關於把401k存滿 對申請助學金的影響

昨天有討論這個話題，有人說"大學會把你頭一年存入401的錢算做你的存款 "。  所以，放401k，與不放401k似乎沒有區別。  

我在網上也看到如下所述(假設$100,000家庭收入， 最高income tax rate30%， EFC rate 30%).

You put $10,000 into a 401K, your EFC increases by $3000, but you've also saved 3000 in taxes. Basically a wash take the 3000 and put it towards college expenses. [deferred了稅，但EFC增加$3000]

You don't put $10,000 into 401K, you pay 3000 in taxes, and your EFC increases by 30% of the 7000, another 2100. So now you are out 5100.   [$3000交稅 +$2100 EFC = $5100]

Plus, that 7000 you decide to put in the bank will further increase your EFC by 30% of the 840 (12% of unprotected assets), amounting to another $252 for every year that extra 7,000 is in your bank account.  [如果不放入401K，你的銀行存款就要增加$7000，為此還要增加$252的EFC ($7000 * 12% * 30%)]。

所以結論:  401K還是應該maximize.