Take Advantage of Employer Contributions Most employees would be thrilled with a 6% raise. If you’re not taking employer-match funds, you’re essentially leaving the equivalent with your employer.

But matching is optional and some employers don’t do it. Even if your employer doesn’t offer a match, there are still plenty of good reasons to max out your 401 (k) each year.

The report also identified 4% as the median 401 (k) match, though the average was slightly higher at 4.6%. Based on this, a 4% match is normal for companies that offer to make matching contributions.

A 401 (k) company match is a benefit your employer may offer. As you put money into your 401 (k), the company matches your contributions, wholly or partially, up to a certain amount.

An employer match is one of the most valuable features of many 401 (k) plans. Even without an employer match of your contributions, however, a 401 (k) can still be useful for retirement savings.

A generous 401 (k) plan with a 25% match, which applies to both full-time and part-time employees, may be the company's way of compensating for the lower salaries typically associated with the ...

If you have student loan payments, your employer may be able to offer a match to your 401 (k), but it's not a perfect plan for every borrower.

"If my company contributes a match to my 401k and if I leave in a year or two, I know the matching is void. What happens to the gains from my investments? I'm weighing the pros and cons of opening ...

In other words, an employer can't match retirement contributions up to 10% of your salary but only match 5% of student loan payments. The rules have to be the same.

The 401 (k) match may not be a factor if you don't plan to work at the company long enough to become fully vested in its retirement plan. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely ...