Do DC Plan Participants Benefit From Increasing the RMD Age?

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Changes to the RMD age affect mostly households with bequest motives, so financial institutions should consider their clients’ intentions before advising them on RMD strategies. A research review of work by Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell, cited in PlanSponsor. Original paper by Horneff, Maurer, and Mitchell entitled “Do Required Minimum Distribution 401(k) Rules Matter, and For Whom? Insights from a Lifecycle Model”.Read More

Financial Well-Being of Underrepresented Women

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Workplace-sponsored financial education programs, as well as programs targeted to the specific circumstances of Black and Hispanic women, would boost financial literacy far more than a one-size-fits-all approach, explains Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell to Julie Stich of IFEBP. Paper here: Financial Well-being among Black and Hispanic WomenRead More

Remaking Retirement: Debt in an Aging Economy

Promotional graphic for a financial literacy event series in Europe featuring Dr. Olivia S. Mitchell. Includes event details and logos for European Money Week and the European Banking Federation.

Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell will discuss her recent book, ‘Remaking Retirement: Debt in an Aging Economy’ at the European Banking Federation’s 2021 European Money Week, Tuesday 23 March at 16:00 CET/11 AM EDT, ‘Financial Security at an Older Age: What Do We Need to Prepare For?’ Full event schedule and to register: https://www.ebf.eu/ebf-events/Read More

These are the people who benefit most from delaying required minimum distributions

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‘Do Required Minimum Distribution 401(k) Rules Matter, and For Whom? Insights from a Lifecycle Model:’  Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell notes that raising the RMD age would have little effect on most people, but would help wealthier retirees leave a legacy, via MarketWatch. Full paper here.Read More

Social Security and Medicare may experience their own COVID-19 side effects, experts say

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COVID is eroding the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, already facing looming insolvency. Not much time left to fix the system, cautions Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell. Via the Philadelphia Inquirer. See also Andrew Biggs’s examination of the social security benefits loophole, “How the Coronavirus Could Permanently Cut Near-Retirees’ Social Security Benefits.”Read More