What is the name of the employer-sponsored, tax-deferred retirement account often matched by the employer?

The employer-sponsored, tax-deferred retirement account that is often matched by the employer is called a 401(k). This type of retirement plan allows employees to save and invest a portion of their paycheck before taxes are taken out. Because contributions are made pre-tax, they effectively reduce the employee's taxable income for the year.

One of the key benefits of a 401(k) plan is the potential for employer matching contributions. Many employers choose to match a certain percentage of the employee's contributions, which can significantly boost the employee's retirement savings over time. This matching is seen as a valuable component of employee compensation.

While other options like the Roth IRA, Simple IRA, and Traditional IRA provide various benefits for individual retirement savings, they do not typically involve employer contributions or matching in the same way as a 401(k) plan. Roth IRAs feature post-tax contributions with tax-free withdrawals in retirement, Simple IRAs are designed for small businesses and have different contribution limits, and Traditional IRAs allow for tax-deductible contributions but are individual accounts typically without employer matching. Therefore, the attributes of a 401(k) account make it the appropriate answer in this context.