I put $750 into 401k last year (I was tech ''''contract'''' worker and wasn't being paid well in the first place and ended up with a cool $459 in my 401k at the end of the year and I stopped contributing until 2021. Technically I'm contributing so I'm in that stat, but I've lost money. Yes I know that can happen in 401k's temporarily, but I'm not in a financial place for that to be acceptable. How many people are contributing their minimum 3% in a small paycheck for a 1% match and in the end have an extremely small 401k, but get counted in your statistic? How many earn $10/hr, put 3% in and it ends up being like $22 bi weekly and they only began contributing a year ago? 401k's aren't really a great measurement of much in my opinion. You can't assume everyone has thousands saved up in them and I'd be willing to bet less than 50% of 401k contributors have even more than $5000.

That $18,000 check would have given me the ability to pay off my medical debts immediately, and have complete economic security and peace of mind through COVID.