Summary - Typical U.S. Worker Saw 401(k) Lose 24.3% in 2008

Lauren Young's article Typical U.S. Worker Saw 401(k) Lose 24.3% in 2008 discusses what happened to the money U.S. workers invested in and how much of a loss occurred between 2007 and 2008. The average balance in a workers 401(k) account at the end of 2007 was $114,337 and by the end of 2008, it was $86,513. According to a study by the Employee Benefits Research Institute and the Investment Company Institute, the average worker invested 56% of their assets in company stock compared to 41% in fixed-income securities. The stock market did not help the average workers 401(k) accounts in 2008.