Every September, National 401(k) Day serves as a reminder of the importance of retirement planning. Millions of Americans rely on 401(k)s as the foundation of their financial future. But, many savers struggle to navigate complex rules and to feel confident in their investment decisions. They find it difficult to get help from their advisors on their accounts in these plans.
In today’s volatile market and uncertain economic climate, these issues are amplified. Savers worry about inflation, increasingly complex investment options, and long-term uncertainty.
For financial advisors, these challenges translate to growing client expectations and increasing demand for guidance. 401(k) Day presents the perfect opportunity for advisors to educate, empower, and bridge the gap between complexity and control for their clients.
What is 401(k) Day?
Beginning in 1996, the Plan Sponsor Council of America recognizes the Friday after Labor Day as 401(k) Day each year to symbolize the transition from labor to retirement. This year, 401(k) Day falls on September 5th.
Celebrated by plan sponsors, financial advisors, and retirement savers alike, this day is designed to spark conversations surrounding retirement planning. With millions of Americans relying on 401(k)s as the cornerstone of retirement savings, it’s more important than ever to amplify these conversations on a larger scale and close the 401(k) knowledge gap.
Insights from independent research
As part of 401(k) Day, Pontera has conducted an independent survey of financial advisors and retirement savers across the United States. This research highlights the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping retirement planning today, giving advisors actionable insights they can use to support their clients.
401(k) Day highlights growing advisor opportunities
Beyond simply marking the calendar, 401(k) Day presents tangible opportunities for financial advisors to deepen client relationships and grow their practices. By using this day as a conversation starter, advisors can proactively reach out to clients to review investment strategies, assess account consolidation options, or discuss retirement goals. These touchpoints help clients feel supported and position advisors as trusted partners in navigating increasingly complex retirement planning.
“Why is 401(k) Day important for my clients?”
National 401(k) Day provides opportunities to engage clients and directly address the pain points they’re currently experiencing. Advisors can leverage this day to proactively reach out and provide guidance when clients’ long-term financial goals are top-of-mind.
A timely opportunity for client engagement
Pontera survey data shows that 91% of financial advisors report that offering services for held-away retirement or college savings accounts has increased demand for their services, and 43% say demand has increased significantly. Your clients are thinking about their retirement—and they need your expertise.
Use 401(k) Day 2025 as a chance to highlight your ability to manage client 401(k)s, and reinforce the value of data driven guidance. After all, professionally managed accounts can deliver 3 - 4% higher returns per year according to data from Vanguard.
Proactively address client concerns
This year, 401(k) Day is especially important. Market volatility, inflation, and the potential introduction of private investment options in 401(k) plans are creating new layers of complexity for savers. In times like these, guidance from a trusted advisor is crucial.
During this period of market uncertainty, our 2025 study shows that only 1 in 3 savers feels in control of their investment decisions, even though control correlates directly with higher balances. And while many investors say they feel confident, 42% still report feeling stressed, anxious, or confused. This gap presents a chance to demonstrate expertise and provide actionable guidance for your clients.
In short, 401(k) Day is not just a reminder of retirement: It’s an opportunity to demonstrate relevance, deepen trust, and strengthen the advisor-client relationship.
What savers need to know about retirement planning in 2025
While 401(k) Day offers a natural moment for advisors to engage clients, it’s also an important opportunity for savers themselves to pause, assess, and take control of their retirement planning. Our 2025 report, The retirement confidence crisis: What savers and advisors are facing in 2025, highlights the challenges and opportunities facing savers today and shows why having the right guidance and resources matters more than ever.
2025 retirement trends and insights
Pontera’s 2025 retirement trends survey highlights the real challenges savers face today. Complexity remains a major hurdle: the most common concern advisors report from clients is difficulty understanding rollover, loan, and withdrawal rules. Meanwhile, only about one-third of retirement savers feel they have meaningful control over their investment decisions.
Savers should ask themselves: who influences your financial decisions? While family remains the top source of guidance, nearly one in five savers cite their financial advisor as the most important influence on retirement decisions—a remarkable level of trust that rivals family itself. This underscores the critical role advisors play in helping savers navigate complexity and make informed decisions for the long term.
Navigating complexity and market volatility
Retirement accounts often come with rules and restrictions that can feel overwhelming—everything from rollovers and loans to withdrawal limitations. Many savers struggle to feel in control of their investment decisions, leaving uncertainty around how to act in a volatile market. 401(k) Day serves as a timely reminder that access to guidance, tools, and professional advice can help savers cut through the complexity, gain confidence, and turn uncertainty into actionable retirement planning.
Planning for long-term financial security
Active retirement planning is key to achieving long-term financial security. Savers who engage with advisors and review their portfolios regularly are more likely to feel confident and in control of their retirement outcomes. 401(k) Day offers a moment to evaluate progress, revisit goals, and explore strategies that align investments with personal priorities.
Why 401(k) Day matters at Pontera
At Pontera, 401(k) Day is more than a symbolic date; it reflects our mission to enable better retirement outcomes by helping to make holistic advice more accessible to retirement savers. By aligning this moment with our work, we’ll use the month of September to further advance financial wellness, support meaningful conversations, and provide resources that help advisors and savers navigate the complexity of retirement planning.
Supporting financial wellness nationwide
Pontera’s mission is rooted in helping Americans make the most of their retirement accounts. Yet our research shows that only about one-third of retirement savers feel they have a lot of control over their investment decisions. This gap can limit confidence and long-term financial well-being.
401(k) Day provides an opportunity to highlight tools, resources, and advisor support that help savers feel empowered to take charge of their retirement planning.
Driving engagement and awareness
401(k) Day is an opportunity to connect advisors and savers with practical resources to facilitate these crucial conversations. In addition to our retirement trends research, we’ll be providing resources to advisors, hosting a webinar with industry experts, and providing our team with resources and guidance for their personal retirement planning.
It’s our goal to champion choice, control, and confidence in retirement planning—equipping advisors and savers alike with the tools and guidance they need to make informed, empowered decisions.
How advisors can make 401(k) Day count
For financial advisors, 401(k) Day presents tangible opportunities to engage clients, address pain points, and strengthen relationships. By leveraging survey-backed insights, offering portfolio reviews, and managing held-away accounts, advisors can meet growing demand and help clients navigate an increasingly complex retirement landscape.
At Pontera, we’re using 401(k) Day to champion choice, control, and confidence—equipping both advisors and savers with the resources they need to make informed, empowered decisions.
Take action this 401(k) Day:
- Join the waitlist for The retirement confidence crisis report to stay informed on the state of retirement today
- Register for our webinar to better understand today’s retirement landscape—and what it means for the future.
- Get email templates, talk tracks, and more to help you demonstrate the value of a professionally managed retirement account in our 401(k) Day advisor toolkit.
Celebrate 401(k) Day by turning awareness into action—for you, your clients, and the future of retirement planning.
