SECURE Act Archives

How Annuities Can Enhance Retirement

A torn piece of paper revealing part of a Benjamin Franklin portrait from a US hundred-dollar bill. Text reads "How Annuities Can Enhance Retirement," with "News from the Pension Research Council" in the corner.

In a research paper (Jan. 2023), co-authors Vanya Horneff and Raimond Maurer from Goethe University at Frankfurt, and Olivia S. Mitchell from Wharton underscore the value of integrating deferred income annuities into retirement plans. Their study suggests that waiting until age 70 for Social Security benefits, alongside the SECURE 2.0 Act’s emphasis on annuities, can significantly enhance retirement welfare. This highlights a valuable strategy for retirees to optimize their benefits and improve financial security. …Read More

Defined Contribution Pensions Left Behind

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Many defined benefit pensions and investment companies are seeking sustainable investment options, while defined contribution plans lag behind, says Catherine Reilly.…Read More

Will the SECURE Act Open the Dam for Longevity Annuities?

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Though favored by academics and policymakers, annuities are less popular than other retirement plan options. Yet the recent SECURE Act may change that, according to Matt Carey.…Read More

The SECURE Act Will Boost Retirement Security

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The new SECURE Act includes retirement plan enhancements: Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell talks with David Brancaccio at Marketplace Morning Report how annuities will boost retirement wellbeing.…Read More

SECURE Act, signed by President, a game-changer for retirement plans

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The new SECURE Act will boost retirement security, including raising the required minimum distribution age to 72 and encouraging 401(k) plans to include deferred annuities as payout options, explains Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell to Erin Arvedlund of the Philadelphia Inquirer.…Read More

Congress Just Passed the Biggest Retirement Bill in More Than a Decade. Here’s What You Need to Know

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Congress finally passed the long-awaited SECURE Act: deferred lifetime income annuities can now be included in 401(k) plans to enhance improve retirement security, explains Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell of Wharton to Elizabeth O’Brien at Money.…Read More

SECURE Act Update

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Professor Olivia S. Mitchell contends that deferred lifetime annuities encouraged by the SECURE Act will protect retirees from longevity risk: see here at the Philadelphia Inquirer and our paper here.

Will Multiple Employer Plans Solve the Pension Coverage Gap?

Retirement legislation is one of the few areas where there currently appears to be bipartisan consensus in the US Congress. The SECURE Act, a comprehensive package covering numerous aspects of retirement saving, recently passed the House by a vote of 417-3 and it is expected to pass the Senate this year. One of the bill’s key provisions is to allow the creation of “open” Multiple Employer Plans (MEPs).…Read More