As we embrace the dawn of a new year, contemplating the departure of a loved one may not be the most festive topic, yet it's an essential consideration for any forward-thinking planner. When you initially chose your retirement plan, you were likely prompted to designate a beneficiary.

With U.S. credit card debt recently soaring to a record high of $1.08 trillion, retirement plan sponsors face a pivotal moment. This staggering amount, a $48 billion escalation since the second quarter and a $154 billion increase year-over-year is a cautionary signal for Americans’ financial stability.

Retirement planning often directs attention toward mid-career 401(k) participants and those nearing retirement — and understandably so, given their tighter timeline to secure post-retirement financial stability. But what about the youngest members of the workforce — the 18- to 20-year-olds, or those even younger?

More and more workers are taking hardship distributions from their 401(k) accounts, a recent report shows. Bank of America’s June 2023 Participant Pulse study reveals nearly 16,000 participants withdrew money to cover a financial hardship in Q2 of this year — up 36% compared to the same quarter in 2022.