We always encourage people to take advantage of their company 401(k) or other retirement savings vehicle, especially if it includes a matching contribution from your employer.

A recent Wall Street Journal article discusses the effects of increasing transparency in 401(k) plans. The Department of Labor is trying to get plan administrators do a better job disclosing fees. This ray of sunshine into the plan has encouraged plans to provide lower cost options and fewer fees in the plan. This is a boon for savers, as over the long term, a small change in expenses can add up to a lot of savings.

To make it easier for workers to build their plan, many providers are offering index fund only options and there is a move towards using more diverse, low cost ETFs as well.

We always encourage people to look into their retirement plan options. If it is all too confusing to you, enlist the help of a local Registered Investment Advisor to help sort through your options.