Many Americans rely on their 401(k) plans as their primary retirement savings vehicle. However, Vanguard just discovered that certain employees had a serious issue. This issue might cost them up to $300,000 in lost savings opportunities, or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This problem typically arises when employees change occupations, which occurs frequently in the United States. When someone takes a new job, they usually get paid more.

Many people who start working for a new business do not increase or maintain their 401(k) contributions, even if their income has increased. They typically give less than they did in their previous employment. Their retirement savings are less likely to increase as a result of this decrease.

Why your 401(K) enrollment is key

One explanation, according to the Vanguard report, is that a lot of 401(k) plans have a 3% minimum contribution rate. Even if a person was putting in more effort at their previous job, they are frequently automatically enrolled at this lower rate when they move to a new one.

Many people see this pattern of lower savings rates following job transitions, according to Fiona Greig, co-author of the report and global head of investor research and policy at Vanguard. A study that examined retirement and income data from over 50,000 individuals who changed employment discovered this concerning pattern.

Indeed, the majority of people are changing employment in order to receive a pay increase; on average, these raises were 10%. Pay increases for roughly 64% of job changers, but their savings rate decreases.

According to the survey, the average worker reduces their 401(k) payout by about 1% when they move employment. Although this might not seem like much, it could have a significant impact on your money in the long run. Consider a worker who earns $60,000 annually at the beginning of their career and then switches jobs eight times.

For Americans, this is fairly usual. If this individual reduces their 401(k) investment each time they move jobs, they could only have $470,000 saved for retirement by the time they are 65. However, they could have $770,000 saved by the time they retire if they continued to save 10% annually during their employment.

This significant disparity demonstrates the long-term effects of payment reductions. According to Greig, this translates into a six-year reduction in retirement expenses. Retirement funds have significantly decreased.

Are 401(K)s the perfect option for you?

Although many employees rely on 401(k) plans, other people dislike the system.Among these opponents is Teresa Ghilarducci, a prominent economist and retirement specialist from The New School. She has made disparaging remarks regarding the design and functionality of 401(k) plans.

For those who can work consistently throughout their careers and avoid taking significant pauses for things like getting laid off or caring for family members, a 401(k) may be helpful. A retirement fund can be gradually accumulated by this group of persons.

However, many employees must take time off, have their careers halted, or face financial difficulties. Their funds may increase more slowly as a result of using their 401(k) accounts.

Greig concurs that the 401(k) system has evolved over time, including modifications that facilitate employees’ ability to save. Employees were required to voluntarily enroll in and begin saving when 401(k) plans were initially introduced in the late 1970s. The system has been replaced by automatic enrollment today.

Employees can now easily begin saving without doing anything thanks to this. According to the Vanguard survey, over 60% of individuals who changed jobs did so at organizations that automatically enrolled them in a 401(k) plan.

The Secure 2.0 Act mandates that all new retirement plans automatically enroll employees starting in 2025. Vanguard’s analysis, however, indicates that the standard default contribution rate of 3% is too low. This is particularly true when you take into account that employees typically contribute less when they switch employment. According to Greig, this issue might be resolved with a greater default rate, such as 6%.

The initiative should also be taken by those who wish to change occupations. “As soon as you start that new job, consider continuing to do what you were doing before,” Greig advised. This will enable you to maximize the calculations and ensure that you enroll in yearly rises so that your savings rate increases in tandem with your wages.