Retirement Risk Survey Report of Findings

January 2002

Prepared by
Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc.
Employee Benefit Research Institute

Description

This report presents the results of a telephone study among Americans age 45 and older conducted by Mathew Greenwald & Associates, Inc., and the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) on behalf of the Society of Actuaries. The purpose of the study was to evaluate Americans’ awareness of possible financial risks and how this awareness impacts the management of their finances with respect to retirement.

The questionnaire for the study was designed by Greenwald & Associates and EBRI, in cooperation with the Society of Actuaries’ Retirement Needs Framework Project Oversight Group. Respondents were asked about their age at retirement, the thought they had given to preparing financially for retirement, the availability of employer-provided retirement income, their strategies for managing retirement finances, their concern about possible financial risks, and their knowledge of life expectancy and other probable occurrences. In addition, several questions were asked about phased retirement. Similar questions were generally asked of both retired and non-retired respondents. However, questions asked of retirees concerned their retirement experiences and money management in retirement, while questions asked of non-retired respondents concerned their retirement expectations and current financial preparations for retirement. A series of questions was also asked to gather demographic characteristics.

Materials

2001 Retirement Risk Survey

Key Findings and Issues

Questions or Comments?

If you have comments or questions, please send an email to research@soa.org