On April 23, 2013 PBS Frontline aired a documentary titled “The Retirement Gamble.” The program examines many of the economic issues that Americans face as they age. The entire episode is available for viewing (running time 53 minutes 37 seconds). In edition, links to companion articles are also available.
May 1, 2013
April 25, 2013
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Periodical – April 25, 2013
EBRI Notes (Vol. 34, No. 4, April 2013, .pdf format, 20p.). Note: The articles in this issue are: “Characteristics of the Population With Consumer-Driven and High-Deductible Health Plans, 2005-2012,” by Paul Fronstin; and, “Retirement Plan Participation and Asset Allocation, 2010,” by Craig Copeland.
www.ebri.org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5202
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April 3, 2013
CAAR – US Government Accountability Office Report – April 3, 2013
“401(K) Plans: Labor and IRS Could Improve the Rollover Process for Participants,” (GAO-13-30, March 2013, .pdf format, 76p.).
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March 6, 2013
CAAR – Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies Report – March 6, 2013
CRS has created a series of reports based on their 13th Annual Retirement Survey of “workers and employers.” Some of the reports include:
- Juggling Current Needs and Long-Term Security: Every Woman Needs Her Own Retirement Strategy.
- Weathering the Economic Storm: Retirement Plans in the U.S., 2007-2012.
- The Cracked Nest Egg (Unemployed/Underemployed Survey).
- Redefining Retirement: The New “Retirement Readiness”.
- Full Survey Results (Worker and Employer).
www.transamericacenter.org/resources/tc_center_research.html
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February 21, 2013
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Issue Brief – February 21, 2013
“Will Regulations to Reduce IRA Fees Work?” by Alicia H. Munnell, Anthony Webb and Francis M. Vitagliano (IB No. 13-2, February 2013, .pdf format, 11p.).
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CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers – February 21, 2013
A. “The Use of VA Disability Benefits and Social Security Disability Insurance Among Veterans,” by Janet M. Wilmoth, Andrew S. London and Colleen M. Heflin (WP No. 2013-06, February 2013, .pdf format, 25p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
B. “How Does the Composition of Disability Insurance Applicants Change Across Business Cycles?” by Norma B. Coe and Matthew S. Rutledge (WP No. 2013-05, February 2013, .pdf format, 36p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
C. “The Economic Implications of the Department of Labor’s 2010 Proposals for Broker-Dealers,” by Alicia H. Munnell, Anthony Webb and Francis M. Vitagliano (WP No. 2013-04, February 2013, .pdf format, 44p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
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February 5, 2013
CAAR – National Bureau of Economics Research Working Papers – February 5, 2013
A. “It Pays to Set the Menu: Mutual Fund Investment Options in 401(k) Plans,” by Veronika K. Pool, Clemens Sialm, and Irina Stefanescu (w18764, February 2013, .pdf format, 51p.).
Abstract:
This paper investigates whether mutual fund families acting as trustees of 401(k) plans display favoritism toward their own funds. Using a hand-collected dataset on retirement investment options, we show that poorly-performing funds are less likely to be removed from and more likely to be added to a 401(k) menu if they are affiliated with the plan trustee. We find no evidence that plan participants undo this affiliation bias through their investment choices. Finally, the subsequent performance of poorly-performing affiliated funds indicates that these trustee decisions are not information driven and are costly to retirement savers.
B. “On Financing Retirement with an Aging Population,” by Ellen R. McGrattan and Edward C. Prescott (w18760, February 2013, .pdf format, 37p.).
Abstract:
A problem facing the United States is financing retirement consumption as its population ages. Policy analysts increasingly advocate savings-for-retirement systems, but are concerned with insufficient savings opportunities with limited government debt. This concern is unwarranted. First, there is more productive capital than commonly assumed in macroeconomic modeling. Second, if the policy reform subsumes the elimination of capital income taxes, then the value of business equity increases relative to the capital stock. Phasing in a switch from the current U.S. system to a savings-for-retirement system without capital income taxes increases welfare of all current and future cohorts.
C. “Empirical Determinants of Intertemporal Choice,” by Jeffrey R. Brown, Zoran Ivkovic, and Scott Weisbenner (w18755, February 2013, .pdf format, 50p.).
Abstract:
We study the empirical determinants of intertemporal choice by analyzing a unique decision Croatian retirees made recently about whether to accept an immediate pension payment or a larger stream of delayed payments. Individual decisions are correlated in sensible ways with income, liquidity constraints, longevity expectations, and other covariates. Attitudes toward government also matter: those less confident that the government will honor its commitments are more likely to take the immediate stream of payments. Those who believe it is important to receive ‘the full amount due, no matter how long it takes’ are substantially more likely to take the delayed payments.
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January 8, 2013
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Issue Brief – January 8, 2013
“How Do Employers’ 401(k) Mutual Fund Selections Affect Performance?” by Edwin J. Elton, Martin J. Gruber, and Christopher R. Blake (IB No. 13-1, January 2013, .pdf format, 7p.).
crr.bc.edu/briefs/how-do-employers%e2%80%99-401k-mutual-fund-selections-affect-performance/
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January 4, 2013
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers – January 4, 2013
A. “Sticky Ages: Why Is Age 65 Still a Retirement Peak?” by Norma B. Coe, Mashfiqur Khan and Matthew S. Rutledge (WP No. 2013-2, January 2013, .pdf format, 29p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/sticky-ages-why-is-age-65-still-a-retirement-peak/
B. “Accumulation and Decumulation Strategies in the Wake of the Financial Crisis,” by Richard W. Kopcke, Anthony Webb, and Josh Hurwitz (WP No. 2013-1, January 2013, .pdf format, 19p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
C. “Employee Mobility and Employer-Provided Retirement Plans,” by Gopi Shah Goda, Damon Jones and Colleen Flaherty Manchester (WP No. 2012-28, November 2012, .pdf format, 47p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/employee-mobility-and-employer-provided-retirement-plans/
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January 2, 2013
CAAR – US Bureau of Labor Statistics Article, Periodical – January 2, 2013
A. “The last private industry pension plans: a visual essay,” by William J. Wiatrowski (Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 135, No. 12, December 2012, .pdf and HTML format).
www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/12/art1exc.htm
B. Beyond the Numbers (Vol. 1, No. 21, December 2012, .pdf and HTML format, 4p.). Note: The title of this issue is “Retirement costs for defined benefit plans higher than for defined contribution plans.”
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CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Issue Brief – January 2, 2013
“401(k) Plan Asset Allocation, Account Balances, and Loan Activity in 2011,” by Jack VanDerhei, Sarah Holden, Luis Alonso, and Steven Bass (EBRI Issue Brief No. 380, December 2012, .pdf format, 56p.).
www.ebri.org/publications/ib/index.cfm?fa=ibDisp&content_id=5144
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CAAR – Urban Institute Working Paper – January 2, 2013
“Automatic Enrollment, Employee Compensation, and Retirement Security,” by Barbara Butrica and Nadia Karamcheva (Discussion Paper 12-02, December 2012, .pdf format, 49p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
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December 18, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Issue Brief – December 18, 2012
“A Nudge Isn’t Always Enough,” by Erin Todd Bronchetti, Thomas S. Dee, David B. Huffman and Ellen Magenheim (IB No. 12-21, December 2012, .pdf format, 7p.).
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November 29, 2012
CAAR – Urban Institute Brief – November 29, 2012
“Retirement Plan Assets,” by Barbara Butrica (November 2012, .pdf format, 2p.).
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November 28, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Issue Brief – November 28, 2012
“Employment-Based Retirement Plan Participation: Geographic Differences and Trends, 2011,” by Craig Copeland (EBRI Issue Brief No. 378, November 2012, .pdf format, 44p.).
www.ebri.org/publications/ib/index.cfm?fa=ibDisp&content_id=5128
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November 20, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers – November 20, 2012
A. “Automatic Enrollment, Employee Compensation, and Retirement Security,” by Barbara A. Butrica and Nadia Karamcheva (WP No. 2012-25, November 2012, .pdf format, 41p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/automatic-enrollment-employee-compensation-and-retirement-security/
B. “Holding Out or Opting Out? Deciding Between Retirement and Disability Applications in Recessions,” by Matthew S. Rutledge (WP No. 2012-26, November 2012, .pdf format, 36p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
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November 7, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers – November 7, 2012
A. “401(k) Participant Behavior in a Volatile Economy,” by Barbara A. Butrica and Karen Elizabeth Smith (WP No. 2012-24, November 2012, .pdf format, 54p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/401k-participant-behavior-in-a-volatile-economy/
B. “Immigrant Networks and the Take-Up of Disability Programs: Evidence from U.S. Census Data,” by Delia Furtado and Nikolaos Theodoropoulos (WP No. 2012-23, October 2012, .pdf format, 52p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/401k-participant-behavior-in-a-volatile-economy/
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October 25, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Periodical – October 25, 2012
EBRI Notes (Vol. 33, No. 10, October 2012, .pdf format, 24p.). Note: The articles in this issue are: “Savings Needed for Health Expenses for People Eligible for Medicare: Some Rare Good News,” by Paul Fronstin, Dallas Salisbury, and Jack VanDerhei; and, “IRA Asset Allocation, 2010,” by Craig Copeland.
www.ebri.org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5121
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October 16, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Issue Brief – October 16, 2012
“Can Retirees Base Wealth Withdrawals on the IRS’ Required Minimum Distributions?” by Wei Sun and Anthony Webb (IB No. 12-19, October 2012, .pdf format, 8p.).
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September 26, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Periodical, Issue Brief – September 26, 2012
A. EBRI Notes (Vol. 33, No. 9, September 2012, .pdf format, 11p.). The articles in this issue are “2012 Health Confidence Survey: Americans Remain Confident About Health Care, Concerned About Costs, Following Supreme Court Decision,” by Paul Fronstin; and, “Increasing Default Deferral Rates in Automatic Enrollment 401(k) Plans: The Impact on Retirement Savings Success in Plans With Automatic Escalation,” by Jack VanDerhei.
www.ebri.org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5110
B. “Individual Account Retirement Plans: An Analysis of the 2010 Survey of Consumer Finances,” by Craig Copeland (EBRI Issue Brief No. 375, September 2012, .pdf format, 28p.).
www.ebri.org/publications/ib/index.cfm?fa=ibDisp&content_id=5112
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September 19, 2012
CAAR – Boston College Center for Retirement Research Issue Brief – September 19, 2012
“Using Participant Data to Improve 401(k) Asset Allocation,” by Zhenyu Li and Anthony Webb (IB#12-17, September 2012, .pdf format, 5p.).
crr.bc.edu/briefs/using-participant-data-to-improve-401k-asset-allocation-2/
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September 18, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers – September 18, 2012
A. “Using Participant Data to Improve Target Date Fund Allocations,” by Zhenyu Li and Anthony Webb (WP 2012-20, September 2012, .pdf format, 21p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/using-participant-data-to-improve-target-date-fund-allocations/
B. “Job Demand and Early Retirement,” by Sepideh Modrek and Mark R. Cullen (WP 2012-19, August 2012, .pdf format, 31p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
crr.bc.edu/working-papers/job-demand-and-early-retirement-2/
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August 29, 2012
August 6, 2012
CAAR – Pension Research Council, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Working Papers – August 6, 2012
A. “How Financial Advisers and Defined Contribution Plan Providers Educate Clients and Participants about Social Security,” by Mathew Greenwald, Andrew Biggs, and Lisa Schneider (WP2012-08, August 2012, .pdf format, 29p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
www.pensionresearchcouncil.org/publications/document.php?file=1018
B. “Harmonizing the Regulation of Financial Advisers,” by Arthur B. Laby (WP2012-16, August 2012, .pdf format, 44p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
www.pensionresearchcouncil.org/publications/document.php?file=1019
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July 10, 2012
CAAR – Boston College Center for Retirement Research Info Brief – July 10, 2012
“401(k) Plans in 2010: An Update from the SCF,” by Alicia H. Munnell (IB#12-13, July 2012, .pdf format, 15p.).
crr.bc.edu/briefs/401k-plans-in-2010-an-update-from-the-scf/
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June 14, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Periodical – June 14, 2012
EBRI Notes (Vol. 33, No. 6, June 2012, .pdf format, 24p.). Note: The articles in this issue are “Use of Health Care Services and Access Issues by Type of Health Plan: Findings from the EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey,” by Paul Fronstin; and, “Retirement Readiness Ratings and Retirement Savings Shortfalls for Gen Xers: The Impact of Eligibility for Participation in a 401(k) Plan,” by Jack VanDerhei.
www.ebri.org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5081
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May 31, 2012
CAAR – Demos Report – May 31, 2012
“The Retirement Savings Drain: Hidden & Excessive Costs of 401(k)s,” by Robert Hiltonsmith (May 2012, .pdf format, 16p.).
www.demos.org/publication/retirement-savings-drain-hidden-excessive-costs-401k
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May 30, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Issue Brief – May 30, 2012
“Individual Retirement Account Balances, Contributions, and Rollovers, 2010: The EBRI IRA DatabaseTM,” by Craig Copeland (Issue Brief No. 371, May 2012, .pdf format, 20p.).
www.ebri.org/publications/ib/index.cfm?fa=ibDisp&content_id=5068
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May 23, 2012
CAAR – US Government Accountability Office Report – May 23, 2012
“401(k) Plans: Increased Educational Outreach and Broader Oversight May Help Reduce Plan Fees,” (GAO-12-325, April 2012, .pdf format, 75p.).
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April 25, 2012
CAAR – Chamber of Commerce Report – April 25, 2012
“Private Retirement Benefits in the 21st Century: A Path Forward,” (April 2012, .pdf format, 24p.).
www.uschamber.com/reports/private-retirement-benefits-21st-century-path-forward
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April 17, 2012
CAAR – US House Committee on Ways and Means Hearing Testimony – April 17, 2012
“Tax Reform and Tax-Favored Retirement Accounts,” a hearing held April 17, 2012 (witness statments available in .pdf format).
waysandmeans.house.gov/Calendar/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=289485
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April 10, 2012
April 4, 2012
CAAR – Rand Corporation Working Paper – April 4, 2012
“What Will My Account Really Be Worth? An Experiment on Exponential Growth Bias and Retirement Saving,” by Gopi Shah Goda, Colleen Flaherty Manchester, and Aaron Sojourner (WR-873-2, March 2012, .pdf format, 68p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
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April 3, 2012
March 20, 2012
CAAR – Employee Benefit Research Institute Periodical – March 20, 2012
EBRI Notes (Vol. 33, No. 3, March 2012, .pdf format, 28p.). The articles in this issue are: “Modifying the Federal Tax Treatment of 401(k) Plan Contributions: Projected Impact on Participant Account Balances,” by Jack VanDerhei; and “Trends in Health Coverage for Part-Time Workers,” by Paul Fronstin.
www.ebri.org/publications/notes/index.cfm?fa=notesDisp&content_id=5019
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March 12, 2012
CAAR – Rand Corporation Working Paper – March 12, 2012
“Barriers to Immigrant Use of Financial Services The Role of Language Skills, U.S. Experience, and Return Migration Expectations,” by Silvia Helena Barcellos, James P. Smith, Joanne K. Yoong, and Leandro Siqueira Carvalho (WR-923, February 2012, .pdf format, 60p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
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March 8, 2012
CAAR – US Senate Special Committee on Aging Hearing Testimony – March 8, 2012
“Opportunities for Savings: Removing Obstacles for Small Business,” a hearing held March 7, 2012 (witness statements are avialable in .pdf format, full hearing can be viewed in Window Media Player format, running time 1 hour 29 minutes).
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March 7, 2012
CAAR – Pension Research Council, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania Working Paper – March 7, 2012
Note: PRC requires free registration before providing working papers. “Target-Date Funds in 401(k) Retirement Plans,” by Olivia S. Mitchell and Stephen P. Utkus (WP2012-02, March 2012, .pdf format, 34p.). Note: Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:
www.pensionresearchcouncil.org/publications/document.php?file=994
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CAAR – AARP Reports – March 7, 2012
AARP Reports:
A. “AARP Rx Price Watch Report: Tracking Retail Price Changes for Widely Used Prescription Drugs,” by Stephen W. Schondelmeyer and Leigh Purvis (March 2012, .pdf format, 20p.).
www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-08-2010/rx_price_watch.html
B. “The Population of Workers Covered by the Auto IRA: Trends and Characteristics,” by Benjamin H. Harris and Ilana Fischer (February 2012, .pdf format, 14p.).
C. “Economic Effects of Automatic Enrollment in Individual Retirement Accounts,” by Benjamin H. Harris and Rachel M. Johnson (February 2012, .pdf format, 27p.).
D. “The Case for Automatic Enrollment in Individual Retirement Accounts,” by Gary Koenig (February 2012, .pdf format, 5p.).
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March 5, 2012
CAAR – National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper – March 5, 2012
“Heterogeneity in Target-Date Funds and the Pension Protection Act of 2006,” by Pierluigi Balduzzi, Jonathan Reuter (w17886, March 2012, .pdf format, 38p.).
Abstract:
This paper studies the evolution of the market for target-date funds (TDFs) between 1994 and 2009. We document pronounced heterogeneity in the TDF universe: TDFs with the same target date have delivered very different returns because of differences in systematic risk in the stock allocations, and because of differences in the stock versus bond allocations. This heterogeneity has increased over time, especially after the passage of the Pension Protection Plan of 2006. Indeed, we can attribute the increased heterogeneity in TDFs to the entry of new fund families in the TDF market between 2007 and 2009. These developments in the TDF market are consistent with new entries in the market adopting a product-differentiation strategy. Our findings suggest that the widespread adoption of TDFs will not result in returns that are similar across investors enrolled in different 401(k) plans, and that the current proposals for further disclosure in TDF offerings may have little impact on the incentive for fund families to offer similar risk profiles.
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February 20, 2012
CAAR – National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper – February 20, 2012
“Small Cues Change Savings Choices,” by James J. Choi, Emily Haisley, Jennifer Kurkoski, and Cade Massey (w17843, February 2012, .pdf format, 32p.).
Abstract:
In randomized field experiments, we embedded one- to two-sentence anchoring, goal-setting, or savings threshold cues in emails to employees about their 401(k) savings plan. We find that anchors increase or decrease 401(k) contribution rates by up to 1.4% of income. A high savings goal example raises contribution rates by up to 2.2% of income. Highlighting a higher savings threshold in the match incentive structure raises contributions by up to 1.5% of income relative to highlighting the lower threshold. Highlighting the maximum possible contribution rate raises contribution rates by up to 2.9% of income among low savers.
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February 15, 2012
CAAR – Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Issue Brief – February 15, 2012
“What’s the Tax Advantage of 401(k)s?” by Alicia H. Munnell, Laura Quinby, and Anthony Webb (IB 12-4, February 2012, .pdf format, 10p.).
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