It’s amazing how parallel the great things in life are to the small things. Consider war: in overarching strategy, the goal isn’t necessarily to stamp out every last pocket of resistance; the goal is usually to cut them off from support. Tactically, that means that units are directed to knock out communications, cut supply chains, and burn bridges. In your life—especially when it comes to 401k planning—there’s an important difference. Nobody is out there trying to force a lack of communication, or to cut you off from support, or to burn your bridges; that just happens if you aren’t proactive. So as you consider your 401k planning and what is going to happen with the future of your 401(k), you need to open the channels of communication, rely on your support, and reinforce your relationships. There are four big categories of people to do this with.

First are the people you trust. It’s absolutely vital that anybody you rely on or who relies on you, especially for financial support, is involved in this decision at an appropriate level. (In other words, don’t expect your five-year-old son to read through the 401k policy handbook in the same way you might and should expect yourself to.) Make sure everybody knows what’s going on insofar as they should know and encourage them to ask questions. Who knows? Maybe it’ll actually be something your spouse says that sends you down the most productive track, and not anything you thought up yourself.

Second is your 401(k) policy creator and administrator. You need to know the details about your 401k for effective 401k planning. You can’t hope to lay out goals that you can reasonably accomplish unless you know the environment you’ll be working in. You need to know about 401k rollover policy, withdrawal regulations, and other potential limitations as you start planning what to do with your 401(k). You also need to be sure to keep up on how much you have set aside already and how much you intend to keep contributing. If you’re going to cash out your 401(k) or even just adjust your payment plan, know what all that entails.

Third is your financial advisor. These are decisions that, no matter how sage you and your trusted friends and family may be, cannot be made on your own. You need to talk, at least briefly, with somebody who has real-world financial experience. If you don’t have a financial advisor, find one. You don’t need to lock someone down that you would pay for full time advising; you just need a few pointers. Approach this person with your proposed solutions, and he or she will be able to give you appropriate and effective feedback. This is an invaluable evaluation.

Fourth, if different from above, is your tax advisor or tax accountant. In the steps of 401k planning, this one is quite important. Your 401(k) is tax-deffered; that’s why it works the way it does. Trying to do your 401k planning without talking to somebody who knows taxes is ridiculous. Your financial advisor just might be your tax accountant, which simplifies things, but make sure you have a handle on what’s going on.