What percent of people participate in a 401k plan at work? The most recent statistics show that it’s down to about two-thirds of people. And of those people, only a few are contributing the maximum. If you’re a young person, social security isn’t going to cut it when you get to retirement age. To that end, Fidelity Investments has been touring companies, discussing the idea of Congress enforcing automatic enrollment in the workplace. It turns out that 80 percent stay in the plans when a company has automatic enrollment, which is great. Clark thinks participation should be mandatory, not optional. Some may see that as an infringement on personal liberties, but something needs to change if we want to prevent more people from entering poverty in an old age. If your company does not have an automatic enrollment program, it’s up to you. Do not put this off any longer!