Retirement

The asset allocations of 401(k) retirement plan savers in their 20s at the end of 2015 differed significantly from the allocations of 401(k) participants in their 20s in the mid-1990s, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI). EBRI Issue Brief Aug 3, 2017 60 pages

Home equity and retirement accounts—401(k)-type plans and IRAs—account for nearly all the assets that many families have to depend on in retirement outside of Social Security and traditional pension plans, according to new research from EBRI. Press release. EBRI Notes May 16, 2017 16 pages

Many American workers today are feeling stressed about retirement and are not taking steps to prepare for it. And those feeling stressed have lower levels of retirement confidence and are less likely to feel financially secure, according to the 2017 Retirement Confidence Survey (RCS) by EBRI and Greenwald & Associates. EBRI Issue Brief Mar 21, 2017 32 pages

With a new Congress and a new president in Washington, how are U.S. retirement policies likely to change? Possibly quite radically, and for two main reasons: First, because of the new majority’s plans to overhaul the entire U.S. tax structure and federal budget in ways that could fundamentally change how private-sector retirement plans are treated in the tax code. And second, because of the drive to simplify and lower income tax rates, tax-favored retirement provisions in the tax code are vulnerable. This article summarizes discussion of these issues at EBRI’s 79th policy forum in Washington last December. Press release. EBRI Notes Feb. 27, 2017 8 pages

Most discussion about retirement preparation revolves around national averages, but a lot could actually depend on where you live in retirement. A new study by EBRI finds large variations in spending by older households across the country. Press release.

 

EBRI Notes Feb 21, 2017 12 pages

Which groups of people prefer immediate annuities? A new analysis by EBRI finds that it’s those at the lowest and highest ends of the wealth spectrum, because those with inadequate assets might value a regular stream of income very highly and those with the most might expect to live longer and can also afford it even after leaving a bequest. EBRI Issue Brief Feb 8, 2017 20 pages

Most owners of individual retirement accounts (IRAs) do not contribute to them every year—but more than half of those who contribute put in the maximum amount allowed by law, according to the most recent analysis of the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s unique IRA Database. EBRI Issue Brief Jan 17, 2017 32 pages

The U.S. Census Bureau’s widely used Current Population Survey (CPS), which two years ago underwent a major redesign of the questions pertaining to income, appears to be resulting in a significant undercounting of how many people participate in an employment-based retirement plan, according to a new analysis by EBRI. Press release. EBRI Notes Nov 21, 2016 16 pages

The average 401(k) plan account balance of workers who participated consistently in one 401(k) plan increased significantly over the four-year period ending at year-end 2014, according to new data published today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI). EBRI Issue Brief Sep 8, 2016 28 pages

What’s the average balance of an individual retirement account (IRA)? New research by EBRI shows that it matters how you count. For instance, looking just at the balance per account, the average amount was just over $100,000 in 2014, the latest data available. But if you look at the total IRA balance per individual IRA owner, the average amount was almost $127,600—almost a third higher. EBRI Issue Brief Aug 25, 2016 48 pages