Five years of Obama and what do we get?

[seabeckind]

72. The average 401 is around $85,000

Just what kind of return is needed to have a decent early retirement with that amount?

Outside chance of retiring at 67?

I retired with a half pay pension at 49. It's not a lot but it's enough to be comfortable. During the years between my retirement and SS I could work doing the things I liked and not be worried about paying the rent.

That's what you gave up when you bought into the 401 scheme. There are people who made quite a bit of money on the 401 idea. The guy with $85,000 in it wasn't one of them.

I firmly believe the whole idea of the 401 was to allow companies to divest themselves from loyalty to their workers.

<added on edit> Only a small percentage of the workforce takes advantage of the 401 at all. If you're barely getting by every penny you have is going to survval today. That means the company doesn't have to contribute much at all. In the past they had to set money aside into a special fund no matter how little the employee was making. Under the 401? They get more in their already really full pockets.