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The 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey: Confidence Drops to Record Lows, Reflecting “the New Normal”

In a sign that Americans are recognizing the realities they face about their chances for a comfortable retirement, the 2011 Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) finds workers are more pessimistic than at any time in the two decades the RCS has been conducted: More than a quarter (27 percent) of workers now say they are “not at all confident” about retirement, up 5 percentage points from the level measured just one year ago. Reinforcing that trend, the percentage of workers saying they are “very confident” of a comfortable retirement ties with 2009 at 13 percent—the lowest rate ever measured by the RCS. EBRI Issue Brief Mar 15, 2011 40 pages

‘Who Tries to Find Objective Information on Health Care? Findings From the 2010 Health Confidence Survey’ and ‘Labor Force Participation Rates of the Population Age 55 and Older: What Did the Recession Do to the Trends?’

Women, younger individuals, and individuals who experienced an increase in either premiums or cost sharing are more likely to seek information on health care costs, quality, and access in order to make informed decisions, according to new findings by EBRI. Additionally, people with a higher level of education are also more likely than those with less education to research information. Press release Labor Force Participation: Elderly workers increasingly are participating in the labor force. Press Release EBRI Notes Feb 15, 2011 20 pages

'Employer and Employee Reactions to Health Reform: Findings From the 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey and the 2010 SHRM Organizations’ Response to Health Care Reform Poll'; and 'Self-Reported Benefit Accrual Rates of Defined Be ..

Reactions to Health Reform: New findings by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) show that both employers and workers say they are not very knowledgeable about health reform, but that employers say they are likely to pass along any health benefit cost increases to workers—and, mostly, workers are expecting such cost increases. Press release.  Self-Reported DB Accrual Rates: Data comparisons suggest respondents overestimated their expected pension benefits at retirement. Despite the likely measurement error, young DB plan participants reported having less generous benefit formulas than older participants.   EBRI Notes Jan 24, 2011 16 pages

'Employee Tenure Trend Lines, 1983-2010,' and 'Who Might Respond to Financial Incentives That Use Lower Cost Sharing to Change Behavior? Findings from the 2010 Health Confidence Survey.'

Employee Tenure: The median length of time that full-time workers stay in their jobs ticked up slightly in 2010, to just over five years, continuing a slow increase in job tenure that began in 2004, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release  Financial Incentives: The percentage of people who think getting a financial incentive would be extremely or very useful for choosing a more effective treatment, or who had an interest in using high-quality provider networks that offer lower cost sharing, dropped in 2010, according to EBRI’s Health Confidence Survey. Press release. EBRI Notes Dec 13, 2010 20 pages

Findings From the 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey

The ranks of people enrolled in either a consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) or a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) reached 22 million in 2010, according to a new report by EBRI. Participation in these account-based health care plans is low, but continues to grow, EBRI finds in its sixth annual Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 2, 2010 44 pages

Funding Savings Needed for Health Expenses for Persons Eligible for Medicare

Even though the new health reform law will reduce some health costs in retirement for many people, retirees will still need a significant amount of savings to cover their out-of-pocket health expenses when they retire, according to a new report by EBRI. For instance, EBRI finds that men retiring in this year (2010) at age 65 will need anywhere from $65,000–$109,000 in savings to cover health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses in retirement if they want a 50–50 chance of being able to have enough money; to improve the odds to 90 percent, they’ll need between $124,000–$211,000. Women in particular will need more savings than men because they tend to live longer. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 1, 2010 16 pages

401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2009

The average 401(k) retirement account balance rose 31.9 percent in 2009, according to a report released today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI) analyzing a group of consistent participants. The rise in 2009 was in line with the 2003–2007 pattern of steady increase in account balances and in contrast to the 27.8 percent decline in 2008. EBRI Issue Brief Nov 22, 2010 68 pages

"Retirement Plan Participation: Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Data, 2009," and "Variation in Public Opinion About Health Reform, by Plan Type: Findings from the 2010 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey"

Retirement Participation: The latest SIPP data show 59 percent of all workers over age 16 had an employer that sponsored a pension or retirement plan for any of its employees in 2009, down from previous levels (60 percent 1998 and 63 percent 2003), and the same as in 2006. Public Opinion About Health Reform: Most individuals with private health insurance have negative expectations of how the new law will affect them personally. Individuals with traditional health coverage tend to have more positive views than those with high-deductible or consumer-driven health plans. Press release EBRI Notes Nov 18, 2010 20 pages