Saving For Real Retirement Security

A pencil labeled "Annuities" erases the word "Risk," symbolizing reducing risk through annuities.

Over the past two decades, employers have helped workers save for retirement through automatic 401(k) enrollment and target-date funds. But few help them spend wisely in retirement. Professor Olivia S Mitchell proposes that legislators make annuities the default option in 401(k)s, giving retirees steady income for life. It’s a smart, equitable step toward real retirement security.Read More

Social Security, Safeguards, and the Urgency of Reform

Illustration of two people under an umbrella labeled "Protections" shielding them from rain, with "Risk" and "Cuts" in the background.

Trump-era policy shifts pose new risks to Americans’ retirement security. Yet, as Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell warns, retirees already depend heavily on Social Security and investment safeguards – making it more critical to plan ahead and push for reforms before protections weaken further.Read More

Younger Generations Face Longer Careers as Social Security Strains

Illustration of scissors cutting a Social Security card, symbolizing reductions or cuts to social security benefits.

Younger generations are likely to need to work longer than did their parents. Yet, as @Wharton Prof. Olivia S. Mitchell cautions, US retirees still rely heavily on Social Security benefits, making it all the more urgent to restore the system’s long-term solvency before benefits must be cut in 7 yearsRead More

Catching the Wave: Safeguarding Retirement With Deferred Annuities

A person with glasses rides a surfboard on a wave made of dollar bills and coins, headed towards an island labeled "Deferred Annuities."

Limited financial experience and retiree hesitancy are jeopardizing retirement security, warn Wharton Professor Olivia S. Mitchell and co-authors. Their research finds that automatically placing a portion of retirees’ savings into deferred income annuities enhance retirement security for most people, potentially overcoming behavioral factors in their plan design.Read More