This Is the Best Move You Can Make in 2026 If You're Behind on Retirement Savings

Being behind on retirement savings can trigger a lot of anxiety, but it can also lead to hopelessness that makes it hard to act. You might be able to spare $5 or $10 per pay period for retirement, but the amount seems too small to make any meaningful difference to your retirement, so you don't even bother.

The truth is, even small amounts can grow into a lot of money if they're invested in the right way. There's one investment in particular that can help you kick your savings into high gear in 2026.

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Your 401(k) match gives you an instant return on your investment

When you claim a 401(k) match, your employer will give you an amount equal to 50% or 100% of your own contributions, up to a certain percentage of your income. This could potentially double your annual retirement contributions without requiring you to set aside twice as much money.

Of course, not everyone has access to a 401(k) with a match, and some who do cannot afford to claim the entire thing due to high living costs. But even a partial 401(k) match can make a big difference over the long term.

Say your employer offers a 100% match on up to 4% of your salary, and you earn $60,000 per year. That means if you save $2,400 for retirement, your employer will give you another $2,400. That's the best-case scenario.

But even if you can only claim $1,500 of that match, that's still huge. Your employer will give you another $1,500, and that money will stay invested for years, or even decades. With an 8% average annual return, your $3,000 in personal contributions and employer-matched funds could grow to nearly $14,000 after 20 years.

If you consistently claimed $1,500 in employer-matching contributions over 20 years, you'd wind up with more than $137,000, assuming the same 8% rate of return. That's not enough to retire on, but it's not pocket change either.

How to get as much of your 401(k) match as possible in 2026

Talk to your employer if you're not sure how its 401(k) matching formula works. It should be able to tell you how much you must set aside per paycheck and overall to claim the full match.

If you haven't saved anything yet this year, you'll need to save more per pay period to get the full match by the end of December. It's OK if this isn't doable for you.

Figure out how much you can comfortably save in your 401(k) and start there. If you're able to create a little extra space in your budget down the road or if you get a raise, then you can increase your 401(k) contributions. Just keep in mind that when you get a raise, the amount you need to save to get your full 401(k) match might change as well.

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