Catch-Up Contributions: An Equitable and Affordable Solution to the Retirement Savings Crisis

This research was performed pursuant to a grant from the AARP Innovation Challenge. To address the needs of two overlapping groups – low and moderate wage workers and workers in their 50s with no or inadequate retirement wealth – we propose a program of cost-neutral voluntary (at least initially) Social Security catch-up contributions, into which all workers would be defaulted, starting at age 40 or 50. The program would use the progressivity of the Social Security benefit formula to target low-wage workers and to prevent adverse selection.