New Approaches to Social Security Adequacy & Solvency in the 21st Century

A Policy Forum Convened by the National Academy of Social Insurance and AARP

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Overview: Join the National Academy of Social Insurance and AARP for a day-long exploration of bold new ideas in Social Security policy. A diverse range of policy experts will describe and debate their innovative ideas, many of which have never before been discussed in a public forum. Ideas presented will include those selected in AARP’s Policy Innovation Challenge as well as other ideas from retirement security experts.

9:30 am - 10:00 am    Registration

10:00 am - 10:10 am  Welcome

• William J. Arnone, CEO, National Academy of Social Insurance

10:10 am - 11:10 am  Session 1: Retirement Security in an Era of Increasing and Disparate Longevity

• Anthony Webb, The New School for Social Research, “Catch-Up Contributions: A Voluntary, Equitable, and Affordable Solution to the Retirement Savings Crisis”
• Olivia S. Mitchell, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, “Delayed Social Security Claiming: How to Enhance Economic Security and Potentially Enhance System Solvency”
• Gary Koenig, Vice President, Financial Security, Public Policy Institute, AARP, “Supplemental Transition Accounts for Retirement”

Moderator: Mark Miller, Retirement Columnist, Reuters

11:10 am - 12:10 pm   Session 2:  Improving Benefits for Low-Lifetime Earners

• Pamela Herd​, Principal Investigator, Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, University of Wisconsin Madison, “A Targeted Minimum Benefit Plan (MBP): A New Proposal to Reduce Poverty among the Elderly”
• Elizabeth Johns, Faculty Associate, Center on Aging, University of Maine, “A Revised Minimum Benefit Can Better Meet the Adequacy and Equity Standards in Social Security”
• Kenneth Couch, University of Connecticut, “Adjust PIA Based on Lifetime Earnings and Life Expectancy Trend”

Moderator: Jason Fichtner, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center at George Mason University 

12:10 pm - 1:00 pm      Lunch

12:25 pm - 1:00 pm      Luncheon Keynote: Peter Diamond, Institute Professor Emeritus, MIT, “The Future of Social Security.”

1:00 pm - 1:45 pm        Session 3: Providing retirement security to caregivers and to workers in a changing workforce

• Christian Weller, Professor of Public Policy, McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston, “Expanding Qualifying Credit Options for Social Security Benefits”
• Debra Whitman, EVP/Chief Public Policy Officer, AARP, “Add Pre-Retirement Education Benefits into Social Security”

Moderator: Kilolo Kijakazi, Institute Fellow, Urban Institute

1:45 pm - 1:55 pm        Break

1:55 pm - 2:55 pm        Session 4: Ensuring Adequate Revenue for Social Security

• Benjamin W. Veghte, Vice President for Policy, National Academy of Social Insurance, “Implications of Income Inequality for Social Security’s Contribution and Benefit Base” 
• Ken Buffin, Director of Research, The Buffin Foundation, “Strengthening and Sustaining Social Security Finances Using New Automatic Adjustments”
• Peter Diamond, Institute Professor Emeritus, MIT, “The Estate Tax as an Alternative Revenue Source”

Moderator: Kathryn Edwards, Associate Economist, RAND Corporation

2:55 pm - 3:00 pm         Wrap Up

• Debra Whitman, Executive Vice President and Chief Public Policy Officer, AARP