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1. Home
2. Research

Retirement Research Centers

Program Overview

Center for Research on Defined Contribution Plans

• This center houses the EBRI/ICI 401(k) database—the largest database in the U.S. on 401(k) plans, with individual information on more than 23 million participants from more than 60,000 plans holding more than $1.4 trillion in assets. This database tracks individuals annually, in many cases all the way back to 1996.
• Annual updates of the database track 401(k) balances, asset allocation, and loan behavior. EBRI also provides monthly projections to update changes in average 401(k) balances, providing policymakers up-to-date information on how market fluctuations affect 401(k) participants.
• This database also allows EBRI to provide state-of-the-art simulation results of potential policy modifications involving 401(k)-type plans. Some recent examples:
  • 401(k) accumulations at the end of participants’ working career.
  • The impact of auto-enrollment and auto-escalation of contributions in 401(k) plans.
  • The impact of target-date funds.
  • The impact of investments in company stock in 401(k) plans.

Center for Research on Retirement Readiness

• This center houses the EBRI Retirement Security Projection Model,® which produces the EBRI Retirement Readiness Rating.™ The model was developed in 2003 to provide assessment of national retirement income prospects. It has been thoroughly updated using 2012 data and considers recent retirement plan changes as well as financial market performance and employee behavior.
• Recent analysis shows the percentage of households “at risk” of insufficient retirement income. It also shows how much more they would have to save each year for a 50%, 70% and 90% probability of a successful retirement. Recent publications have also focused on the importance of Social Security and employer sponsored retirement plans on retirement income adequacy, the overall retirement savings shortfalls for Boomers and Gen Xers, and the impact of the 2008/9 recession on retirement readiness. This analysis also shows the additional savings needed to achieve adequate retirement income.

Center for Research on Retirement Income

• This center houses the EBRI IRA Database,™ which contains 14 million IRA accounts holding $732 billion in assets. The database is being expanded to track owners’ behavior over time within the accounts, including contributions, withdrawals, rollovers, and asset allocation changes. Our recent publications show account balance, rollover, and contribution activity within IRAs. Further results will include asset allocation and changes in accounts over time.
• This center also houses the integrated EBRI defined contribution/IRA database, which allows EBRI to track individual defined contribution participants as they change jobs and/or retire and roll over their assets into IRAs. EBRI uses this information to track retirees’ decumulation behavior as a function of individual characteristics and market dynamics.
• Audio Recording: February, 21 2013, CRI Research Partners Conference Call.

EBRI Retirement Policy Forums

Video Interviews with EBRI Staff

• VanDerhei Segment 1: Title: What is the retirement readiness of those nearing retirement age?
  • We discuss the data showing that Americans currently are facing a four and one-half trillion dollar retirement shortfall. We learn about which groups are more at risk of having insufficient assets to meet even basic needs in retirement.
• VanDerhei Segment 2: Title: What is the retirement readiness of high net worth individuals nearing retirement?
  • We discuss the surprising data showing that even high net worth individuals are at risk of having inadequate assets to meet even basic retirement needs. We learn strategies for addressing this concern.
• VanDerhei Segment 3 Title page: How well is the middle class prepared for retirement?
  • We look at statistics regarding the financial readiness of the middle class for retirement. We learn that costs for end of life care are a major impediment to a secure retirement.
• VanDerhei Segment 4: Title: What does the retirement readiness data tell us about opportunities for financial advisors?
  • We look some of the key data concerning the size, retirement readiness, pension coverage, and retirement confidence of baby boomers in order to try and understand some of the opportunities for financial advisors working with this cohort.
• VanDerhei Segment 5 Title: What Does the EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey Tell Us about Retirement?
  • We look at the EBRI Retirement Confidence Survey. We learn that there is a disconnect between what people expect for their retirement and what they need to do for their retirement.
• VanDerhei Segment 6 Title: How Have Pension Changes in the Past Ten Years Affected Retirement Planning?
  • We examine automatic enrollment, automatic escalation, qualified default investment alternatives, target date funds, and rules liberalizing the ability for employers to provide specific retirement advice for their employees. We learn that retirement planning was improved by these changes.
• VanDerhei Segment 7: Title: What is the impact of deferring retirement age on retirement income adequacy?
  • We review data about the impact of deferring retirement and learn that deferral has the most significant impact on the retirement readiness of lower-income workers.
• VanDerhei Segment 8 and 9 combined Title: What Happened to the Defined Benefit Plan?
  • We look at why defined-benefit plans have declined. We learn that a variety of factors combined to lead to a decline from 38% to 15% in the private sector.
• VanDerhei Segment 10: Title: How much more do Baby Boomers need to save to be ready for retirement?
  • We review how much more baby boomers need to save in order to eliminate the retirement shortfall that they currently face.
• VanDerhei Segment 11 Title: What are some of the basic costs of retirement?
  • We review the costs of retirement healthcare/long-term care and the traditional notion of replacement rates. We learn that in order to have a high degree of certainty that assets will last a life-time that traditional replacement rate approach substantially underestimates the required need.