We deliver high-quality retirement research that contributes to pragmatic policymaking by fostering an understanding of the value retirement brings to employers, workers, and the economy.
Workforce Turnover and Retention in the Public Sector: Insights from Public Pension Plans
This report examines how retention changes over public employees’ careers and varies across public workforces and retirement systems. The analysis draws on actuarial turnover assumptions and other information collected from 136 state-administered public pension plans representing 203 plan-employee groups and 12.8 million active members.
Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement
New national research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that 80 percent of Americans say the nation faces a retirement crisis as rising costs and debt make it increasingly difficult to save. The report, Retirement Insecurity 2026: Americans’ Views of Retirement, also finds widespread concern about financial security in retirement, strong support for pensions, and growing caution about the role of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency in retirement planning.
Most Americans are not on track for a secure retirement. Learn more about key aspects of retirement – from pensions to Social Security to long-term care.
A defined contribution account is a retirement savings plan, such as a 401(k), where employees and/or employers contribute money to an individual account, with the retirement benefit depending on contributions and investment earnings.
Pensions Support a Stable, Experienced Public-Sector Workforce
Public pensions help government employers retain experienced career workers, reducing costly turnover and supporting the reliable delivery of essential public services, according to a report, Workforce Turnover and Retention in the Public Sector: Insights from Public Pension Plans. The research finds that while employee departures are concentrated in the first five years of service, retention is strong among workers who remain beyond that point.
80% of Americans Say U.S. Faces Retirement Crisis Amid Affordability Pressures and Debt
National polling research from the National Institute on Retirement Security finds that 80 percent of Americans believe the nation faces a retirement crisis, as rising costs, debt, and other affordability pressures make it harder to save. The survey also finds widespread caution about AI-generated financial advice and cryptocurrency in workplace retirement plans, while 85 percent say Washington should make retirement security a higher national priority.
How the Middle-Class Squeeze Is Making Retirement Security Harder to Achieve
A conversation with Dr. Christian Weller
Who We Are
The National Institute on Retirement Securityis a non-profit, non-partisan organization established to contribute to informed policymaking by fostering a deep understanding of the value of retirement security to employees, employers, and the economy.
National Institute on Retirement Security members share our vision that all Americans should have access to retirement security. Our diverse membership base makes our retirement research possible.
![TRSlogo[2]](https://www.nirsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Teacher-Retirement-System-of-Texas-Logo.jpg){kind=logo}
