In studies of retirement savings programs, matching and tax incentives (i.e., the Saver’s Credit) are
found to have negligible or modest effects on increasing contributions (Duflo et al., 2006; Duflo et
al., 2007; Engelhardt & Kumar, 2007). Meanwhile, information received directly from an employer
or indirectly from a colleague, and small monetary rewards appear to play important roles in the
decision to open an employer-sponsored retirement plan (Duflo & Saez, 2003). If it is true, as Duflo
and Saez (2003, p. 840) claim, that individuals do not give “much thought to their retirement savings
decisions,” it will be important to determine which institutional factors matter most.