The new book on 401(k) investing, cleverly titled the "smartest 401(k) book you will ever read" seeks to provide the large majority of retail investors, who are invested through their company 401k plans, the best way to utilize this tax advantaged investment vehicle to prepare for their eventual retirement. There are many resources on 401(k) available, including some excellent articles on this site, but does this book bring something additional to the table?

The book is a quick read, does not take reams of pages to get to the points it wants to make, and is overall a good addition to your stable of investment books. Like most authors, Daniel Solin, the author of this book, also recommends asset allocation as the chief mechanism to manage risk and ensure steady portfolio growth within 401(k). Of course when asset allocation is the primary vehicle of growth, and since most 401(k) plans do not permit stock trading, it is important to choose funds that are low cost, do not have a lot of churn, and can meet or beat the market consistently.

Vanguard Index funds frequently make their way into any asset allocation model, as it does here. However the author does suggest other methodologies such as using DFA funds through advisors for consistent market out-performance. Of course most 401(k) plans do not offer access to DFA funds or advisors, so Vanguard index funds may be the best option yet.

The author goes on to provide methods for rebalancing your portfolio and plans for making withdrawals, while helping you overcome any "gotchas" in your company plan like forced investments into company stock and so forth. The book is not just about 401k plans, it also ventures into 403(b), 457(b) and other similar tax advantaged plans with some tips.

It is a reasonably comprehensive book, given its size, and definitely to be used as a checklist to ensure you are following most if not all of the recommendations provided herein.