You can't count on the market and your 401(k) balance to go up all the time. But the one thing you can control is how much you save. Building wealth for your golden years is all about good financial habits, including steady savings. Workers with 401(k)s aced that test in the first quarter of 2026 as total savings rates hit record levels despite a dip in the average 401(k) balance, according to Fidelity Investments.
The total savings rate (which includes both employee and employer contributions) reached 14.4% for the first time, approaching Fidelity's suggested savings rate of 15%.
