Women & Money | Retirement: Plan vigorously

0 Comments | Philadelphia Inquirer, The, November, 2007 | by Suze Orman Inquirer Columnist

A handful of recent studies show some encouraging signs about how Americans are investing for retirement. But there's also plenty in the data that worries me. Company stock is still too popular.  A joint report conducted by the Employee Benefit Research Institute and the Investment Company Institute (ICI) was quick to highlight that 401(k) participants continue to decrease their exposure to company stock.

The average is now 11 percent, down from 19 percent in 1996. However, that 11 percent is the average for all plans - both those that offer company stock and those that don't. The survey says the actual percentage among only those plans that offer company stock ranges between 18 percent and 21 percent on average. Five years after Enron employees saw their retirement...