A recent study from Fidelity shows that savers fared better over the past 10 years than we may have feared. The average 401(k) account balance at the end of 2009 was $163,900, up from $65,800 in 1999, the New York Times reports.
The study analyzed 66,000 continuous participants in Fidelity 401(k) plans and found that the majority of returns were from worker and employer contributions. The remainder was from market returns and dollar-cost averaging.