The brief’s key findings are:
- This analysis addresses how the transition from defined benefit to defined contribution plans affected retirement wealth and income during 1992-2010.
- The results show:
- total retirement wealth from employer plans was roughly flat, and this wealth is now more skewed toward those with more education;
- the income produced by each dollar of retirement wealth has declined, despite a tendency for workers to retire later; and
- the amount of income relative to a worker’s earnings has declined.
- The bottom line is that employer plans are providing less retirement income today than in the past.
