Great Recession Retrospective: Retirement Plans in United States, 2007 to 2012

The five years from 2007 to 2012 proved to be extremely financially difficult for many American employers and their workers. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies analyzed results from its Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey and found compelling evidence illustrating in the strength and resilience of the U.S. retirement system’s employer-sponsored plans and how they continued to help employees save for retirement during the Great Recession.

Emerging From the Economic Storm: Retirement Plans in the United States, 2007 to 2012 (white paper) and Weathering the Economic Storm: Retirement Plans in the U.S., 2007 to 2012 (detailed report) examine the U.S. retirement system, employer-sponsored retirement benefits, and workers' savings rates before, during, and in the wake of the Great Recession.

The research also brings to light opportunities to improve the current retirement system that could significantly and positively impact employees’ ability to achieve retirement readiness. Many of the these opportunities can be realized without sweeping legislation or widespread reforms.