The economic downturn, sometimes called the Great Recession, has caused a lot of people to ask a lot of hard questions. If I get laid off, will I be able to get another job? Should I let my home go back to the bank? Have I been living beyond my means?

Tough questions, and tough answers.

But another side effect of 2008 filtered over into retirement planning. Millions of American workers saw their retirement plans decline because of a nose-diving economy. Some rode it out. Others panicked. Now that the country is several years removed from the worst (though it might not seem like it), there are serious questions circulating over who's responsible for retirement planning. Obviously, everyone in the work force should plan for retirement. But employers that offer retirement plans also are partially responsible for an employee's retirement planning, and they have to do so with the employees' best interest in mind at all times.