The Contributions of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College: 2008–2017

This article reviews the research contributions of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College in its second 10 years of operation (2008–2017) and the implications of those findings for Social Security and retirement policy. The article highlights a number of studies on a variety of topics grouped into three broad and forward-looking categories: (1) the Social Security program and its role in retirement security, (2) private retirement saving and its role in retirement security, and (3) the medical risks and health expenditures faced by an aging population. The studies address issues such as the effects associated with labor force patterns, changes in the nation’s retirement system, and growing life spans. In its 20 years, the center’s contributions have expanded both the breadth and the depth of knowledge on issues relevant to retirement security in general and Social Security in particular.