Recently “arriving” to affluence this year was about 72,000 new 401(k) millionaires. That’s nearly twice as many as in 2012 according to a recent study by a firm that tracks the company’s 13 million retirement plans.
The arrival of these new millionaires of course is greatly attributable to recent record gains in the stock market. But true credit must go to the discipline of those individual workers who, by making the sacrifice to change their present lifestyle and save, will now reap future gains in retirement.
And let’s not forget that kudos go to employers who matched those 401(k) contributions and were an essential factor in helping ramp up savings for those “disciplined workers” to 8 percent—almost twice the 4.10% national average savings rate.
However there are many Americans who struggle with no pension matching. Even worse, there are those with no work at all. New “potential employees” are entering the job market and by my cocktail napkin calculation, the economy would need to double its job creation to make a place for the new working-age population.
My niece will soon graduate with approximately 3.6 million other college students. My nephew and 3.5 million others will be graduating from high school. Plus an estimated 1.2 million legal immigrants and roughly 500,000 illegal immigrants could arrive in the United States. If we generate 2.6 million new jobs in this country more the half of the 5 million job seekers will be out of work—not withstanding todays reported reduction of 21,000 in jobless claims.
Climbing the ladder to financial success in America—and to be christened with the moniker of millionaire—has always been fraught with difficulties and complexities that sometimes seem downright unfair, even insurmountable. Yet many fellow Americans, living quietly among us, regularly set out on this journey and ultimately reach financial independence.
Numerous mistaken myths and misconceptions shroud the true character of the self-made American millionaire. But all of them demonstrated in varying degrees that good-actions supported their efforts and propelled them to goals. In all cases, wealth creation is about self-determination and setting free in the marketplace individual techniques to greatness that comes from deep within.
But for those who have not yet “arrived” to affluence, employment through job creation and entrepreneurship is the needed pathway. Creating opportunity for others so they can demonstrate their efforts is the responsibility of all of us who have an unselfish eye on the future of this great country and in keeping the American Dream alive.
Kevin J. Palmer
