A glass jar full of coins and plant growing through it with some coins and plant leaves.

Do Catch-Up Contributions Increase 401(k) Saving?

Issue Brief by Qi Guan, Matthew S. Rutledge, April Yanyuan Wu, and Francis M. Vitagliano

July 7, 2015

The brief’s key findings are: To encourage Americans to save more for retirement, some suggest raising 401(k) contribution limits. To assess such an option, this analysis estimates the effects of a 2001 increase in 401(k) limits that also introduced a higher “catch-up” limit for those 50 and over. The increase in the limits did boost…

Are Americans of All Ages and Income Levels Shortsighted About Their Finances?

Issue Brief by Steven A. Sass and Jorge D. Ramos-Mercado

May 26, 2015

The brief’s key findings are: A recent CRR analysis of a FINRA Investor Education Foundation survey found that financial satisfaction depends much more on meeting day-to-day, rather than distant, needs. This study explores whether households of all ages and income levels are also shortsighted. The results confirm that distant needs, like retirement saving, consistently take a back-seat…