Issue Briefs

A detailed look confirms that older Americans (50 or above) spend less in retirement, and that home-related expenses remain the top spending category. But health costs are the second-biggest expense for older Americans, and data show that demographic sub-groups such as singles, blacks, and high school dropouts are outspending their resources in retirement, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). EBRI Issue Brief Feb 14, 2012 28 pages

Account-based health plans continued to grow in 2011, increasing to $12.4 billion in assets among 8.4 million accounts, according to the latest survey by EBRI and Mathew Greenwald & Associates. That’s up more than 55 percent in the number of accounts and almost 70 percent in assets since 2010. EBRI Issue Brief Jan 12, 2012 32 pages

Adult Children Coverage: PPACA, the new federal insurance law, has increased the health insurance coverage of adult children between 2009 and 2011, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release

Spending Adjustments: More than 20 percent of americans age 50 and over report saving on health costs by switching to cheaper generic drugs, getting free samples, stopping pills or reducitn dosages, and nearly as many sip or postpone doctor appointsments for the same reason, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release 

EBRI Notes Jan 10, 2012 16 pages

After a decade marked by two severe bear markets, 401(k) plan participants have adopted a more balanced approach to their portfolios, according to a report released today by the Investment Company Institute (ICI) and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Fears that younger participants in 401(k) plans would abandon stock investing are not borne out by the data, which suggest that greater use of target-date funds is helping workers keep their investing on track. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 21, 2011 52 pages

Enrollment in so-called “consumer-driven” health plans continued to grow in 2011, according to the 11th annual EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey (CEHCS). In 2011, 7 percent of the population was enrolled in a consumer-driven health plan, or CDHP, compared with 5 percent a year ago. When children are included, about 21 million individuals with private insurance, representing about 12 percent of the market, were either in a CDHP or an HSA-eligible plan, the survey found. Press release EBRI Issue Brief Dec 13, 2011 28 pages

Retirement Age Expectations: Not only are older American workers (age 50 and over) expecting to work longer, but many now say they expect to never retire, according to EBRI. Data suggest the trend may be tied to the recent economic recession. Press release

Variation in Public Opinion on the Future of Employment-Based Health Benefits: Findings from the 2011 Health Confidence Survey-- The public remains in large part confident that employers and unions will continue to offer health coverage following enactment of the federal health reform law. According to results from the 2011 Health Confidence Survey, 57 percent of individuals with employment-based coverage are extremely or very confident that their employer or union would continue to offer health coverage. Press release 
 

EBRI Notes Dec 6, 2011 24 pages

Health Benefits: Even though employment-based health coverage is the primary source of health insurance coverage in the United States, long-term public confidence that employers and unions will continue to offer health coverage has fallen, according to findings by EBRI. Press release

Financial Literacy: New research by EBRI finds that the residents of New Hampshire and Alaska rank at the top of financial literacy and financial behavior, while residents of Louisiana and West Virginia rank at the bottom. Press release

EBRI Notes Nov 17, 2011 16 pages

Two recent proposals to change the existing tax treatment of 401(k) retirement plans, if enacted, are likely to result in lower account balances for many 401(k) participants, according to a new analysis by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Nov 9, 2011 24 pages

IRA and 401(k) Ownership

Participation of workers in individual-account 401(k)-type plans, which had grown sharply through the 1990s, leveled off from 2005 to 2009. Ownership of individual retirement accounts (IRAs), which had also risen significantly in the 1990s, experienced a slight decline from 2005 to 2009, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release

Health Coverage by Month

Since 1995, the percentage of workers both with and without health insurance coverage has tracked closely with the unemployment rate, according to a new analysis of monthly data by EBRI. While the link between employment and health coverage is well-documented, EBRI’s new report tracks the data on a monthly basis to show the direct correlation. Currently, despite signs of economic recovery from the 2008-2009 recession, employment-based health insurance coverage remains well below the levels of the 1990s. Press release

EBRI Notes Oct 13, 2011 20 pages

The portion of full-time, full-year workers age 21-64 who participated in an employment-based retirement plan remained stable at 54.5 percent in 2010, showing no appreciable drop from 2009 despite the continuing weakness in the economy, according to a new report by EBRI. This makes 2010 it only the second year in the last six years without a decrease. In general, workers in Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeastern states had the highest levels of participation in employment-based retirement plans, while those in Southern and Western states had the lowest levels. EBRI Issue Brief Oct 11, 2011 44 pages