The brief’s key findings are: Commentators question whether pension coverage is a serious problem, indicating that 80 percent have access to a plan. But this number refers to access – not participation – and to full-time workers in both the public and private sectors. A review of four...

The Great Recession has resulted in the highest national unemployment rate in nearly 30 years, and those who find themselves unemployed remain jobless longer than ever before. In response, the federal government has extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for up to 99 weeks, almost a year...

Since working longer is the key to a secure retirement for the vast majority of older Americans, it is useful to take a look at labor force trends for those under and over age 65 for the last century. This brief proceeds in three steps. The first section describes the long-run decline in labor...

Over the past decade, researchers have focused attention on a new approach for encouraging Americans to adopt beneficial behaviors. This approach relies on making the desired behavior occur automatically unless an individual chooses to opt out. A prominent example is automatic enrollment in...

The brief’s key findings are: *While most multiemployer pension plans are finding their financial footing, a substantial minority face serious problems. *The key reason is a declining financial base, which results in negative cash flow. *Plans deemed in “critical” condition can raise...

The brief’s key findings are: Although the introduction of defined contribution plans by some states has received considerable press attention, activity to date has been modest. Moreover, most recent shifts involve either hybrid plans or cash balance plans, rather than stand-alone defined...

Defined contribution plans, predominantly 401(k)s, are the primary source of personal retirement savings for American workers, making the investment decisions within these accounts a salient policy concern. These decisions are a result of two separate actions: the mutual fund options selected by...

The brief’s key findings are: The brief’s key findings are: *Despite a strong stock market, the funded status of public plans in 2013 remained unchanged at 72 percent for two reasons: *actuarially smoothed assets grew modestly; and *CalPERS, one of the nation’s largest plans, significantly...

The 2014 Trustees Report shows little change from last year: o Social Security's 75-year deficit rose modestly to 2.88 percent of payroll. o But the deficit as a percent of GDP is still 1 percent. o And trust fund exhaustion is still 2033, after which payroll taxes still cover about three...

As life expectancy increases and the retirement income system contracts, households face an enormous challenge in ensuring a secure retirement. Working longer is often hailed as the best way to increase retirement incomes. But some suggest that more work by older persons reduces the job...