The brief’s key findings are: The COVID recession brought the economy to a halt, but households got robust government support and asset markets soared during 2020-2021. Overall, balance sheets showed some improvements during this period: high-wealth households saw rapid asset growth from the booming markets; and those in the middle got market gains and a boost from…
Understanding how long we might live can influence important decisions, such as how much to save or whether to buy an annuity. Yet, many people underestimate their chances of living to older ages, which may lead them to save too little and avoid annuities, potentially reducing their financial security in retirement…
The effect of major events on the economy is often long-lasting. For example, the Great Recession triggered a large increase in the share of older workers – defined here as those ages 55 and over – who wanted to work but had given up even looking for a job…
I recently spoke with a couple who wants to sell their home. Their realtor told them the market was a...
New book argues that balance requires the wealthiest top 1 percent to start paying taxes again Some observers point to...
FEATURED
CLOSING THE COVERAGE GAP
By Andrew G. Biggs, Alicia H. Munnell and Anqi Chen
The brief’s key findings are: 401(k)s/IRAs have the potential to provide significant wealth. But a typical 60-year-old with a 401(k) in 2016 had less than $100,000 compared to a potential $360,000 in combined 401(k)/IRA assets. Four factors could explain this gap: the immaturity of the 401(k) system, the lack of universal coverage, leakages, and fees…
Associate Director of State & Local Research
Associate Director of Retirement Plans and Finance Jean-Pierre Aubry is associate director of retirement plans and finance at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. He oversees and conducts research and data collection, develops new analytic techniques for evaluating retirement plans, and secures funding support. Aubry is recognized as a leading expert on stat…
By Kim Blanton
With so many Americans in the dark about how to prepare for retirement, educating them about why it’s critical to save seems an obvious way to tackle this problem. But very few solid studies prove that financial education actually works. This field research should be counted as a positive result for a modest, low-cost financia…
The next Retirement and Disability Research Consortium Meeting will be held virtually on August 3-4, 2023. This free and public event showcases the latest in retirement and disability research from the nation’s top scholars.
CRR IN THE NEWS
THINKADVISOR
Understanding how long a given client might live can significantly affect their decisions about saving for and spending in retirement, but many people poorly understand longevity.
FINANCIAL PLANNING
Researchers say older Americans tend to be more pessimistic about the stock market than historical data suggests they should be.