Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C., that produces original research about health, savings, retirement, personal finance and economic security issues, including 401(k) and retirement plan coverage data,“Lessons From the Private Sector–Room for Debate,” New York Times, Feb 28, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2012. post-retirement income adequacy,“70 is not the new 65,” Chicago Tribune, Sep 28, 2012. Retrieved Oct 31, 2012. health coverage and the uninsured,“Employment-Based Health Coverage Is Waning,” Wall Street Journal, May 23, 2012. Retrieved Oct 31, 2012 and economic security of the elderly.“Poor Old Americans,” Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2012. Retrieved Oct 31, 2012.“How Nursing Home Stays Ravage Finances,” U.S. News & World Report, June 16, 2012. Retrieved Oct 31, 2012.

The EBRI is an independent institute, representing no particular special interest or ideological perspective.“EBRI turning 25,” Pensions&Investments, Aug 13, 2003. Retrieved Oct 31, 2012. Its membership includes a broad range of benefit-related organizations that often have differing policy goals.

As well, the EBRI maintains the largest 401(k) microdatabase in the nation that tracks individual 401(k) participant investment activity."Younger Investors Aren’t Shy About Putting Stocks Into 401(k)s". Bloomberg News. Dec 21, 2011. Retrieved Nov 2, 2012. EBRI researchers have been frequently asked to testify about their research before Congress on a variety of retirement, health, savings, and economic security issues.EBRI testimony – EBRI website. Retrieved July 16, 2021.

History The EBRI was founded in 1978 by a group of benefits-related companies following enactment of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the major federal law governing private-sector benefits. It is based on three principles: That employee benefit plans serve an essential function in the United States economy by providing citizens with opportunities to achieve financial security; an ongoing need exists for objective, unbiased information regarding the employee benefits system; and that its members’ common business interests will be furthered by having the Institute develop and disseminate such information.About EBRI – EBRI Website. Retrieved July 16,2021.

Publications The EBRI’s research periodicals include EBRI Issue Briefs, Fast Facts, Infographics and EBRInteractives. In addition to its website, it publishes a variety of electronic products, such as a blog,EBRI blog. Retrieved July 16, 2021. Twitter site and a LinkedIn site.

Policy stance The Employee Benefit Research Institute does not take policy positions and does not lobby.

Policy research The EBRI has tracked the decline of traditional "defined benefit” pensions and the growth of defined contribution (401(k)-type) retirement plans,“Company Pensions Are as Passé as Gold Watches,” U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012.“ERISA at 30: The decline of Private-Sector Defined Benefit Promises and Annuity Payments? What Will It Mean?” EBRI Issue Brief, May 2004. trends in retirement, trends in employment-base health benefits,“Fewer Employers Offering Health Benefits, Study Says,” The Hill, April 24, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. and conducted public opinion surveys related to retirement and health benefits.

The EBRI publishes data on trends and characteristics of health insurance coverage and the uninsured,“Employment-Based Health Coverage Continues Decline; Uninsured Rate Shrinks as Public Coverage Grows,” InsuranceNews.net, Sep 20, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. and how the type of health plans offered to workers have been changing in the private sector.“Satisfaction Levels Rising for CDHPs, Slipping for Traditional Plans,” WorldatWork Newsline, Aug 31, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. It has also quantified the amount of money that single men, single women, and married couples will need to save to pay for out-of-pocket health care in retirement.“Start Saving Now: Retiree Health Care Costs Heading Higher,” CBS News MoneyWatch, Dec 1, 2010. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012.

In conjunction with the Investment Company Institute (ICI),ICI website. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. EBRI created and operates the EBRI/ICI 401(k) database,“Investor's Business Daily, Dec 20, 2014. Retrieved Dec 20, 2014. the largest microdatabase of its kind in the nation tracking individual 401(k) participants. EBRI also tracks the growing importance of individual-account retirement plans such as 401(k)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs).“EBRI: DC Balances Account for More Financial Assets Despite Their Declines,” Pensions&Investments, Sep 26, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012.

Using its Retirement Security Projection Model, EBRI has published detailed analysis showing likely retirement income adequacy levels for Americans by age and income.“Making Your Retirement Assets Last,” Wall Street Journal, Sep 5, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. It has also reported likely results if deficit reduction efforts in Congress reduce or eliminate existing tax preferences for 401(k)s.“Tax Reform Implications for Retirement Savings: Don’t Mess With My 401(k)!” Wall Street Journal, Nov 15, 2011. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012.

The EBRI’s Social Security modeling allows it to quantify the impact of various reform proposals. Its 1998 analysis was the first in-depth look at the many administrative issues involved with adding private accounts to Social Security,“Individual Social Security Accounts: Issues in Assessing Administrative Feasibility and Costs,” EBRI Issue Brief, November 1998. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. at the time a major policy proposal.

Surveys The Employee Benefit Research Institute’s annual Retirement Confidence Survey,“One-third have almost no retirement savings,” USAToday, April 21, 2015. which began in 1990, is the longest-running annual retirement survey of its kind in the nation. Its annual Workplace Wellness Survey asks questions to employees about workplace-based benefits. BenefitsPro, Feb 22, 2021. Retrieved July 16,2021. The EBRI Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey provides national data on the growth of consumer-driven health plans and high-deductible health plans.“More Insured, Fewer Via Private Healthcare,” UPI, Oct 2, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012.

Programs Previously, through its Education and Research Fund (ERF), EBRI operated the Choose to Save national public education and outreach campaign,Choose to Save website. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. and the American Savings Education Council,American Savings Education Council – Choose to Save website. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. a national coalition of public- and private-sector organizations that promote saving.

As part of its Choose to Save initiative, EBRI developed the Ballpark Estimate for ASEC,“The Best In…Financing Your Future,” Wall Street Journal, May 23, 2012. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. a two-page worksheet that identifies a person’s general savings target for a comfortable retirement. It is used as the retirement calculator for federal employees on the Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Ballpark E$timate website“Federal Ballpark E$timate,” - U.S. OPM, Retirement Information and Services. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. and also by the U.S. Thrift Savings Plan on its website.“How Much Should I Save (Ballpark Estimate)?” - Thrift Savings Plan website. Retrieved Nov 3, 2012. In 2023, the Employee Benefit Research Institute relaunched a new version of its Ballpark E$timate online retirement planning tool.

References

External links Employee Benefit Research Institute official website