What steps can solo-agers take to protect their independence as housing and financial needs evolve? Anna Rappaport highlights the critical role of proactive housing decisions, financial planning, and support network development in later life. Her insights suggest what thoughtful preparation and practical actions individuals and advisers can take to help solo-agers age with confidence and stability.…Read More
Today, the definition of “financial inclusion” has broadened to encompass access to banking institutions and financial products and services. But this broad financial network is not inclusive in the U.S., and millions remain unbanked or underbanked. Prof. Bogan addresses this inequality in her recent work, analyzing key obstacles to retirement savings that perpetuate inequality and offering a path forward towards financial inclusion.…Read More
What drives financial well-being across different measures and life outcomes? Through their research, Professors Coats and Bajtelsmit find that income, financial confidence, financial literacy, and patience play a central role in shaping how people save, plan, and build wealth. Their findings suggest that financial advisers and educators can improve outcomes by implementing several practical points.…Read More
Do early 401(k) loans hurt retirement savings? Beshears and coauthors use Vanguard data to show that most workers who access their plans before retirement continue contributing, often increasing savings to rebuild their balances. Their research findings suggest that short-term access to DC plans doesn’t necessarily come at the expense of long-term retirement security.…Read More
As technology reshapes financial markets and client expectations, the future of financial advice will be defined by how we fuse digital innovation with human insight. TIAA research shows that while AI tools and online platforms can increase efficiency and expand access, it’s the advisor-client relationship that drives trust, meaningful behavior change, and truly personalized guidance. Thriving in this new landscape means pairing technical agility with emotional intelligence to elevate it and engage a new generation of investors.…Read More
Automatic enrollment has transformed U.S. retirement savings, but its long-run impact is more nuanced than early studies suggest. Professor Jonathan Reuter’s investigation shows that while behavioral nudges boost participation, they also anchor employees to defaults, lead to unintended leakage, and can increase household debt. The challenge to retirement plan policymakers is to build plans that boost participation and account for diverse needs.…Read More
America’s long-term care system is failing to prepare for an aging population. Economists R. Anton Braun and Karen Kopecky reveal how Medicaid’s design is leaving most Americans to shoulder huge out-of-pocket costs. Their research points to a simple fix: make Medicaid the primary payer.…Read More
A decade-long study of more than 1,000 older adults shows that financial and health literacy decline steadily with age, dropping about one percentage point each year. These findings highlight growing risks in money management and medical decision-making, and point to the need for early, targeted interventions to support financial well-being—particularly for women.…Read More
In their research, Gianpaolo Parise and Kim Peijnenburg demonstrate that traits such as conscientiousness, grit, locus of control, and emotional stability significantly shape individuals’ saving, investing, and retirement planning behaviors. Their findings underscore an important insight: personality traits, alongside income and financial literacy, are critical determinants of long-term wealth accumulation and retirement preparedness.…Read More
When it comes to longevity, the U.S. is falling far behind its peers. Through his analysis, Steve Utkus reveals a sobering reality – Americans not only live shorter lives than citizens of other wealthy nations, but they also spend fewer years in good health. His findings highlight an urgent challenge: Americans get sicker faster and die earlier, despite living in one of the world’s richest nations.…Read More
