Conferences

2026 Symposium:

Public Debt and Retirement Security

April 30–May 1, 2026

Public debt in the US is poised to exceed the nation’s GDP very soon, and similar patterns are also true for many other countries. This global trend poses serious economic challenges for economic growth and interest rates, and in the process, it will alter how saving and investment for retirement evolves. This conference will explore how the rise of public debt is shaping saving and investment patterns of key players in the capital market including pension systems, insurers, and households. Speakers will trace the sources of this debt, how to manage risks posed by the debt, and the influence of such debt on savings and investment for retirement.  

2025 Symposium: The Future of Healthy Aging and Successful Retirement

May 1-2, 2025

Join leading experts at the 2025 “Health, Wealth, and Aging” conference, where the complex interplay between longevity, cognitive function, and financial wellbeing in later life takes center stage. The event features thought-provoking talks from world-renowned researchers like David McCarthy on global longevity prospects and Norma B. Coe on the impact of retirement on cognitive health. Sessions explore urgent issues like financial decision-making during cognitive decline, AI’s role in the future workforce, and the growing inequality among aging populations. With insights on innovative financial planning tools and policies for healthy aging, this conference promises to ignite meaningful discussions on the future of aging, work, and wealth. The conference is by invitation only.

2024 Symposium: Household Retirement Saving, Investment, and Spending: New Lessons from Behavioral Research

May 2-3, 2024

The May 2-3, 2024, symposium at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania explores and evaluates lessons from behavioral finance and economics regarding retirement saving, investment, decumulation, and institutional frameworks conducive to retirement security. One discussion focuses on the factors helping and hindering retirement saving behavior, including noncognitive factors as well as mortality beliefs. Then we turn to new lessons from retirement savers’ investment patterns, including gender differences, financial literacy, and retirement plan design. Next we explore consumption and spending patterns in retirement, along with cognitive decline and healthcare costs. The overview touches on how plan sponsors and policymakers can apply insights from behavioral finance to retirement policy. Keynote speakers Peter Fisher, BlackRock, and Annamaria Lusardi, Stanford, will offer their learnings about trust and retirement, as well as financial wellbeing in later life. The conference is by invitation only.