Are new directions needed in state retirement policy?

Recent developments have raised many issues about the role of the states in boosting retirement plan coverage and retirement adequacy. State-run retirement systems are, in aggregate, well short of the funding they need to finance promised benefits. Many workers are not covered in any retirement plan.

On October 7, the Retirement Security Project at Brookings hosted an event to discuss these and related issues. Presenters examined options for structuring state-sponsored retirement savings plans for small businesses and revisited the question of whether state and local government workers should be covered by Social Security. Following each presentation, discussants added their thoughts and took questions from the moderator and the audience.

 Follow the conversation at #retirement

Download event materials: 

• “Structuring state retirement saving plans: A guide to policy design and management issues,” by David C. John and William G. Gale (September 2015).  Download the paper.
• “Social Security coverage for state and local government workers: A reconsideration,” by William G. Gale, Sarah E. Holmes, and David C. John (October 2015).  Download the paper. Download the slides.
• Discussant on W. Gale, S. Holmes, and D. John -“Social Security for State and Local Government Workers:A Reconsideration” by Dr. Jason J. Fichtner. Download the slides.