Access to an advisor tends to improve retirement confidence, according to a recent survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). The Retirement Confidence Survey found that 83% of workers with advisory access feel confident about retirement readiness, compared with just 53% of those without. But is that only because those with advisors are more likely to also have accrued greater wealth over time — or will it also hold true for younger workers with smaller portfolios?

According to Escalent’s 2025 Retirement Planscape study, more than half of plan sponsors rank cybersecurity as their No. 1 “plan fear,” ahead of poor investment performance (45%) and insufficient participant savings (43%). That concern is not without evidence.

Your retirement plan may allow you to borrow from your account—but before you do, it’s important to understand how it can impact your future savings. Think of it like a U-turn on your savings highway. It could cost you more time and money than you expect.

In today’s workforce, the demographic ages range from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. This is a gap of approximately 60 years! Plan sponsors should be adjusting their communication strategies to better reach each generation.

Retirement planning starts with numbers such as savings targets, contribution rates, and investment returns. These kinds of foundational metrics guide the structure of retirement strategies and inform plan design. Yet even the most precise calculations don’t exist in a vacuum. Factors like geography, public policy, and life expectancy function as contextual forces, offering mitigating variables that can shape how those numbers play out in real life.

No matter how old you are, it’s never too early (or late) to save money for retirement. Each decade comes with different goals, investment types, and risk factors, but understanding the difference can help you be prepared for when your retirement comes around.