Center for Retirement Research

Latest Episodes:

How Have Automation and Trade Affected the Taxable Share of Covered Earnings? Jan 14, 2019

Show notes

Rising U.S. income inequality is pushing more high-income workers above Social Security’s payroll tax cap and shrinking the share of all workers’ earnings subject to this tax. Trade with China is driving up inequality, which is one part of the reason for the drop in the taxable share of earnings…

How Much Does Motherhood Cost Women in Social Security Benefits? Nov 05, 2018

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When mothers take a hiatus from work for childrearing, it can affect their Social Security earnings history. Learn how much mothers lose when they drop out of the labor force to raise children…

Cognitive Aging and the Ability to Work Oct 19, 2017

Show notes

Cognitive aging could hinder productivity by reducing the brain’s processing ability (“fluid” intelligence). But research shows that productivity generally does not decline with age. Only a minority of workers are vulnerable: those in jobs that require very high levels of fluid intelligence and those who experience cognitive impairment…

How Job Options Narrow for Older Workers by Socioeconomic Status Mar 27, 2017

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Job-changers over age 50 increasingly end up in “old-person” jobs, with a high share of older hires relative to prime-age hires. New research finds the overall outlook has improved since the late 1990s for all groups, particularly for older women with more education…

Does a Uniform Retirement Age Make Sense? Oct 04, 2016

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Working longer can boost retirement security. To what extent does this prescription fit for all workers? New research explores how life expectancy differs by education level and the implications for longer worklives…