CEO's Corner: Prudential's Christine Marcks says no need to retire the 401(k)

If you've checked the balance on your 401(k) lately, you're likely breathing a mini sign of relief as the Dow's bounce back above 10,000 helps replenish some losses suffered during the recession.

But as stocks remain volatile and the recession hampers retirement planning for millions, we sought advice from Christine Marcks, CEO of Prudential Retirement, the retirement arm of financial services giant Prudential Financial.

In our conversation, Marcks outlines a game plan for laid off workers and describes new tools available for today's pre-retirees. Despite what some published reports say, the 401(k) is still very relevant, Marcks adds.