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Sadly companies never really have contributed much to employee 401ks which was one of the main selling points when being offered as an alternative to pensions.

Sadly companies never really have contributed much to employee 401ks which was one of the main selling points when being offered as an alternative to pensions. Employees are very lucky if employers contribute 50% of their contributions (which would would be a max possible of $9500 match this year). And usually it’s significantly less. In 2019 employers are allowed to contribute up to $36000. No company I have heard of provides anyway near that. The 401k has unfortunately allowed employers to care very little about employees retirement.

mercutio2 7y ago
Many (perhaps not most? I haven’t researched broadly) large companies offer 100% match for 401k contributions, up to 6% of your salary. If you say the denizens of the companies I’ve worked at are all very lucky, I won’t disagree, but it’s surprising to hear this is uncommon. EDIT: Or perhaps your percentages are (unusually, for US conversations about 401k contributions) referring to total outlay, by which standard a 100% match is a company covering 50% of the total outlay? But in that case the limit is no where near $9500, perhaps you were missing a 1 in front? The max employee contribution to a 401k was $18,500 in 2018...
- golover721 7y ago
  The max employee contribution in 2019 is $19000 so given a 50% match the employer would pay $9500. I know a number of large tech companies offer this. But it still way under what they COULD contribute. And you are right most companies are way under that 50% match up to the individual limit example. EDIT: Sorry just reread your comment, yes that’s another way companies will structure it x% match up to y% of your salary. The x and y differ wildly. Also some will add a up to z total match. Which kind of formula works out best for you highly depends on your salary. But the average employer contribution for someone maxing out their personal contribution is $3000.

mercutio2 7y ago

Many (perhaps not most? I haven’t researched broadly) large companies offer 100% match for 401k contributions, up to 6% of your salary. If you say the denizens of the companies I’ve worked at are all very lucky, I won’t disagree, but it’s surprising to hear this is uncommon. EDIT: Or perhaps your percentages are (unusually, for US conversations about 401k contributions) referring to total outlay, by which standard a 100% match is a company covering 50% of the total outlay? But in that case the limit is no where near $9500, perhaps you were missing a 1 in front? The max employee contribution to a 401k was $18,500 in 2018...

golover721 7y ago
The max employee contribution in 2019 is $19000 so given a 50% match the employer would pay $9500. I know a number of large tech companies offer this. But it still way under what they COULD contribute. And you are right most companies are way under that 50% match up to the individual limit example. EDIT: Sorry just reread your comment, yes that’s another way companies will structure it x% match up to y% of your salary. The x and y differ wildly. Also some will add a up to z total match. Which kind of formula works out best for you highly depends on your salary. But the average employer contribution for someone maxing out their personal contribution is $3000.