Unveiling Results from the Retirement Income Literacy Study
The study, which is the fourth iteration of The College's Retirement Income Literacy Study, reveals concerning gaps in retirement knowledge among older Americans. On average, participants scored only 31% on a retirement literacy quiz, highlighting a lack of actionable retirement knowledge.
Dr. Kaylee Ranck, Director of College Research, led the efforts to launch this project on behalf of the American College Center for Women in Financial Services and presented the findings at the event. The study underscores the direct relationship between financial literacy and factors such as asset levels. Respondents with assets exceeding $1.5 million scored twice as high as those with less than $100,000 (50% vs. 25%), indicating that wealthier individuals tend to have a better understanding of retirement planning.
The study also emphasizes the crucial role of financial professionals in educating clients. Advised respondents, those who work with financial advisors, demonstrated higher retirement income literacy and better outcomes compared to their non-advised peers. This finding highlights the importance of professional guidance in navigating the complexities of retirement planning.
The timing of the study is particularly relevant as the United States approaches a demographic shift known as the "Graying of America." The Baby Boomer generation is reaching retirement age, with an estimated 12,000 individuals retiring every day. As the median age of Americans increases, planning for longer, well-lived lives become increasingly important.
The media event in New York City, attended by journalists from leading trade publications and industry experts, served as a platform to disseminate these findings. The Retirement Income Literacy Study not only sheds light on the current state of retirement literacy, but also points to the need for a concerted effort to improve financial education and planning.
In addition to the broader findings, the Center for Women in Financial Services is set to launch a specialized segment of the data focusing on retirement income planning for women. This initiative aims to highlight the distinct outcomes and knowledge levels of women regarding retirement income. The continued examination of the survey results, including this targeted analysis, is essential in providing valuable insights into the state of retirement planning and financial literacy in the United States. As the research progresses, it will remain instrumental in shaping the conversation around retirement readiness and financial education, with a particular emphasis on addressing the needs of diverse demographics.
Robert Moldoff
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Insights
Celebrating Women's History Month: Inspiring Inclusion in Financial Services
International Women's Day serves as a poignant reminder of the strides made towards gender equality while highlighting the ongoing journey to break down barriers and foster a more inclusive society. The theme of “Inspire Inclusion” resonates deeply within the financial services industry, emphasizing the significance of diversity and empowerment in all facets of our work.
In the realm of financial services, inspiring inclusion means celebrating the diverse perspectives, talents, and contributions of women from all backgrounds. It means recognizing and valuing the unique experiences and insights they bring to the table, enriching our industry and driving innovation forward.
At the heart of inspiring inclusion lies a commitment to challenging stereotypes and dismantling barriers that hinder the progress of women in financial services. It involves creating environments where all women feel supported, empowered, and encouraged to reach their full potential, regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic background.
As advocates for gender equality, it is incumbent upon us to not only celebrate the achievements of women but also to actively work towards creating a more inclusive and equitable financial services industry. This entails implementing policies and practices that promote diversity and inclusion at all levels of leadership, ensuring women have equal opportunities for advancement and representation.
Moreover, inspiring inclusion requires us to amplify the voices of women from marginalized communities, recognizing their unique challenges and advocating for meaningful change. By fostering a culture of inclusivity and belonging, we can create a more vibrant and resilient financial services industry that reflects the rich tapestry of human experience.
As we honor Women's History Month and International Women's Day 2024, let us reaffirm our commitment to inspiring inclusion in financial services and beyond. Together, let us celebrate the diversity, resilience, and strength of women, recognizing that true progress towards gender equality is only possible when we embrace and uplift all women, without exception.
Drew Briggs
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Insights
Kickoff Military Resource Group Consortium Lunch and Learn
In 2023, the Center for Military and Veterans Affairs partnered with The American College of Financial Services’ Career Services Office and Nationwide’s Military Affiliated Resource Group, led by President, Director of Broker Dealer Licensing, and Advisory Council Member Melvin Smith, USMC (Vet.), to develop a Military Resource Group (MRG) strategy mission and vision:
Mission Statement: “Building Bridges to Success”
Our mission is to bridge the gap between transitioning military scholars who are pursuing careers in the financial services industry through awareness, education, professional development opportunities, and networking with and between esteemed financial services companies.
Vision Statement:
We envision a future where the unique skills and experiences of our military scholars are recognized and harnessed, contributing to a more diverse, resilient, and innovative financial services sector. As a catalyst, we connect scholars with industry professionals, raise awareness for The College, and strengthen Military Resource Groups to shape the future of finance
On February 6th, the Center hosted its first virtual MRG Consortium Lunch and Learn collaborating with multiple financial services companies to discuss several topics key to the military and financial services communities, including:
- Military members transitioning into the financial services industry
- Best practices to foster and grow successful industry MRGs
- Methods to effectively support our military communities
The consortium will support the Center in organizing quarterly webinars to introduce Center scholars to the MRGs and provide educational and professional development opportunities at the 2024 Military Summit.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Insights
Center News
On January 17th, Admiral Michael Mullen, USN (Ret.), 2023 recipient of the Soldier-Citizen Award and Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, joined the Center for Military and Veterans Affairs to discuss how he believes military members, veterans, and their spouses provide value to the financial services industry.
Admiral Mullen expressed his gratitude as the award recipient and how special the 2023 Clambake was: “One of the thrills was to see the number of people there who were in financial services who were either veterans themselves or who were employers bringing veterans into the space. This area is a particularly challenging one because it is not well-known to us in the military.”
Admiral Mullen discussed the challenges the military community faces when transitioning during his experience as the 17th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His experience led him and his staff to develop a paper called “A Sea of Goodwill,” which connects the goodwill of the American people to support those who serve as they transition through the pillars of education, employment, and health.
“The key for anyone in transition is you need to have a network. There are many things tied to a good transition, but to me that is key, recognizing how hard it is, going somewhere and connecting with those who have done it, and going somewhere you really want to go,” Mullen stated.
He recommended for those in transition to list what they do and do not want in their next career to help identify a purpose, find a company with leadership who supports hiring military members, veterans, and their spouses, and effectively communicate your myriad of skills.
Mullen stated “one of the hardest things is how do you create the right vocabulary for your skillset that would match the vocabulary in the civilian sector. We in the military, right down to the most junior person, bring skills that are really valued in the private sector.”
He emphasized that for those interested in transitioning into the financial services industry, education is key.
To financial service companies looking to hire military members, veterans, and their spouses, Mullen stated, “it is a really good bet for your company, you will find individuals who are proud and young, they are loyal, they are team-oriented, disciplined, selfless, they lead, they perform really well under pressure and in a crisis, they are responsible and accountable individuals, and they can handle change. If you want to hire someone who wants to make a difference in your outfit, go to our community. I have heard it from leaders who have hired vets, and it is one of the best things they have ever done.”
Rick McClanahan
CFF®
Honoring 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee, Paul Vignone
Alumni Hall of Fame: Paul E. Vignone, CLU®, ChFC®, JD, LLM
The American College of Financial Services’ Alumni Hall of Fame was established in 2005 to recognize graduates of The College's designation, certification, and degree programs who have made extraordinary contributions in time, treasure, effort, and energy to the institution, their community, and the financial services industry as a whole. The College is proud to announce Paul Vignone as the 2023 inductee.
Paul is an estate and business planning consultant for The Gaber Group. He spent much of his career with Penn Mutual as a managing partner and then an executive consultant. Throughout his distinguished career, he earned many of Penn Mutual’s employee awards, including its most prestigious, the National Chairman’s Award. In addition, the General Agents’ and Managers’ Association has consistently recognized his contributions to the industry, including honoring him with its coveted First-in-Class Award and 13 Master Agency Awards.
Prior to his work with Penn Mutual, Paul served as general manager for Phoenix Home Life and general manager for Prudential, and from 1974 to 1977, he was a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Treasury.
Active in the industry, Paul is a member of the FINSECA Board of Directors. He is a past president of the New York City Chapter of Financial Service Professionals and served as a past president of the New York City General Agents’ and Managers’ Association, as well as the Northern New Jersey General Agents’ and Managers’ Association.
A past 1st Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Paul is a Vietnam veteran and earned a Bronze Star for Valor during his service. He graduated from LaSalle University with a bachelor’s degree in political science. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Seton Hall University Law School and was awarded a master’s degree in tax law from New York University.
With this honor, Paul joins a distinguished group of The College’s alumni and partners, and it is an honor for The College to grant him this recognition.
Hear What Experts Say About the New Retirement Income Literacy Study
The American College of Financial Services released the findings of the fourth wave of the Retirement Income Literacy Study at a New York City premiere event attended by invited guests from the media and institutional partners of The College on February 13, 2024.
Based on a 38-question financial literacy quiz, the research aims to assess older Americans’ level of knowledge on topics they need to understand for effective retirement planning. The questions cover various aspects of retirement planning, such as the ideal age for filing for Social Security and the impact of interest rates on bond prices. The results reveal that in the decade since the first wave of research began in 2014, the needle has not moved. On average, respondents only answered 31% of the questions correctly, indicating a lack of financial literacy on topics related to retirement income.
At the premiere event, top academics from The College shared their initial insights and “aha” moments sparked by the new research. Here's a look at highlights from the panel discussion led by Steve Parrish JD, RICP®, CLU®, CHFC®, AEP®, featuring researchers Michael Finke, PhD, CFP®, Kaylee Ranck, PhD, Chet R. Bennetts, CFP®, CHFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CLF®, and Eric Ludwig, PhD, CFP®—in their own words:
Parrish: Call it financial literacy, you could call it knowledge, you can call it understanding—but whatever it is, we know that these are important pieces of information [individuals must know] in order to make smart decisions about their own retirement…It's very important because it affects millions of people and affects their well-being. Think about things like the fact that so few of us have defined benefit contracts anymore, right? It's defined contributions and IRAs, and that means that in accumulating you have to figure out how to do it yourself. In distribution and decumulating, you have to figure out how to do it. You don't have your employer doing it. Key decisions like Medicare and Social Security, those are decisions that have to be made fairly early in retirement, but they stick for the rest of your life.
Finke: Target-date funds have been a success in the accumulation stage, but it's actually divorced people from having to make decisions about their own retirement. And what ends up happening is that when people start to see the end zone approaching, once they hit their fifties, they start realizing that they have no idea how much money they've saved, how they've invested, what their options are for generating income in retirement, and they have no idea what sort of risks they're exposed to…There is a general social phenomenon, especially for these generations like the younger Baby Boomer generation and Gen Xers who are approaching retirement, who have been in this sort of soft bubble-wrapped environment of accumulation. Now what do we do with them once they start decumulating? It's no wonder that they're experiencing anxiety.
Ranck: What we find through a lot of the research is that individuals [score better] when they have to experience something. For example, when they get closer to being Medicare-eligible in age, their knowledge score around Medicare increases because it's an experience that they have and the knowledge that they need in order to get through that particular transition. We see that with several of the scores.
Bennetts: I specifically looked at some of the retirement concerns [and] the two that had the highest average across the board were Social Security cuts and inflation. Those were two of the bigger ones. And that's something I think we can all agree that even the best financial advisor, best financial planner in the world is not going to be able to wave a magic wand and help someone with. Rightfully so, maybe that's a higher level of concern from the consumer with or without an advisor. However, when you added an advisor, there was an impact and those concerns did decrease. And in part, I'm sure, because of the preparation and the conversations [between financial advisors and clients about] “How do we handle…?” or “How do we anticipate those things?” from the psychosocial and behavioral side of it. [What] I thought was cool was the fact that when we have professionals—professionals whom, as an institution, we're charged with training and giving the most relevant information—that dramatically decreased [respondents’ answers] to the tune of 20% on the anxiety side and 25% on the stress side.
Ludwig: If you ask people how they viewed the stock market over the next 12 months, that was a significant predictor [of what they would do with their portfolio]. Basically for each level of optimism, that led to another 10% higher likelihood that they didn't do anything with their portfolio. Those who had an advisor [were] twice as likely to maintain [their] portfolio during the market volatility of 2022 as opposed to those who did not… From a practical aspect [what we recommend to advisors is] having them check in with their clients and asking them, “How do you view the stock market over the next 12 months, what is your market outlook?” [That may] be a significant predictor of what they're going to actually do with their portfolio.
The research underscores the need for better education about retirement planning geared toward those who are approaching or in retirement age. With robust results from surveying more than 3,765 Americans aged 50 to 75, the Retirement Income Literacy Study research team plans to release additional cuts of the data to provide deeper analysis into topics highlighted here—plus additional topics yet to be revealed.
To learn more about the findings and what the research reveals about the educational role of financial advisors, read the study here.