GAO Report on Retirement Savings: Overall Gaps Identified, but the Focus of Retirement Security Reform Should be on the Uncovered Population
EBRI Blog June 4, 2015
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“Characteristics of the Population With Consumer-Driven and High-Deductible Health Plans, 2005–2014,” and “Examining the New Income Measures in the Current Population Survey”
CDHPs: People of have so-called “consumer-driven” and high-deductible health plans tend to be older, more educated, and with higher incomes than those with traditional health plans, according to new research from EBRI. Press release.
Income Measures: A new analysis by EBRI shows that the new questions being used to measure income in the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey found a significant amount of income from IRAs and 401(k)-type plans was being missed across all levels of income for Americans age 65 or older. Press release.
EBRI Notes May 28, 2015 16 pagesIndividual Retirement Account Balances, Contributions, and Rollovers, 2013; With Longitudinal Results 2010–2013: The EBRI IRA Database
Assets in individual retirement accounts (IRAs) continue to rise, especially when counting multiple IRA accounts that individuals may have, according to new research by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief May 26, 2015 36 pages
“A Look at the End-of-Life Financial Situation in America,” and “Measured Matters: The Use of 'Big Data' in Employee Benefits”
End-of-Life Finances: New research by EBRI shows that a large percentage of individuals who died recently had little or no assets. Those who died relatively younger were even more likely to be in this situation. Press release.
Big Data: Since “big data” is changing so many aspects of the business world, how is it affecting the way health and retirement benefits are provided to private-sector workers? At a recent policy forum sponsored by EBRI, several national experts described how employers and researchers are making a major commitment to capturing and analyzing the vast amount of health and retirement data in their benefits plans. Press release.
EBRI Notes Apr 23, 2015 24 pagesThe 2015 Retirement Confidence Survey: Having a Retirement Savings Plan a Key Factor in Americans’ Retirement Confidence
American workers and retirees are expressing higher confidence about their ability to afford retirement this year, even though there is little sign they are taking the necessary steps to achieve that goal, according to the 25th annual Retirement Confidence Survey—the longest-running survey of its kind. EBRI Issue Brief Apr 21, 2015 40 pages
“How Much Needs to be Saved for Retirement After Factoring In Post-Retirement Risks: Evidence from the EBRI Retirement Security Projection Model,®” and “Employer and Worker Contributions to Health Reimbursement Arrangements and Health Savings Account ..
Savings needs: How much do workers need to have saved for retirement at different ages? And based on their age and income, how much needs to be contributed to their defined contribution plan to ensure a financially successful retirement? New research from EBRI helps answer these important questions.
Health account contributions: Both employers and workers decreased their contributions to health savings accounts (HSAs) last year, according to new research from EBRI.
EBRI Notes Mar 26, 2015 28 pagesFinancial Incentives and Workplace Wellness-Program Participation
Financial incentives appear to be a crucial factor in bringing unhealthy workers into workplace wellness programs, according to a new analysis by EBRI EBRI Issue Brief Mar 24, 2015 20 pages
T-182: United States Senate Special Committee on Aging, on "Bridging the Gap: How Prepared are Americans for Retirement?"
EBRI Testimony March 12, 2015 27 pages
Utilization Patterns and Out-of-Pocket Expenses for Different Health Care Services Among American Retirees
How do retirees spend their out-of-pocket money on health care in retirement? New research from EBRI separates recurring and non-recurring health-care services and finds that usage and expenses of recurring health-care services remain stable throughout retirement, while usage of non-recurring ones increase with age and tend to be more expensive. EBRI Issue Brief Feb 23, 2015 24 pages
“Employee Tenure Trends, 1983–2014” and “Views on Employment-Based Health Benefits: Findings from the 2014 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey”
Tenure Trends: American workers are continuing to stay a bit longer in their jobs, according to new data from EBRI. The overall median tenure of workers—the midpoint of wage and salary workers’ length of employment in their current jobs—was slightly higher in 2014, at 5.5 years, compared with 5.0 years in 1983. Press release.
Views on Health Benefits: Most workers are satisfied with the health benefits they have now, but nearly one-third express interest in changing the current mix of benefits and wages offered by their employers, according to the latest findings from EBRI. Press release.
EBRI Notes Feb 19, 2015 24 pagesRetirement Savings Shortfalls: Evidence from EBRI’s Retirement Security Projection Model®
How big is the retirement savings gap that most Americans are likely to face? New research from EBRI indicates it varies widely by gender, marital status and other factors, but the aggregate national retirement savings deficit is about $4.13 trillion for all U.S. households between age 25 and 64. EBRI Issue Brief Feb 17, 2015 28 pages
“Maximizing Contributions to an HSA: Findings from the EBRI HSA Database,” and “Debt of the Elderly and Near Elderly, 1992–2013”
HSAs: Who contributes the maximum amount to their health savings accounts (HSAs)? New research by EBRI finds that about 15 percent of HSA owners contributed the maximum amount possible in 2013. Press release.
Debt: A larger share of older American families had debt in 2013, and those with debt loads that are considered problematic also increased, according to a new report from EBRI. Press release.
EBRI Notes Jan 29, 2015 24 pagesHealth Savings Accounts and Health Reimbursement Arrangements: Assets, Account Balances, and Rollovers, 2006–2014
A crucial factor in the amount of money in individual health accounts is whether the employer contributes to it—whether a little or a lot, according to new findings by EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Jan 27, 2015 20 pages
401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2013
The evolution of 401(k) plan designs has resulted in a significant increase in the use of balanced funds, including target-date funds, by recently hired 401(k) plan participants in 2013 compared with recently hired participants 15 years ago, according to a newly updated annual report by EBRI and ICI. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 18, 2014 56 pages
Findings from the 2014 EBRI/Greenwald & Associates Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey
People enrolled in so-called “consumer-driven” health plans are more involved in their health care, according to a new report from EBRI. EBRI Issue Brief Dec 16, 2014 24 pages
“What to Expect During Open-Enrollment Season: Findings From the SHRM/EBRI 2014 Health Benefits Survey,” and “History of the Employee Benefit Research Institute, Part 1”
Open Enrollment: Few employers plan to eliminate or make major changes in their health care benefits in the near future—but changes are inevitable, especially the growth of wellness programs designed to address worker risks and behaviors, which drive chronic conditions, and account for a large percentage of overall spending, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release
History of EBRI: This is the first part of a history of the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), which was created 37 years ago.
EBRI Notes Dec 16, 2014 16 pagesIndividual Account Retirement Plans: An Analysis of the 2013 Survey of Consumer Finances
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.
"Views on the Value of Voluntary Workplace Benefits: Findings from the 2014 Health and Voluntary Workplace Benefits Survey," and "The Gap Between Expected and Actual Retirement: Evidence From Longitudinal Data"
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.
“Amount of Savings Needed for Health Expenses for People Eligible for Medicare: Good News Not So Rare Anymore,” and “IRA Asset Allocation, 2012, and Longitudinal Results, 2010-2012”
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.
EBRI Notes Oct 29, 2014 28 pagesEmployment-Based Retirement Plan Participation: Geographic Differences and Trends, 2013
The percentage of workers who participate in an employment-based retirement plan increased in 2013 for the first time since 2010—both among all workers and private-sector workers, according to a new report by EBRI. Press release. EBRI Issue Brief Oct 27, 2014 48 pages