Why it matters: Lots of people are getting a late start on saving for their retirement because so much of their income in the early days of the career is going toward paying off student loans. Some companies aren't cool with that. To give their employees a boost, the companies have set up programs to match the amount the employee pays toward student loans and deposit the funds into a 401(k).
Coincidentally, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York published a study about the student loan landscape. Some of the findings, particularly with regard to how slowly balances have been paid down in the last year or so, make the employee student loan-401(k) match programs sound like a timely solution.
Sources:
The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
Liberty Street Economics (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)
