The 401K is simply a savings vehicle offered through employer retirement plans. In the last several weeks I've heard certain personalities rail on the 401K as if it were some government tax scheme underway. You'll find this coming from mostly the permanent Insurance world. Ironically I am a huge fan and routinely find Insurance products for clients. Message is there's no one particular product or ideology that works the best. In the same breath people need to stop mischaracterizing what the 401K plan is.