The State of Americans' Retirement Accounts: 11 New Findings From Vanguard

Vanguard on Tuesday released the latest edition of How America Saves, its report on 401(k) plan design and retirement savings habits.

Based on an examination of retirement plan data from 5 million defined contribution plan participants across Vanguard’s recordkeeping business, the report found that while employers have made significant progress in adopting leading plan designs and features, many participants are facing increasingly complex financial situations and life events that can compromise their retirement savings efforts.

“There is no doubt that plan sponsors’ efforts over the last two decades have helped improve the retirement readiness of millions of Americans, John James, managing director of Vanguard Institutional Investor Group, said in a statement.

“However, workers’ needs are evolving and so too should plan design. Plan sponsors are uniquely positioned to support their employees’ financial well-being with integrated tools, advice, and services that can help improve their overall financial peace of mind.”

See the gallery for 11 key findings from Vanguard’s How America Saves report.