Retirement insights

Our experts provide insights into who has retired during the pandemic and whether these retirees might need to return to the workforce.

The past few decades were a good time for spending from a retirement portfolio. What about the next 30 years? The apparent shifts in capital market conditions seen since the start of 2022 led us to examine sustainable withdrawal rates. Looking at historical return environments our authors developed three scenarios, with rates from 2.8% to 3.3%.

Certain retirement plan provisions can help workers continue to save, even when they switch jobs.

Personalized, realistic projections of longevity and health care costs in retirement could provide a better foundation for planning than conservative assumptions.

How automatic retirement plan features can boost participant savings rates and enhance long-term outcomes.

One key strategy to boost retirement plan participant outcomes: offer an advice option like a target date fund. Here we discuss findings in Vanguard’s 2022 How America Saves report, along with key insights that can enhance plan design.

This paper presents a framework, developed by Vanguard and Mercer, to forecast health care costs for U.S. retirees. Vanguard researchers outline key health care cost factors and personal considerations and frame expenses as an annual cost rather than a lifetime lump sum, enabling retirees to plan accordingly during their retirement years.

This piece describes how understanding changes in volatility, stock-bond correlation, and inflation can affect a retirement withdrawal strategy.  It draws from research set to publish in The Journal of Retirement later this year, “Sustainable Withdrawal Rates by Return Environment: A Time-Varying Bayesian Analysis”. Andy Clarke, CFA and Kevin Khang, PhD are featured throughout.

Those on the road to retirement (or already there) may benefit from one or more of the changes in SECURE 2.0.

High-income super savers will benefit from new provisions around RMDs, 529 plans, and more.

Retiring and relocating typically unlocks $100,000 in home equity for retirement, Vanguard research finds.

Learn why the current fixed income environment is a positive for long-term retirement investors.

A year after the act took effect, here’s our roundup of what’s changing this year and what’s coming soon.

Vanguard’s Fiona Greig explores four big ideas with the potential to increase participant outcomes in retirement.

There’s a gap between the median IRA balances of women and men, according to our research.

Vanguard research proposes a set of criteria to help employers evaluate their 401(k) match.

A new Vanguard research paper evaluates the match formulas of more than 1,300 employer-sponsored retirement plans.

A look at hybrid annuity target-date funds as a potential solution for participants saving for retirement.

Our research looks at hybrid annuity TDFs—their investment merit and the potential challenges that come with them.

The retirement savings gap has narrowed, but most baby boomers still face shortfalls.

In its 23rd edition, How America Saves provides an in-depth examination of the retirement plan data of nearly 5 million defined contribution plan participants across our recordkeeping business.

A new 401(k) provision may allow for short-term liquidity without sacrificing participants’ retirement outlook. Plan design is the key.

How plan sponsors and consultants can use our How America Saves report to enhance participant retirement readiness.

Vanguard’s Fiona Greig discusses why saving and investing shouldn’t pause because of a job change.

401(k) savers are saving more than ever before, thanks in large part to plan design improvements over the past 20 years.

In a two-part podcast appearance, Vanguard’s head of advice methodology gives his take on savings and retirement.

Vanguard’s Fiona Greig offers her perspective on increasing retirement security in the U.S.

Higher savings rates and asset allocation are two keys to improving retirement readiness.

Learn more about the current state of retirement readiness in the U.S.

A Vanguard analysis assesses retirement readiness for a nationally representative sample of American workers.

Managed portfolios help support participant financial well-being and enhance investor outcomes.

Access to cash increases the likelihood that participants will maintain retirement plan assets.

Automatic savings features have helped participants sock away more—sometimes significantly so—for retirement.

Sustainable withdrawal rates can vary considerably, depending on the levels of desired bequests, portfolio depletion risk, and asset allocation, highlighting the need for customization rather than relying on a single rule of thumb. Learn more about the feasible ranges.

New provisions can help young savers who are saving for retirement and also trying to meet nearer-term goals.

The traditional target-date fund might be too conservative for some retirees in poor health. Such investors might consider personalized advice.

Vanguard managing director John James describes how simple it can be to start saving for retirement, from taking advantage of the company match within an employer plan to considering a target-date fund.

Updated Vanguard research highlights three key steps to help people choose Medicare coverage options.

Understanding your health care priorities and available coverage types can help you choose a Medicare coverage option, according to Vanguard researchers.

A new Vanguard research paper sheds light on how investors’ health state can affect their asset allocation and consumption in retirement.