This Oregon Mutual Life Insurance (now known as The Standard) advertisement informs Americans if they use the Golden Years Plan, they can "go places" and "travel" on $200 a month for life.

Go Places — Travel

One can almost imagine President Franklin D. Roosevelt sitting by a fireside, a blanket thrown over his legs, speaking into a microphone telling radio-listening Americans about a new deal: social security. But even with that social reform, people coming out of the Depression worried about saving for their future especially.

In the early thirties, Oregon Mutual Life Insurance (now known as The Standard), launched a "Golden Years Plan" — an endowment life policy, meant to build capital investments for retirement. As an advertisement for the plan indicated, it appealed to folks looking to sock money away — to travel and enjoy their retirement.

The plan was a success.

In the first nine months the plan was offered, sales for the new product more than doubled. An Oregon college chose Oregon Mutual to help administer their employee pension plan, and because of their decision, attracted national attention. In 1936, the company began providing retirement planning products to groups, and refined their products over the years.

In 1978, Congress passed legislation to help Americans save money for retirement, named after a section of the Internal Revenue Code: 401(k). Standard Insurance Company, now known as The Standard, launched a retirement plan product, using the expertise they'd refined since the '30s.

Today, The Standard is one of the most highly regarded retirement plan administrators and fund managers in the country.*

* Top retirement plan administrator and fund manager for companies with $1 million to $10 million in 401(k) plan assets, according to 401kExchange, an independent industry observer.