74% of Employers Still Honoring 401(k) Match

Long live the 401(k) match. Seventy-four percent of plan sponsors who had a 401(k) match in place are still honoring that promise, according to the American Benefits Council. And 15% have either increased the match or are considering doing so.

Only 8% have either decreased or are considering decreasing the match, while 3% have officially eliminated it altogether.

Ninety percent of employers have a 401(k) plan, and 66% of those with a plan say that participation rates are at 70% or higher.

“These statistics reflect that employers are clearly committed to providing retirement savings opportunities to their workers, even in tough economic times,” said Cara Welch, public policy director for WorldatWork, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on employee benefits. “401(k) plans serve a wide range of employers and a wide range of employees. Additional reform should encourage and build on this commitment and avoid creating new obstacles to plan sponsorship.”

The bad news, however, is that 49% of employers say employees are taking loans from their retirement accounts.