The SAVERS Initiative is a national program that seeks to increase people’s understanding of and engagement around policies, programs, and best practices supporting economic and retirement security.
A variety of policies and programs could mitigate the cycle of economic insecurity and make it easier for people to save enough for retirement. However, stakeholders at the community level must be educated about their options and become engaged in supporting efforts that have a targeted approach. In addition, lawmakers at all levels of government must establish an environment for policy change that will ensure that families and their children have the tools they need to be financially secure and adequately prepared for retirement.
Three initial goals
- Engage Americans nationwide, particularly at the grassroots level, to become more involved and supportive of solutions to improve their economic and retirement security;
- Encourage more experts to serve as influential voices in the national discussion around economic and retirement security; and
- Educate policymakers at the federal, state and local levels to advance policies to improve economic and retirement outcomes.
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Why Is This Important?
Today, a significant economic and retirement security crisis defines the everyday lives of many working Americans. The current median household income stands at $51,017 compared to $1.3 million for the top one percent. In addition, studies have found that the average working American household has virtually no retirement savings. In fact, the median retirement account balance is only $3,000 and merely $12,000 for those near retirement (ages 55-64). It is clear that American families are struggling to not only become economically secure now, but also prepare to be financially stable after retirement.
Looking at racial disparities, we see an even starker picture. The typical African American and Latino household has only 6 and 7 cents, respectively, for every dollar in wealth held by the typical white family. In addition, while 37% of white households have no retirement savings — a figure that is too high — 62 percent of African Americans and 69 percent of Latinos also have no retirement savings.
Resources to help you plan for retirement & economic security
Retirement Calculators
- AARP’s Retirement Calculator: Are You Saving Enough?
- CNNMoney.com retirement guide
- Real Deal Retirement
Economic Security Tools
- National Council on Aging: Economic Security Checkup
- National Council on Aging: Benefits Checkup
- CNNMoney.com: Money Essentials
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Repaying Student Debt
Economic Security Publications
- Center for Global Policy Solutions: Beyond Broke; Why Closing the Racial Wealth Gap is a Priority for National Economic Security
- Demos: The Debt Divide: The Racial and Class Bias Behind the “New Normal” of Student Borrowing
- Urban Institute: Economic Security For Extremely Vulnerable Families: Themes And Options For Workforce Development And Asset Strategies
Retirement Security Publications
- Global Policy Solutions: Plan for a New Future: The Impact of Social Security Reform on People of Color
- National Bureau of Economic Research: Retirement Security in an Aging Society, by James M. Poterba
- Social Security Works: State Reports