National Institute on Retirement Security

🎙️ NEW EPISODE: What happens when retirement lasts 30, 40, or even 50 years? Don't miss the latest episode of the Retirement in America podcast, featuring renowned aging expert Ken Dychtwald, founder and CEO of Age Wave.

As Americans live longer than ever before, we're facing a profound question: Are our retirement systems, workplaces, and expectations prepared for a world where retirement can last decades?

NIRS Executive Director Dan Doonan and Ken explore:

✔️ The "longevity revolution" reshaping America
✔️ How longer lifespans are changing retirement planning
✔️ The future of work in an aging society
✔️ Why guaranteed income matters for retirement security
✔️ New ideas to help older adults remain engaged, connected, and productive

This is a fascinating conversation about one of the most important demographic and economic shifts of our time.

Watch and listen: https://youtu.be/B_newK3dLko?si=S8HKwOb2D1pVosMp

Episode 2: What Happens When Retirement Lasts 30, 40 or 50 Years? Americans are living longer than ever before...but are we prepared ...

What does it take to build and sustain a strong public pension system? Join a webinar with Cheiron, Inc. to explore the key elements: funding, benefits, and risk management.

Register: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oPIWH-_gSw2Pevy25qxTUA #/registration

In The Street, Dan Doonan explains why retirement must be part of the affordability conversation and the expanding access to workplace retirement plans.
https://www.thestreet.com/retirement/fidelity-reveals-major-401k-ira-change-amid-retirement-worries

Fidelity flags major 401(k), IRA shift as Americans struggle Americans saving for retirement face huge challenges in an economy that remains uncertain.

In response to the veto of bipartisan legislation passed by the Alaska legislature to provide defined benefit pensions to Alaska’s public employees, NIRS issued the following statement today:

“Alaska’s effort to restore a pension plan for public workers represents meaningful progress in addressing one of the state’s most pressing challenges: attracting and retaining a stable, experienced public workforce. While Governor Dunleavy has vetoed the legislation, the fact that the measure passed both the House and Senate demonstrates a growing recognition that retirement benefits are not just about retirement security — they also are an essential workforce management tool."

Read the full statement of Dan Doonan, NIRS Executive Director.

Statement on Efforts in Alaska to Restore Pension Benefits to Address Grave Workforce Shortage - NIRS NIRS responds to Alaska’s vetoed pension legislation, highlighting how retirement benefits help address public-sector workforce shortages and improve employee retention.

We’re thrilled to launch Retirement in America: Conversations on the Future of Retirement Security — a new monthly podcast from NIRS exploring the ideas, challenges, and solutions shaping retirement in America.

Our debut episode features an outstanding conversation with Debra Whitman, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer at AARP and author of The Second Fifty. Deb brings deep expertise and thoughtful insight on how retirement is changing in America — from pensions and Social Security to savings challenges and financial security for future generations.

A huge thank you to Deb for joining us as our first guest — and to our members and supporters who make conversations like this possible.

As the media and communications landscape continues to evolve, we’re committed to creating new ways to elevate thoughtful discussions around retirement policy and retirement security.

Watch, listen, subscribe, and share. It is available on all major podcast formats and YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWIGVyxl2O8&t=164s

Let us know what you think — and who you’d like us to feature in future episodes.

Retirement in America Podcast | Episode 1: The Second Fifty: What Retirement Security Means Today In the premiere episode of Retirement in America, host Dan Doonan sits down with Deb Whitman, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer at AAR...

Our new research is cited in a The New York Times article on a growing concern: more Americans are tapping their 401(k)s retirement savings early just to get by. When people are forced to withdraw from already limited savings, it’s a clear signal that the retirement system isn’t working for too many Americans. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/18/business/401k-hardship-withdrawals-retirement.html

They Withdrew 401(k) Money Early, and They Have Some Regrets More Americans are taking hardship withdrawals from workplace retirement accounts, prompted by rising costs — and looser rules.

We are thrilled to share that Barbara Butrica has been named Director of Research. She brings decades of expertise on Social Security, retirement income, and the economic well-being of older Americans.

At a time when millions of Americans face serious retirement savings challenges, Barbara’s leadership will help strengthen the data, insights, and solutions driving the national conversation. As Executive Director Dan Doonan shared, her ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights will be invaluable to policymakers and stakeholders alike.

Barbara officially joins NIRS on April 27.

Read more: https://ow.ly/QR5J50YK0XJ

Yesterday, Dan Doonan joined NRTA: AARP Educator Community for a timely conversation on retirement security for America’s educators.

Alongside Al Campos and Jammie Lyell, Dan shared key insights from our Retirement in America research, including just how challenging it is for many Americans to build retirement savings in today’s economy.

The discussion highlighted what the data tells us, why it matters for educators, and the tools and information needed to plan ahead with confidence. With affordability pressures rising and access to retirement plans still uneven, these conversations are more important than ever.

We invite you to Watch the full replay.

National Webinar | Financial Security in Retirement: Financial Readiness and Tools for Educators 50+ Planning for retirement can feel overwhelming, but having the right information makes all the difference. To help, NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community hosted a w...