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
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
Workplace changes, economic shifts, technological advances, evolving family dynamics, and the aging population are among the megatrends reshaping work, retirement, and financial security, explains Anna Rappaport of the Society of Actuaries, via the RetireSecure blog. …Read More
The Population Aging Research Center (PARC) of the University of Pennsylvania hosted its 2nd Aging Retreat. Presentations addressed how America’s demographic changes are shaping health care, health equity, and the wellbeing of the elderly and their caregivers. Olivia S. Mitchell, Executive Director of the Pension Research Council, presented on “Financial Regret at Older Ages and Longevity Awareness.”…Read More
Pension participants make better decisions about their financial futures when they get digital plan statements, show researchers Abigail Hurwitz of the Hebrew University, Eval Lahav of The Open University of Israel, and Yevgeny Mugerman of Bar-Ilan University, via RetireSecure blog. …Read More
The US safety net provided significant support to older Americans during the pandemic find Profs. Robert A. Moffitt of Johns Hopkins University and James P. Ziliak of the University of Kentucky via RetireSecure blog.…Read More
