A bit of good behavioral news from Empower Retirement. The recordkeeping giant’s Empower Institute finds that “Americans are determined to keep their hands off their retirement savings, even when faced with financial difficulties brought on by the worldwide pandemic.”
A survey and resulting paper titled, “Retirement as a Last Resort: How Americans Cope with Financial Need,” reports that 401k participants and those with similar workplace plans would rather cut back on spending or dip into their savings accounts before touching their retirement savings.
Survey respondents were asked how they have handled financial difficulty due to the economic effects of COVID-19.
- 35% said they reduced spending
- 15% said they dipped into savings
- 11% said they deferred a student loan
- 11% said they maxed out credit cards
Even if faced with a financial emergency, one-third of Americans would rather sell something of value before dipping into their retirement savings.
“People across the country are facing tough financial situations and it’s challenging for them to stick to their retirement savings goals,” Edmund Murphy, Empower Retirement President and CEO, said in a statement. “But working Americans are proving they are dedicated to protecting their retirement savings and their future financial freedom by pursuing other financial moves first to bridge any gap in income brought on by this pandemic.”
CARES Act withdrawals
The Empower Institute survey showed that as of June 28, 1.4% of eligible retirement plan participants completed a withdrawal under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act)—a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill passed by the Congress in March 2020 in response to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Overall, the data shows that tapping retirement accounts to access money is often a last resort — if it’s something employees would consider at all, the paper says.
“As the pandemic continues, each person’s financial outlook will be very different and deeply personal,” Murphy said. “It makes sense for savers to consider all of their financial options—get a look at their whole financial picture—and weigh the short-term and long-term outcomes.”
Find more original surveys and research from Empower Institute here.