401(k) Balances and Changes Due to Market Volatility, The Employee Benefit Research Institute is giving regular updates of 401(k) balance estimates as the markets change, based on data from the EBRI/ICI 401(k) database, the most comprehensive database on 401(k) plan participants yet assembled. Click here for more information by release date.

November 2008 - EBRI Notes "‘Retirement Annuity and Employment-Based Pension Income Among Individuals Age 50 and Over: 2007’ and ‘Employer Spending on Benefits, 2007’," Annuity Income: Ltest data confirm earlier findings that gender, marital status, age, education, and other demographic variables have a significant impact on the likelihood of a worker receiving a retirement annuity and/or employment-based pension income in retirement. Employer Spending on Benefits: Employer spending on total compensation continues to increase, reaching almost $8 trillion at year-end 2007 or almost 35 percent higher in 2000. Wages and salaries accounted for the lion’s share, $6.4 trillion (or 81.4 percent), while benefits made up the remainder, $1.5 trillion (18.6 percent).  Press release

November 2008 - EBRI Issue Brief "Findings From the 2008 EBRI Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey," Enrollment in consumer-directed or high-deductible health plans eligible for a tax-preferred savings account increased to 9.8 million adults this year, with participants more likely to have higher incomes and be in better health than those with traditional health coverage, according to survey results released by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Press release

October 27, 2008 - Expanded testimony written for the hearing record