With the downward turn in the stock market, it’s easy for many retirement plan participants to feel a loss of control over their savings. Many feel as though there is nothing they can do. Well, there are some things that can be done, according to an article on MSN.com, “How to Rescue Your Retirement.” So, what should your participant be doing?

According the article, participants should:

•    Run the numbers. Participants should find out what they need for retirement and how much they’ll need to save to get there. They shouldn’t assume just one rate of return, though. They should run the numbers using different rates, accounting for up and down markets.
•    Don’t Go Too Conservative. Participants should keep in mind that all bear markets eventually recover.
•    Manage Their Portfolio More Actively. Participants should take a look at their portfolio and determine what their asset allocation mix is. Are they invested in a majority of stocks vs. bonds or vice-versa? Although not always easy, they should try to match the mix of their portfolio with the state of the market.

NADART offers its plan sponsors and participants a number of calculators through our Web site that let them see how much they should be saving for their retirement. We also give participants a detailed view of their asset mix through PlanWeb, our online account manager, allowing them to make changes accordingly. If you would like to learn more about our retirement plans, or the features we offer, please contact a NADART Representative at (800) 462-3278, ext. 7161 or e-mail nadart401k@nada.org.