Though I understand that my retirement is important, I don't see how riding in a fund that tanking is logical. Why not go into stable when the market is down and go back in when it's up? Can I rely on the fund manager to do this? My goal is to get 15% return and keep it there. I want to retire comfortably, but I want my money to work harder than it is now at 9-10%.
If you dislike the 401(k) restrictions (placed on you by a company that are apparently trying to protect you from yourself!) then go work somewhere else!
Presumably you have all the data for what you've been TRYING to accomplish, so try this: get the historical data for all the funds that are available to you, and actually SEE if the way you think you can make more money actually works! Don't forget, you pay a FEE inside the fund every time you switch from one investment to another, the folks executing your trades are doing it to pay their rent, not to maximize your return!
To get the "most out of your money", if you are a "young person" (just a wild guess), put 100% of it in the MOST volatile fund option you have: that way, your payroll deducted contributions will buy more when the price is down, and less when it's up. Assuming the trend is up (long-term), you'll make out like a bandit without playing silly-buggers.
(P.S. My 401(k) is currently invested 55% in Fidelity Contrafund, 20% in Genesis Bond Fund, 15% in International, and 10% in a junk bond fund. I've had the same allocation for 3 years, and YTD I'm up 19.2%….with no transfers & without a single trade other than the "buys"!)
Quit trying so hard, you are only hurting yourself!
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