The five years from 2007 to 2012 proved to be financially difficult for many American companies and their workers. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies analyzed results from its Annual Retirement Survey and finds compelling evidence that the U.S. retirement system’s employer-based plans 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 way of the Great Recession.

The research also brings to light opportunities to improve the current retirement system that can significantly and positively impact employees’ ability to achieve retirement readiness without necessarily requiring sweeping legislation or widespread reforms.