Blog Archive – UNUSED

Blog Archive – UNUSED

Welcome to the Center for Retirement Initiatives (CRI) Policy Blog. The objective of this blog is to create an expert policy forum where the Center can share everything from the latest research and resources related to state retirement savings initiatives for private sector workers to federal legislative and regulatory developments. We will also provide updates on the latest retirement security data, best practices and lessons learned from program design and implementation at home and abroad. For those interested in learning more about a particular topic, each post may provide additional reading and resources to allow for a more in-depth exploration of the related research and policy issues.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are the views of the authors and do not reflect any policy or position of the Center for Retirement Initiatives.

2017

Expanding Small Business Access to Retirement Plans

By David Damschen and Richard Mourdock

Minutes after taking the oath of office on Jan. 20, President Trump declared that the era of “transferring power from Washington, D.C.” back to the states and to the American people had officially begun.

Building a Publicly-Sponsored Private Sector Retirement System: Lessons from Australia

By Zachary May

Australia is generally considered to have a strong retirement system.  For example, the Melbourne-Mercer Global Pension Index, which assesses the retirement systems of different jurisdictions in terms of adequacy, sustainability and integrity, has consistently found the Australian system to be among the better ones.

2017

Delivering on Publicly-Sponsored Private Retirement Accounts: Key Considerations for Successful Public-Private Partnerships

By Richard Mourdock

In 2016, thirty state legislatures have taken action to consider establishing publicly-sponsored private retirement accounts (PSPRAs) allowing more workers the opportunity to save for retirement.

What We Know About Retirement Savings: Why Strategic Behavioral “Nudges” Make Sense

By Angela M. Antonelli and Yijun Yin

A majority of Americans report a lack of confidence in their ability to prepare adequately for their own retirement. If they can put money away for retirement, they often do not take the time to understand how much they will need to save and, even if they do, are fearful they will never be able to save enough to last a lifetime and will need to keep working longer.

Employees’ Financial Wellness: New Strategies for State-Sponsored Retirement Plans

By Annamaria Lusardi

In the pursuit of financial security, individuals make many financial decisions throughout their lives, including how much to save for different needs, such as retirement.  This is why empowering people to make good decisions has become so important.

Beyond ERISA: Other Regulatory Considerations for State-Sponsored Retirement Plans

By David Morse – Partner Access Only

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued a proposed rule to create a safe harbor allowing states to establish mandatory workplace-based IRA savings programs which are exempt from ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act).

States Bridging the Partisan Divide on Retirement Security

By Angela M. Antonelli and David C. John

Solutions for too many critical problems facing our nation today are tied up in partisan gridlock, but Maryland’s Republican Governor Larry Hogan recently demonstrated what bipartisanship is all about.

State Retirement Savings Programs: Current Status, Lessons Learned and Future Prospects

By Angela M. Antonelli – Partner Access Only

Americans are facing a retirement crisis. The three-legged stool for retirement – Social Security, employer provided retirement benefits and personal savings – has become unstable as fewer companies offer traditional pension plans for their employees and employees have not saved much on their own for retirement.

Building Effective Retirement Savings Programs for Uncovered Workers: Lessons from the UK Experience

By Keith Ambachtsheer and Will Sandbrook

Imagine workers with access to retirement savings programs that will help provide a secure retirement income at affordable contribution rates. Imagine those contributions managed at low-cost with a long-term, wealth creation focus that will help those workers manage their savings to last their lifetime.

529 College Savings Plans: Lessons for State Sponsored Private Sector Retirement Plans

By Andrea Feirstein

Each day for the next 19 years 10,000 baby boomers will retire. According to the Census Bureau, the population age 65 and over in 2030 is projected to be more than 74 million, representing more than 20 percent of the total population.

Maryland: Small Businesses Want to Help Their Workers Save for Retirement

By James R. Racheff, MS, MBA

More than 40 percent of employers – most of them small businesses – do not sponsor a workplace retirement savings plan for their employees. In Maryland, we have 1,000,000 employees who lack access to employer provider retirement plans.