STAY COMMITTED TO ENJOY 401(K) REWARDS
Investors who are able to keep a diversified asset allocation strategy are rewarded despite volatile activity in the stock market. 
If they avoid pulling out of equities and making spontaneous reductions, their rewards are almost certain after the equity markets rebound. Investors everywhere are evaluating their investment strategies carefully. Although economic hardship is still present, it's important for investors to avoid overreacting. They must also keep in mind that retirement demands a long-term commitment and view.
It's important to understand the impact of decisions made during market volatility to 401(k) plans and other investments. Participants who changed their allocations of equity to 0% during the downturn's lowest months saw slight changes in their account balances. However, participants who dropped to 0% but bounced back with equity allocation following the market decline noticed a much higher increase. Their balances were significant enough that the change was very clear. Participants who stopped contributing saw their account balances rise to amounts that were about half as much as the average percentage of those who continued their contributions.
However, data taken after that period showed that most participants understood the vital importance of continued asset allocation and contributions. Although that period is over, research shows that the percentage of participants who contribute to 401(k) plans has increased. In addition to this, most participants have increased their regular contribution amounts. In the past, trends showed that many participants decreased their contribution amounts.
This was prior to and during the worst part of the economic downturn. However, most individuals today know that decreasing contributions is a detrimental choice for their future. The trend of individuals increasing their contributions has remained steady for a considerable amount of time. It seems that this positive trend will continue in the future. This also means that 401(k) providers enjoy a larger balance over the years.
Both plan sponsors and plan participants continue embracing diversified portfolios by way of target-date retirement funds. Data gathered in the years following the worst part of the economic downturn in 2008 showed that the number of plan sponsors offering a target-date option grew significantly. However, many of the plan sponsors who offer this option choose to default participants into the target-date option. Although this trend seems to grow, it isn't growing as fast as the number of plan sponsors simply offering target-date funding options. More than half of plan participants utilize the target-date option. Almost half of the group of participants using this option invest all of their 401(k) assets into the plan.