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Highflying tech startups and billion-dollar “unicorns” generate a lot of buzz, but since most are private companies, the average U.S. worker can’t invest in them. That’s largely due to accredited investor rules which stipulate that in order to invest in a private company, you need an annual income of at least $200,000 or a net worth of $1 million — excluding the value of your home. In other words, the average U.S. worker doesn’t make the cut. It's tempting to view private equity as a promising addition to a 401(k) portfolio. But increased risk, illiquidity, and cost make it a bad deal.