The Retirement Security Project (RSP) produces rigorous evidence and analysis to help more Americans achieve a financially secure retirement. The Project’s work is focused on the following key areas:
Quantifying and mitigating the risk of poor health for retirement security.
Deteriorations in physical and cognitive health can threaten one’s ability to continue working; lead to health and personal care needs that impose significant costs on households and their families; and make it challenging to manage one’s finances in retirement. RSP develops evidence-based policy recommendations designed to help seniors manage these risks more effectively.
Generating sustainable and equitable solutions to major entitlement programs.
Programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid provide a foundation of support and risk protection for almost all retirees, but demographic shifts in the population mean there is an imminent need to put these programs on a sustainable long-term path. RSP is focused on assessing the effects of proposed changes on vulnerable populations and promoting policy solutions that strengthen risk protection for older and disabled Americans.
Making the defined contribution system work better for more Americans.
Recent reforms have focused on increasing retirement savings among those with access to workplace savings plans, but many still lack access to these vehicles and assets are often depleted prior to retirement due to job transitions or early withdrawals. Moreover, retirees are often left to manage the drawdown of savings without guidance or tools to manage risks and generate reliable income flows. RSP addresses these challenges through new analysis and policy proposals.
Reducing inequality in wealth accumulation across racial, gender, and class lines.
The racial wealth gap has barely budged in decades, and significant inequalities in retirement savings across demographic groups persist. RSP produces research and analysis that identifies novel solutions to these challenges by identifying points in the life cycle when gaps emerge and estimating how changes in policies and practices could result in greater financial security in retirement.
Reducing barriers to longer working lives.
The timing of retirement influences both total lifetime earnings and the amount of time households must balance their finances based on retirement assets and income. On a national scale, the labor market participation of older Americans has important implications for the economy due to demographic shifts in the age structure of the population. RSP cultivates, designs, and disseminates commonsense policy ideas aimed at reducing barriers to labor market participation at older ages.