With the passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and the Department of Labor regulation regarding qualified default investment alternatives, automatic enrollment and default investments featuring more equities are likely to become more popular. This analysis compares the investment...

This analysis examines the implications of proposed payroll tax hikes, income tax increases, and a health care financing surtax for workers' retirement preparation. The retirement savings model is a rational forward-looking framework that aims to maintain a roughly constant standard of living...

This paper explores the current tax treatment of non-qualified immediate annuities and distributions from tax-qualified retirement plans in the United States. First, we describe how immediate annuities held outside retirement accounts are taxed. We conclude that the current income tax treatment...

This analysis puts forward good wealth distribution strategies for individuals and couples in retirement, considering trade-offs of wealth preservation and income security. We search among strategies that combine systematic mutual fund withdrawals with purchases of fixed payout life annuities....

This paper explores the current tax treatment of non-qualified immediate annuities and distributions from tax-qualified retirement plans in the United States. First, we describe how immediate annuities held outside retirement accounts are taxed. We conclude that the current income tax treatment...

This paper presents new evidence on the costs of purchasing private annuity contracts to spread a given stock of assets over an uncertain future lifetime. It also describes the operation of individual annuity arrangements within two large group retirement saving plans. First presents information...