More than 90% of 401(k) plans now offer Roth contributions – but only 21% of workers take advantage
Retirement savers, take note: more employers have added a Roth savings option to their workplace 401(k) plans.
And, due to a legislative change, it's likely the remaining holdouts will soon offer it, too.
About 93% of 401(k) plans offered a Roth account in 2023, according to an annual poll published in December by the Plan Sponsor Council of America, an employer trade group.
That's up from 89% in 2022 and 62% a decade ago, according to the survey, which polled more than 700 employers with 401(k) plans of varying size.
Roth refers to how retirement savings are taxed.
A Roth is an after-tax account: Savers pay tax upfront on their 401(k) contributions but, with some exceptions, don't pay later when they withdraw money.
By contrast, pretax savings have been the traditional route for 401(k) plans. Savers get an upfront tax break, deferring their tax bill on investment earnings and contributions until later, when they make withdrawals.
It seems like many aren't taking advantage of Roth availability: About 21% of eligible workers made a Roth contribution in 2023, versus 74% who made a pretax contribution, according to PSCA data.
Choosing which kind of 401(k) contributions to make — pretax or Roth — largely comes down to your current tax bracket and expectations about your future tax rate, according to financial advisors.
You want to choose the one that will keep your tax bill lowest. In short, it's a tax bet.
This requires some educated guesswork. For example, many financial advisors recommend Roth accounts for those who are early in their careers, a point at which their tax rate is likely to be lower than in the future, when their salary will almost certainly be higher.
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