<prompt> Human: So I contribute about 8 of my income into a company 401k...spread amongst 4 typical index funds 25 match but vested and I dont plan on staying for 5 years.in 2017 I also opened a personal Roth IRA and maxed it out by depositing a 5.5k lump sum upon creating the account.For 2018, instead of dropping another 5.5k in my Roth at one time, I was planning to spread my contributions out in 12 monthly deposits. First of all, can anyone give me insight on why its better to spread the 5.5k deposit out into 12 monthly installments, instead of dropping it all in at one time in January?Second, even though the market is in a bubble should I continue to put my investments in index funds? My Roth is 100 in an SP 500 index..and my monthly 401k contributions are spread amongst small-cap, mid-cap, an emerging markets index and SP.Or, is it better to hold that money for a down payment on a house...or until the bubble bursts and then buy in with a personal investment account not an IRA?edit: thanks in advance for any insight!!  <response>: Lump sum the money into your Roth in January. Get the full year of growth on it rather than have it sit in your bank account getting .00garbage as well as tempting you to spend it elsewhere. What bubble are you referencing? All of the economical indicators are strong, such as the job market, interest rates, and oil prices. Furthermore, if the proposed tax cuts are approved, they should supercharge the stock market over the next year or two. As far as investments go, index funds are fine because of their low fees obviously. However, having some additional diversity inside your portfolio does not hurt either. Returning to your bubble statement, if there is indeed a bubble, then having 100 in the SP 500 could be painful if there is a market correction. I would look at Morningstar or some other brokerage tools to build a more diverse portfolio. Make sure you look at the expense ratios as you build the portfolio. Finally, I believe that using your Roth IRA for the purchase of your first home allows you to bypass the age restrictions on distributions on your account. I would of course consult with a CPA before making that decision to ensure you are doing it correctly. 