While the share of families with an individual account retirement plan is ticking down, the assets in those plans are going up, according to a new analysis by EBRI. Press release.
Retiree health savings: The vast majority of workers say their benefits package is important to their decision to take a job, as supported by the high take-up rates when benefits are offered, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Retirement gap: Among the victims of the "Great Recession" of 2008?2009 was the retirement expectations of many Americans. New research from EBRI has quantified just how much those hopes suffered. Press release.Projected savings targets: American elderly need to cover their health care costs in retirement continue to decline, due in part to enhanced prescription drug coverage provided by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), according to new modeling by EBRI. Press release.
IRAs: Almost 60 percent of individual retirement account (IRA) owners have their savings in an “extreme” investment allocation in 2012, meaning less than 10 percent or more than 90 percent in a particular investment category, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Older Americans: Although health expenses increase steadily with age, and remain a cause of concern, home and home-related expenses are the largest spending category for older Americans, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Workplace Benefits Survey: Although American workers rank their own health care highly, their opinion of the overall U.S. health care system is low and continues to fall, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Health Plans: Who’s happier with their health plan—those in “traditional” managed care plans, or those in so-called “consumer-driven” and high-deductible plans? The latest data from EBRI show that the overall satisfaction rate among consumer-driven health plan (CDHP) enrollees is gradually increasing, while it is gradually decreasing among traditional enrollees. Press release.
Gen Xers: Are Gen Xers in worse shape than the Baby Boom generation when it comes to having enough money for retirement? Not if you take into account future contributions and the current trends in automatic plan design features, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
HSAs: With an ever-increasing number of Americans gaining access to health savings accounts (HSAs) via their employment-based health plan, how much could they accumulate for health care expenses in these accounts? The answer depends on how much is contributed to the HSA—a tax-exempt trust or custodial account that an individual can open and use to pay his or her health care expenses—as well as how much is withdrawn, and what the investment return and fees on the HSA are, according to new research by EBRI. Press release.
IRAs: Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are a vital component of U.S. retirement savings, representing approximately one-quarter of all retirement assets in the nation. But as a growing number of Americans head into retirement, how much are they withdrawing from these accounts—and will it last? Press release
“Short” Falls: Will Baby Boomers and Gen Xers have enough money to live on when they retire, and if not, when will they run short? New modeling by EBRI finds that those in the lowest-income brackets are most likely to run short, many in the first year of retirement. But some in all income brackets—including the highest—may also run short at some point during their retirement. Press release.
HSA/HRA Consumer Engagement: Which type of health plan is more likely to get workers involved in their own health care: Health savings accounts or health reimbursement arrangements? The two account-based types of health insurance are similar, but a new report from EBRI finds that people with HSAs are more likely to engage in cost-conscious behavior related to use of health care services than are those in HRA. Press release.
Part-time Workers: Are concerns about the requirements of the new federal health insurance law causing more employers to shift to part-time workers? A new report by EBRI finds there is no definitive answer to that question yet—but notes that a shift to part-time employment was underway before the law was passed and that future trends are likely to depend more on factors such as the economy and unemployment rates. Press release.
DC Accounts: When workers leave or change jobs, what do they do with their old 401(k)? New research from EBRI finds that it largely depends on whether they retire or stay in the work force: Those who retire tend to take the money, while those who keep working most often leave it in their previous employer’s retirement plan. Press release.
Consumer-Driven Health Plans: Compared with those in traditional health plans, those in so-called "consumer-driven" health plans tend to have higher income, more education, and be in better health, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Labor-force Participation: Older workers—those 55 and older—are a growing presence in the American work force, a trend driven mainly by women, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Prescription Drug Use: Do consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) result in lower prescription drug use? New research from EBRI of one big employer finds that moving to an HSA-eligible plan reduced the number of both generic and brand-name prescriptions filled. Press release
Lifetime Income Illustrations: Do consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) result in lower prescription drug use? New research from EBRI of one big employer finds that moving to an HSA-eligible plan reduced the number of both generic and brand-name prescriptions filled. Press release.
IRAs: Withdrawals from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) tend to be small and closely follow the rates dictated by the federal required minimum distribution (RMD) rules that apply to individuals age 70-1/2 or older, according to a new study by EBRI. Press release.
Health Accounts: Nearly three-quarters of workers (71 percent) with a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or health savings account (HSA) reported that their employers contributed to the account in 2013, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release.
Spousal Health Coverage: Companies looking to save health costs by requiring working spouses to get health insurance through their own employer find the move has some unexpected consequences, according to a new study by EBRI. Press release.
Social Security and 401(k) Savings: Current levels of Social Security benefits, coupled with at least 30 years of 401(k) savings eligibility, could provide most workers with an annual income of at least 60 percent of their preretirement pay on an inflation-adjusted basis, according to a new analysis by EBRI. Press release.
