If you could rewind the clock and start over...

1) wish I had started earlier. Mid- 50's now, didn't get semi serious until 16 years ago.

2) I matched what the company would put up - 4%, so that was 8%. I wished it would have totaled 15%.

Wouldn't really change anything. I started contributing the max allowable the years I finished school. I was 26. I guess if I could have finished school when I was 20 and started maxing out retirement, I would have.

Blowing $10k at 25 will add at least one year before you can retire. Remember that when making large purchases, in particular vehicles.

Im 20 years I believe XOM will be a global leader in advancing technologies and future energy methods which will allow shareholders to benefit from traditional energy needs and capture new revenue streams.

For the next 20 years, anything less than what the stock has done since 1994 would be disappointing.

Unless you are doing it full-time do not try to pick your own stocks. A majority of professional managers don't beat the S&P, you probably won't either. Do not try to time the markets. You may be an outlier that does it successfully, but few are. Max out a Roth IRA annually, preferably spacing out your contributions (actually your purchases) throughout the year. Once you've maxed out the Roth put as much as you can into a taxable account without living in a box and eating vienna sausages every meal. There are mutual funds that do beat the market over time. Pick out 3 or 4 of these weighted towards mid-cap growth and buy monthly or quarterly. Morningstar has a great fund screener. It'll cost you $20 or so for a month of premium access which is more than worth it. When selecting funds look for no-load funds that have beaten the S&P over 5 years, 3 years, and 1 year with a turnover ratio under 25, fees and expenses under 1. Out of the 25,000+ open funds you'll end up with a very short list to choose from. Do not listen to message board stock picks, CNBC commentators, etc. They are useless. Find the best of the best fund managers and let them run your money for you. Review their results annually and re-balance as necessary. As you get older your portfolio needs will change. I'd go for aggressive growth over the next twenty years at least. While doing that you should read up on portfolio management in regard to asset distribution as one gets older.

The most important factor in building wealth in the markets is time. Run some compounding interest scenarios to see what is possible even with small annual returns. Moneychimp has a simple calculator that can be a lot of fun to play around with.

Obviously everyone has different opinions on investing. If I could talk to myself at 25 the above is what I'd recommend.

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I'm 25 and hoping to avoid your mistake(s)

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I wouldn't have borrowed money to finish school.

I would have joined the Army earlier.

I would have invested from my very first paycheck.

I would already be retired.

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So recently, I dropped my 401k contributions at work down to just my match. 3%. And maxed out my roth which comes out to be 14% of take home.

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If you expect a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are in now, you're doing it correctly.

If you expect to make less in retirement than you do now, you're doing it wrong, and should max out your tax deferred side, now.

That is the A/B analysis for traditional versus ROTH. Unless you are like me and get additional, direct benefits from a lower taxable income now, than the raw reduction of taxation - I get lowered student loan payments, based on my AGI - so, I am heavier on traditional than ROTH.

Also, if you're paranoid, the government can come in and take the ROTH tax exemption away at any time. It would be much harder for them to do that to traditional IRAs, retroactively. You're taking a chance either way.

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If you expect a higher tax bracket in retirement than you are in now, you're doing it correctly.

If you expect to make less in retirement than you do now, you're doing it wrong, and should max out your tax deferred side, now.

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I just split it because I figure this is essentially unknowable for anyone under the age of 60. I mean, what you're saying is true, but so is: "If you expect the little ball to land on a red number, put your money on red..."

FTR I'm 24. In the 2nd year of my career as a Civil Engineer. Don't have my P.E. yet, and aspire to own my own firm one day. Regardless, I'd imagine I will be in a higher tax bracket upon retirement, but who knows.