Yes, there are three problems with the 401K as I see it: one is, as you said, it's voluntary, so if people don't realize in their 20s and 30s -- the best time to invest for retirement growth -- that they need to feed the kitty, they risk having little or nothing to retire on and have to play a furious "catchup" game.

That's scares me every time I read it. The problem is it's voluntary... the other option is compulsory. Scary no matter what the subject! Next, early retirement is bad for the country so everyone must work.. the problem with work is that it's voluntary. We once had compulsory work in this country -I hope we don't ever slide back down that dark path.

Ziggy, I know that's not the point of your post and understand what you meant... just scared me.

Retirement is a luxury that not all will be able to afford... trying to give it to everyone will never work. Some won't want to, some will spend above their means no matter how much their pension/savings/SS will allow and will still have to work till they drop.

FoolNBlue (Likes doing things voluntarily)