The Hartford is launching a campaign to encourage people to take advantage of their employer's 401(k) or other retirement plan for National Save for Retirement Week, Oct. 16-22. The "It's in Your Power" campaign is reaching out to 1.4 million plan participants, 32,500 plan sponsors and their financial advisors.

"The Hartford is telling retirement plan participants that, 'It's in Your Power' to help build a secure retirement by starting or increasing contributions to their employer's retirement plan," said Dana McCullough, assistant vice president of marketing for The Hartford's Retirement Plans Group. "Our campaign encourages participants to take action – much like a superhero would – and be the catalyst for their own retirement security."

New research by The Hartford finds that Americans better understand their 401(k)s and other retirement plans than they did a few years ago.  A survey conducted this spring found that 78 percent of respondents "completely" or "mostly" understood their retirement benefits, up from 65 percent in 2009.  In addition, 20 percent of those polled said they planned to increase their retirement plan contributions.  A total of 1,000 employed Americans ages 18-65 were polled this spring.