Effective Retirement Savings Programs: Design Features and Financial Education

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the literature on best practices for retirement savings plan design and financial education in the workplace. Without a successful plan design, financial education will not be effective and even a well-structured plan can fail to achieve retirement savings goals without financial education. The main components of a retirement savings program that employers must consider include options for enrollment, investment choices, employer matching of contributions, and distributions over the working career and at retirement. In addition, employers control the core aspects of financial education, such as the topics covered, the delivery methods used, the frequency with which it is offered, and its general availability.

Keywords: financial education, plan design, 401(k)s, pensions, retirement savings, defined contribution plans, defined benefit plans, Pension Protection Act, savings, Social Security, automatic enrollment

JEL Classification: D14 G23, G28, H31, H55, M12, M52, O15, O16, R20, Y1