Should I sign up for my employer's 401k?

Yes, and the fact that you have not yet is not a failure, it is just a form you have not filled out. Your employer offers a 401k with a match, which means they will add money to your retirement when you add yours. Not signing up is like turning down a raise. The good news is you can fix it in one sitting. Here is the whole thing in plain terms. You choose a percentage of your paycheck to set aside, it goes in before taxes, and your employer adds their match on top up to a limit. That match is free money, so the goal is to contribute at least enough to get all of it. You will barely feel the change in your paycheck, because the tax break softens it. Do this today: find the enrollment link from your HR or benefits contact and sign up for at least the amount that gets the full match. Pick the target-date fund with the year closest to when you would retire and let it run. Ten minutes now buys you years of security later. Start.