We deliver high quality retirement research that contributes to informed policymaking by fostering a deep understanding of the value of retirement security to employees, employers and the economy.
Financial Asset Inequality and Its Implications for Retirement Security
A new research brief finds that financial asset inequality among Americans continues to increase, and the inequality is consistent across generations. This wealth inequality, combined with dangerously low retirement savings among most households, poses a significant threat to retirement for working Americans. The new analysis indicates that from 2004 to 2016, the share of financial […]
Enduring Challenges: Examining the Experiences of States that Closed Pension Plans
A series of case studies finds that states that shifted new employees from defined benefit pensions to defined contribution or cash balance plans experienced increased costs for taxpayers, without major improvements in funding. The research also indicates that the move away from pensions cuts employees’ retirement security and that employers may face increasing challenges […]
Retirement Insecurity 2019: Americans’ Views of the Retirement Crisis
New public opinion research finds that Americans are united in their concern about retirement. In overwhelming numbers, Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis, with Democrats at 80 percent, Republicans at 75 percent, and Independents at 75 percent. These findings are contained in a new research, Retirement Insecurity 2019: Americans’ Views of the Retirement […]
Pensionomics 2018: Measuring the Economic Impact of Defined Benefit Pension Expenditures
Economic gains attributable to defined benefit (DB) pensions in the U.S. are substantial. Retiree spending of pension benefits in 2016 generated $1.2 trillion in total economic output, supporting some 7.5 million jobs across the U.S. Pension spending also added a total of $202.6 billion to government coffers, as taxes were paid at federal, state and […]
Teacher Pensions vs. 401(k)s in Six States: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri and Texas
This report finds that teacher pension plans play a critical role in retaining educators while also providing greater retirement security than 401(k)-style retirement accounts. Eight out of ten educators serving in the six states studied can expect to collect pension benefits that are greater in value than what they could receive under an idealized […]
Pensionomics 2018: Measuring the Economic Impact of Multiemployer DB Pension Expenditures
This study analyzes data on specific private sector pension plans (referred to as “multiemployer plans”) to assess the overall national economic impact of benefits paid by these plans to retirees. We estimate the employment, output, value added, and tax impacts of pension benefit expenditures from multiemployer plans at the national level, and find that the […]
Latinos’ Retirement Insecurity in the United States
This report finds that inequalities in access and eligibility to employer-sponsored retirement plans are contributing to persistent retirement savings gaps for Latinos. As a result, Latinos are falling even further behind in preparing for retirement. Only 31 percent of all working age Latinos participate in workplace retirement plans, resulting in a median retirement account balance […]
Retirement in America | Out of Reach for Most Americans?
Retirement in America | Out of Reach for Most Americans finds that the retirement savings levels of working age Americans remain deeply inadequate despite economic recovery. An analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that the median retirement account balance among all working individuals is $0.00. The data also indicate that 57 percent (more than 100 million) of working age individuals […]
The United Kingdom’s New Retirement Savings Program
A new paper examines the U.K.’s implementation of a bold, new retirement savings program requiring auto enrollment in retirement accounts and employer contributions.
In partnership with NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community, NIRS has developed a series of state-by-state infographic fact sheets regarding the public employee and teacher retirement systems across the country. These fact sheets present a snapshot of these retirement systems along with key data from NIRS research and other sources. We invite you to learn more about each […]
A new report finds a deeply troubling retirement outlook for the Millennial generation. Most Millennials have nothing saved for retirement, and those who are saving aren’t saving nearly enough. The report indicates that many factors are contributing to this generation’s retirement savings challenges – from depressed wages to the lack of eligibility to participate in […]
Retirement Reform Lessons: The Experience of Palm Beach Public Safety Pensions
A new case study examines the impacts of the actions of the Town of Palm Beach when substantial changes were made to the retirement plans offered to the town’s employees. The case study details the 2012 decision by the Palm Beach Town Council to close its existing defined benefit (DB) pension systems for its employees, […]
Win-Win: Pensions Efficiently Serve American Schools and Teachers
A new report finds that defined benefit (DB) teacher pension plans work for both schools and teachers, and that there are important policy reasons to continue offering these retirement plans.
Revisiting the Three Rs of Teacher Retirement: Recruitment, Retention and Retirement
This issue brief analyzes the effectiveness of pensions on teacher retention and productivity. It finds that pensions play a critical role in recruiting and retaining highly productive teachers.
Issue Brief: Improving the Saver’s Credit for Low and Moderate Income Workers
A series of legislative fixes – some small and others more substantial – would make the Saver’s Credit less complex and more likely to achieve its intended goal of providing greater incentives and increase retirement savings.
