<p>Not for 401K but for IRA account you can. I bought multiple CDs from multiple banks with Fidelity. This is what I’ve found on the net about Treasuries vs CDs.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>For those looking to increase their financial literacy, I always suggest Andrew Tobias - “The only investment guide you will ever need”</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need: Andrew Tobias: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0156029634/qid=1101103635/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/104-6073033-2936716?v=glance&s=books&n=507846]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0156029634/qid=1101103635/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/104-6073033-2936716?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)</p>
<p>It is probably 30 years old now - I know I got it as a graduation present from high school - but has been updated a couple of times. It does a great job of covering the basics and clarifying all of the mumbo jumbo language. Should be in your library or in paperback everywhere.</p>
<p>I’m not talking about in a 401k plan.</p>
<p>I’m not talking about treasury bonds either.</p>
<p>Second the recommendation for the Andrew Tobias book.</p>
<p>The poster in the other thread who was scolding people about pulling out money and putting it into cash prior to retirement wasn’t on the same page as many financial professionals. Many (most?) financial advisors are/were telling retirees that they needed to keep part of their retirement savings in stocks to keep up with inflation. These were fee-only advisors, so it wasn’t advice that would put money into the advisor’s pocket. It’s easy to have 20/20 hindsight and say that people would have done better to put everything into cash, but not so easy when you’re looking at projected constant cost of living increases and thinking how to hedge your financial bets. Cashing out at the start of retirement, or even at the start of college + grad school, is also a bet.</p>
<p>I am the one that posted on the other thread and that is not exactly what I meant. I was speaking of college funds specifically.</p>
<p>The context of my post was that it is financial management 101 that you don’t put money you are going to need in the next 12 - 36 months in the stock market. A college fund is the poster child for this. Anyone who had a college fund in the market this year when they were planning on using the money in <12 months was only asking for trouble. The reason you don’t do this is to guard against precisely what happened - a market drop. That money should have been in cash. And note by cash I don’t mean $20s under the mattress. An insured money market account yielding 3% is easy to find these days. ING Direct, Emigrant Bank, etc.</p>
<p>That is not 20/20 hindsight, it basic financial management.</p>
<p>I only mentioned retirement as another investment that should go more into cash the closer you get to retirement. I did not say 100%. But the basic principle is the same. Do a Google search for “lifestyle funds”. These are mutual funds that automatically re-balance as you get closer to your retirement date so you don’t have to worry about it. Guess how they are auto re-balancing as you get closer to retirement? Right - more into cash!</p>
<p>The Tobias book is a good one.</p>
<p>I am enjoying this- but contemplating stuffing money in the mattress.
:)</p>