What's the best strategy for potential savers who know they should take advantage of their employer's 401(k) offerings, but can't quite get their act together? Increasingly, automatic enrollment an auto-escalation plans have been helping plan sponsors boost participation rates and more seamlessly fulfill their retirement responsibilities – but it's not the easiest endeavor in the world.

Speaking Sunday at ASPPA's annual conference in Washington, D.C., James J. McKinney, CPC, of Retirement Strategies Inc. of Augusta, Ga., pointed out many of the trials and tribulations of the world of automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans.

And while the PPA has made stipulations and regulations for auto-enrollment a more challenging prospect (especially in the maddening raft of required notices), McKinney says the positive sign is that enrollments are also up, as a result.