In many cases, it makes sense to max out your 401(k) contributions as early in the year as possible in order to get the money invested as early as possible. The same for IRA contributions, for the same reason.
However, in some cases, doing so can cause you to miss out on a part of the employer matching contribution — if your employer offers one. It all depends on how the plan actually calculates the matching contribution each pay period.
Consider these three hypothetical 401(k) plans as an example.
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