Your 401(k) balance can look impressive on paper, yet part of that money may not belong to you yet. Employer matching contributions often come with a vesting schedule, and leaving a job too early can cost some or all of that match.
That is important because the money at risk is not merely this year’s contribution. An employer contribution you lose today also loses decades of potential investment growth. A job change that adds a little more salary can therefore carry a retirement cost that never appears in the offer letter.
