Saving for your golden years is extremely important if you want to have a comfortable and pleasant retirement. Compared to other retirement plans, 401(k) plans seem like the best option out there. What other plans allow you to make pretax contributions, tax-deferred investments and obtain free money through an employer match?

Regardless of these advantages, many 401(k) plans don’t live up to their expectations. This does not mean flaws cannot be rectified and plans cannot be optimized. These 12 ways can help you improve your 401(k) plan and even retire sooner than expected.