Unfortunately these days, we're not surprised when we read that most Americans aren't saving enough for retirement or that they aren't even sure how much they will need to do it. It's all too clear that America has a saving problem that could lead to a serious financial crisis. In 2009, our research on employees' financial issues found that 86 percent of total users of our online Financial Learning Center had no idea whether they were on track to retire. That percentage is disturbing to anyone concerned about America's financial future, from educators like us, to plan sponsors like your clients, and plan providers like you.

April is Financial Literacy Month, but it isn't only important to financial educators. For plan providers, it's an opportunity to promote retirement savings education to participants. Many employees aren't sure where to begin or exactly what they should be planning for. You can provide some essential retirement planning guidance to help employees save more and become more educated.

When we plan for retirement, we sometimes forget about the "what if's" that can turn our plans upside down if they come unforeseen. Below are some that participants should consider when laying out their retirement plan:

• Taxes may be higher in retirement. Encourage plan participants to consider putting money in tax-free vehicles such as Roth IRAs or Roth 401(k)s if they feel their taxes will rise in retirement.
• The stock market drops--again. Participants have probably already considered this scenario but they can test their portfolios to find its breaking point. How much could they sustain in losses and still reach their retirement goals? You can help them plan for the worst by helping them be prepared if it were to happen in, or just before, retirement.
• They have a major unexpected expense. Health care alone can eat up a large portion of a retirement nest egg, so helping plan participants understand these costs and how to prepare for them will make a huge impact on their savings. Help them determine how big of an emergency they can handle without sacrificing their dream retirement.

It's never fun to think about what could go wrong, but this month, you can educate participants and sponsors about the "what if's" so they can ensure their retirement really is everything they dream it will be.