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Health care costs for employers are expected to top $10,000 a year, per employee, in 2012, according to a new study by human resources consultant Aon Hewitt.  Premiums are expected to rise by 7%, slightly below the 7.5% increase between 2010 and 2011.  The study projects that employers will spend $10,475 in premiums per employee in 2012, $1,364 more than health insurance outlays two years ago.

First the good news: Because people have saved some money and the stock market has been rising, 401(k) balances have risen to a 10-year high, reports Fidelity Investments.

In an analysis of about 11 million 401(k) accounts, Fidelity determined that the average balance as of the end of December was $71,500 compared with $59,100 a decade earlier. Among account holders who saved continuously for the past ten years, the average account balance was $183,100.

Companies have little confidence that employees are taking the steps necessary to meet retirement savings goals, according to a recent survey by human resources consulting firm Aon Hewitt. Many companies are addressing the problem by offering workers a helping hand, they survey shows.

The survey of 210 mid-to-large U.S. companies with 6.2 million workers found that just 38% of employers are confident that workers are assuming responsibility for their financial future, down from 43% in 2010. Only 30% of companies said employees are sufficiently prepared for retirement, the same finding as last year.