401k and market questions

What is the name of your state? Virginia

Hello,

I've been watching my Vanguard 401k account closely since it was started about 10 months ago and I'm still confused about a few things about 401k's and investment in general. I do know that I was immediately fully vested, which I understand is a good thing.

My employer matches my contributions by 20% but, half of that goes into a non-exchangeable fund. I'm not sure what the non-exchangeable fund is for but I cannot move the money out of that fund. My benefits rep explained it to me a while back but I still don't quite get it and getting into contact with her during working hours is almost impossible since she is at corporate HQ and I'm out in the field.

What I'd really like to know is...

Since Microsoft released the news that they would be "paying back" investors, should I invest in the Vanguard fund that includes MS as one of the top 10 holdings? It is one of the few that has gained some value or, if it has lost value, it has lost a lot less than my other holdings recently.

The shares for that fund are at roughly $101.00 per share. I'm not certain but, don't stocks "split" at or just above $100 per share in order to keep them more affordable? Does this apply to funds such as Vanguard has?

I would really appreciate any advise!



P.S. Outstanding forums! They are a real gold mine of information!

There is NO POSSIBLE WAY anyone on a message board can or should advise you on how to invest. Nor should you take investment advise from anonymous posters; you have no way of knowing what axes they may have to grind. Talk to an investment advisor.

Warped, you need to be proactive and educate yourself. You can probably learn a lot at Vanguard's website. Other good educational materials can be found at morningstar.com, fool.com, and 401khelpcenter.com, to name just a few. I'd also recommend the famous "for Dummies" series of books that you can probably find in your local library, such as "Investing for Dummies" or "Mutual Funds for Dummies". They're written with a sense of humor and in plain English.