New estimates of the future path of 401(k) assets
By: James Poterba, Steven Venti, David A. Wise.
Contributors: Wise, David A.; Venti, Steven F.; National Bureau of Economic Research.
Series: NBER working paper series -- no. 13083.; Working paper series (National Bureau of Economic Research) -- working paper no. 13083.
Publisher: National Bureau of Economic Research
Published: 2007
Place of publication: Cambridge, Mass
Language: eng
Number of pages: 30
Subjects: 401(k) plans -- Mathematical models; Individual retirement accounts -- United States -- Mathematical models
Description: Over the past two and a half decades there has been a fundamental change in saving for retirement in the United States, with a rapid shift from employer-managed defined benefit pensions to defined contribution saving plans that are largely controlled by employees. To understand how this change will affect the well-being of future retirees, we project the future growth of assets in self-directed personal retirement plans. We project the 401(k) assets at age 65 for cohorts attaining age 65 between 2000 and 2040. We also project the total value of assets in 401(k) accounts in each year through 2040 and we project the value of 401(k) assets as a percent of GDP over this period. We conclude that cohorts that attain age 65 in future decades will have accumulated much greater retirement saving (in real dollars) than the retirement saving of current retirees.
Notes: "May 2007"

Includes bibliographical references.

Also available in PDF from the NBER world wide web site (www.nber.org).