Personal Finance

Small Companies Have a Big Retirement Problem

Business owners want solutions, even if they’re skeptical of government meddling.
Photographer: Thomas M. Barwick/Getty Images
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Thinking about taking a job at a small company? Don’t expect a good retirement plan.

At companies with fewer than 50 workers, not even half the employees have access to a 401(k) or pension, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At companies with 500 workers or more, 90 percent of employees have access to a retirement plan.