Three 2026 401(k) Champions named on National 401(k) Day

The 401(k) Champion Award Competition named three workplace retirement savers its 2026 winners after a nationwide search that drew applications from 24 states. The contest is designed to spotlight people who encourage others to save and build financial literacy around employer retirement plans.

Why it matters: - The award highlights a gap between retirement plan participation and financial literacy. - The competition is meant to push employers, advisers and plan sponsors beyond enrollment and toward education that helps workers make better 401(k) decisions. - The program recognizes employees who influence colleagues and friends to save more for retirement.

What happened: - The 401(k) Champion Award Competition announced three 2026 winners on National 401(k) Day. - The winners are Dr. Paras Khandhar of Southfield, Michigan; Thane Walton of Mesa, Arizona; and Jonathan Steen of Waikoloa, Hawaii. - The competition drew applications from 24 states, from Alabama to Washington. - Eleven finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges. - Three finalists received the 401(k) Champion title, and eight others were named Honorable Mentions.

The details: - Dr. Paras Khandhar is Vice-Chief of Pediatrics at Corewell Health and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at William Beaumont School of Medicine. - Khandhar said he regularly meets new residents who have little financial literacy and that he tries to help them understand retirement accounts, company matches and early investing. - Thane Walton is Practice Management and Retirement executive for United Planners. - Walton said a podcast conversation that resonated with him reinforced his belief in helping people take advantage of their 401(k) benefits. - Jonathan Steen is a Project Manager for Goodfellow Brothers. - Steen said learning about compound interest changed how he viewed investing and helped him focus on maximizing his 401(k). - Steen described retirement as a cash balance that allows someone to live comfortably and make choices later in life.

Between the lines: - The competition is built around personal stories, not just technical retirement-plan knowledge. - The judging suggests the organizers want winners who can translate retirement saving into everyday language that motivates action. - The emphasis on financial literacy reflects a broader effort to close the gap between having access to a plan and knowing how to use it well. - Jackson, Grant Investment Advisers, Inc. created and funds the program through a pro bono effort. - Julie Jason, the firm’s founder, published her first book on 401(k)s in 1996, titled "You and Your 401(k)." - Jackson, Grant says the competition has no cost to enter and requires no sponsorship commitment.

What's next: - The competition will continue as an annual platform for recognizing savers who promote retirement education. - Jackson, Grant says the effort will keep supporting financial literacy through the award program and related educational initiatives. - More information is available at the company website, Julie Jason's site and the 401(k) Champion site.

The bottom line: - The 2026 winners show how peer-to-peer encouragement can turn retirement saving from a benefit on paper into a behavior people act on.