Tuesday, March 17, 2026
1:00 P.M. ET
State of the States 2026:
An Update of State and Private Sector Progress to
Close the Access Gap
As state-facilitated retirement savings programs are poised to mark their latest major milestone in the next few months — approaching $3 billion in assets— they are showing their potential to help millions of Americans save for retirement and to move the needle to expand access for the first time in decades.
America has faced a stubborn retirement access gap. According to new research from Georgetown University’s Center for Retirement Initiatives (CRI), a staggering 47% of U.S. private sector workers — 59 million Americans — lack access to employer-sponsored retirement plans. An additional 23.4 million gig economy workers also lack access to workplace retirement options. The situation is made even more dire because small businesses are the least likely to offer their workers retirement savings option. (View Report and State-by-State Interactive Map).
But something important and encouraging is happening in states that have implemented auto-IRA programs: Access is expanding both directly through program participation and indirectly through an increase in new private sector retirement plan adoption.
Register to join us on March 17, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET about the progress of state-facilitated retirement programs and private providers to close the retirement savings coverage gap, and the potential for states to support broader savings and wealth-building initiatives.
Moderator:
- Angela Antonelli, Research Professor and Executive Director, Center for Retirement Initiatives,
Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy
Panelists:
- Steve Abbott, Head of Public Policy and Government Affairs, Gusto
- Steven Johnson, State Treasurer, Kansas
- Mary Morris, CEO, Commonwealth Savers
- Hunter Railey, Executive Director, Colorado SecureSavings Program and the Partnership for a Dignified Retirement
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
1:00 P.M. ET
Financial Wellness and Retirement Security:
Understanding Financial Vulnerabilities to Deliver Better Outcomes
Saving for retirement requires more than access to a workplace 401(k) or IRA. A growing body of research demonstrates that retirement outcomes are shaped by a range of factors, from plan design features to household financial circumstances that enable or constrain saving behavior. Other factors also enable workers to contribute consistently and allow their savings to grow over time.
This latest CRI report analyzes FINRA’s National Financial Capability Study from 2012-2024 and finds that the most common vulnerability among retirement savers is a lack of emergency savings, followed by burdensome debt, spending that exceeds income, and limited financial literacy. After improving through 2021, these conditions deteriorated by 2024. States with the highest share of retirement savers reporting two or more vulnerabilities include Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Join us for this one-hour webinar focusing on the findings of the latest Georgetown CRI report, which reveals that financial vulnerability remains widespread among retirement savers. Hear from experts who will discuss what can be done by states and others to advance integrated strategies that address emergency savings, debt, financial literacy, and broader household financial stability.
Moderator:
- Angela Antonelli, Research Professor and Executive Director, Center for Retirement Initiatives,
Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy
Panelists:
- Amy Chou, Chief Operating Officer, Addition Wealth
- Jessica Muirhead, Executive Director, MyCT Savings
- Hector Ortiz, Non-Resident Scholar, Georgetown CRI
- Sid Pailla, CEO, Sunny Day Fund
- Olivia Valdes, Senior Principal Research Analyst, FINRA Investor Education Foundation