Household level economic shocks such as job loss, job change, divorce, and the onset of poor health are associated with about 20% of all retirement account withdrawals and exacerbate pre-existing inequalities in financial preparation for retirement. Workers in low-wage households are more likely to withdraw from their accounts than those in middle- and high-income households, in part because they experience more shocks and are more likely to withdraw from their retirement savings when they experience a shock. The paper was published by the Journal of Retirement.
Research
How Economic Shocks Exacerbate Retirement Inequality
May 16, 2019
Workers in low-wage households are more likely to experience economic shocks and to withdraw from their retirement accounts, exacerbating pre-existing inequalities in the retirement savings system.
