – Flexibility and access to funds before retirement 16:06 – Building a diversified savings strategy 18:00 – Closing and final thoughts

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