Retirement Trends

In 2024, 93% of auto-enrollment plans had participation rates of 80% or higher, compared with 49% of voluntary enrollment plans, according to Vanguard’s annual How America Saves report.

Student loan debt is taking a toll on employee’s 401(k)s, particularly as the Department of Education begins wage garnishment of those in default of loans, but employers could step up efforts by offering matching contributions or personalized financial counseling services, says MissionSquare.

Gen Zers, in particular, are more likely to accumulate multiple small 401(k) accounts that are prime targets for automatic transfers to low-yielding Safe Harbor IRAs, which were never meant to be long-term investing vehicles, according to PensionBee.

As financial volatility persists, Gen Z is engaging with their finances at a younger age than millennials and leveraging technology, according to a new Betterment survey.

Some of the biggest ERISA issues over the last year included those over 401(k) forfeited contributions and ESG investing, according to Gerald Maatman, co-author of the 2025 ERISA Class Action Review.

President Trump is expected to sign an executive order to ease the path for private market investments to be included in employer-sponsored retirement plans, but hurdles remain.