The National Institute on Retirement Security is a nonprofit that seeks to encourage the development of public policies that enhance retirement security in America.
Our Vision
Through our activities, NIRS seeks to encourage the development of public policies that enhance retirement security in America. Our vision is one of a retirement system that simultaneously meets the needs of employers, employees, and the public interest. That is, one where:
Employers can offer affordable, high quality retirement benefits that help them achieve their human resources goals.
Employees can count on a secure source of retirement income that enables them to maintain a decent living standard after a lifetime of work.
The public interest is well-served by retirement systems that are managed in ways that promote fiscal responsibility, economic growth, and responsible stewardship of retirement assets.
Our Approach
We deliver:
High-quality research that informs the public debate on retirement policy. The research program focuses on the role and value of defined benefit pension plans for employers, employees, and the public at large. We also conduct research on policy approaches and other innovative strategies to expand broad based retirement security.
Education programs that disseminate our research findings broadly. NIRS disseminates its research findings to the public, policy makers, and the media by distributing reports, conducting briefings, and participating in conferences and other public forums.
Outreach to partners and key stakeholders. By building partnerships with other experts in the field of retirement research and with stakeholders that support retirement security, we leverage the impact of our research and education efforts. Our outreach activities also improve the capacity of government agencies, non-profits, the private sector, and others working to promote and expand retirement security.
Founded in 2007 and located in Washington, D.C., the organization is nonpartisan with a diverse membership of organizations interested in retirement security issues such as employee benefit plans, state or local agencies that manage retirement plans, trade associations, financial services firms, and other retirement service providers.
“Research from the National Institute on Retirement Security shines a light on the retirement challenges facing millions of Americans. Without their rigorous studies, the retirement conversation would be missing a trusted voice.”
Retirement in America: An Analysis of Retirement Preparedness Among Working-Age Americans
Retirement in America: An Analysis of Retirement Preparedness Among Working-Age Americans answers key questions relating to retirement savings, access to retirement plans, and how saving for retirement interacts with other financial commitments, such as repaying student loan debt and owning a home. It offers a broad examination of how different groups of workers are faring in their preparation for retirement and where workers are falling short.
Quantifying the Economic Impact of Social Security Benefit Spending
New research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that Social Security benefits play a powerful role in supporting the U.S. economy, generating $2.6 trillion in total economic output and supporting more than 12 million American jobs in 2023.
Debunking the Job-Hopping Myth: A Data-Driven Look at Tenure and Turnover Among Younger Workers
Contrary to popular belief that Millennials and Generation Z employees are constantly switching jobs, new research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that younger workers today show job retention patterns that closely mirror previous generations at the same stage of their careers.
