The topic in Something to Think About is “Saving for Retirement.”The introduction of 401(k) plans, IRAs and similar tax savings plans were supposed to ensure that everyone would have adequate retirement resources. In theory, retirees would rely less upon Social Security and more upon their own savings. Many American companies began switching from traditional pensions to self-directed 401(k) like plans in the 1980s and 1990s, with workers themselves to be responsible for saving enough for a comfortable retirement. What have been the results of these changes after 30 years? Is the do it yourself pension system working? What has been the biggest impact on the savings for retirement? Given the results after 30 years, should we still consider reforming Social Security?
