Still, I'm saying that it's a FACT that there are no historically (long term) superior investment options, net of taxes, interest, and risk, than maxing out a (decent, proper) 401-k and investing it in any number of reasonable quality equity funds, longer term.
you have not answered my question - do you put your own retirement money in a bunch of mutual funds, and if not, why ?
I put them in one or more funds and trade them much as I do my clients, though sometimes I take more risk. For the past 10 years, or so, I'd say that I'm well ahead of the market, but I had to work hard at it.
Most folks will do plenty well and avoid the potential pit falls just buying a good aggressive growth fund or funds into their 40's in their IRA's/401-k's and then shift more toward larger cap and value as they get older and then more toward bonds as they get older still.
The bottom line is I put as much money as I can afford to into our retirements plans and I'm the better for it. I manage them because that's what I do, but a standard index fund is just fine for most, especially younger workers.
There's no better alternative save some stray entrepreneurial opportunities which are the rare happenstance, unlike a decent market to invest in.
Mark