<prompt> Human: Hi guys, Ive enjoyed learning from this sub for a while now, but this is my first time posting. I am 21 and I just started my career in healthcare as a nurse. Im making 52K a year, which is my first adult salary. I come from a family that taught me a lot about bankruptcyforeclosure, not so much about how to plan for retirementinvest. So Im a bit lost. I really would like to do this right from the very start, and reddit has answered most of my life questions so far, so.. _ツ_ I started out putting 10 of my pay in a pre-tax 401k from Fidelity offered through my employer. Recently though, Ive been looking at after-tax Roth IRAs, and those seem better to me, but Ive also found that its recommended to max out 401ks because your employer will match it. To me it sounds like Roth IRAs compound in the same way, and pay out more in the end because theres not tax on the higher amount, which is the one that pays out? My employer does a contribution ranging from 0.00-0.75 on each dollar up to the first 4 of earnings I contribute, and an annual contribution equal to 3 of my compensation. Ask me if I know what that means. Is it good? Is it bad? I dunno. I sure can stage your pressure ulcer though.So now Im thinking of doing 7 401K and then 8 in a Roth IRA, for a 15 contribution. The Roth is also offered from Fidelity. But, Ive also heard that Vanguard is superior to Fidelity. Would it pay off to do this instead?So I guess what Im asking is, how much is silly to put into just a 401K, do I even mess with a Roth right now, and is Fidelity a dependable source for a retirement plan? Do I invest? Is my employer matching an above or below average amount? I guess I have a lot of questions.TL;DR: For a 21 year old making 52K a year, what is the most ideal retirement plan using a 401K and a Roth IRA, and how much is overkill?  <response>: The general rule is pay 401k to maximum matching 4 for you-Invest in Roth IRA for better fund choices-Max 401k.You can hit up the sidebar prime directive article for a better dive into the rationale and suggested order.Fidelity, Charles Schwab, and Vanguard are all pretty comparable, just with different names on their funds for the most part. If one is more convenient than the others say because your employer uses them for your 401k then theres nothing wrong with using them for your IRA as well. 