Teresa Ghilarducci
@tghilarducci.bsky.social
Labor economist focusing on #retirement security. Director, Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA)
Trump gave voters a story. Democrats gave them lists. Vague aspirations and 10-point plans don't win mandates. @rickmcgahey.bsky.social and I make the case in @projectsyndicate.bsky.social: the foundation of a winning Democratic vision is wage-led growth. prosyn.org/rlHnyOm
The Democrats Need a Story, Not More Lists
Teresa Ghilarducci & Rick McGahey argue that wage-led growth should form the foundation of a coherent vision for America.
prosyn.org
The new Trustees Report gives us 6 years before an automatic 22% cut to Social Security benefits. We don't need to cut benefits or raise workers' taxes. My latest: www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Social Security Trustees Report Warns of 22% Benefit Cut In 2032
Social Security’s 2026 Trustees Report warns benefits face a 22 percent cut in 2032. Here’s why the shortfall grew and how broadening the tax base can fix it.
forbes.com
Show me a nation's retirement system, and I'll show you how it treats its workers. The U.S. calls retiring at 62 "early." Italy's "Rule of 103" asks a different question: how many years of work is enough? My new Forbes column: www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Is Italy’s ‘Rule Of 103’ A Good Idea For The U.S. Retirement System?
Italy lets workers retire after 40 years on the job. That's not early retirement — it's retirement justice. America should learn from it.
forbes.com
We just published a TrumpIRA explainer by @tghilarducci . Read it here to learn more about the executive order and what TrumpIRAs can and cannot accomplish. www.economicpolicyresearch.org/research/the...
The TrumpIRA: An Explainer — ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH
TrumpIRA Explainer with FAQs
economicpolicyresearch.org
I spoke with Lisa Massena about why wealth is not excess -- it’s dignity: the ability to retire securely, withstand shocks, and make choices without fear. Economic policy should expand that dignity, not reserve it for the few. Read our interview here: www.massenaassociates.com/blog/wealth-...
Wealth Is Dignity: Teresa Ghilarducci on America's Retirement Reckoning — Massena Associates
One of the nation's sharpest minds on retirement security talks universal access, automatic enrollment, the new TrumpIRA executive order—and why Teresa Ghilarducci believes every worker deserves a def...
massenaassociates.com
Honored and grateful to receive the Visionary Award from the @harkininstitute.bsky.social at the Harkin Retirement Security Symposium. You can tune in now to hear my Keynote Address. www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-harki...
Senator Harkin quoted his favorite passage from "Work, Retire, Repeat" at the @harkininstitute.bsky.social Retirement Security Symposium this morning: "Retirement is moral, political and social, not scientific". Congrats on your Visionary Award, @tghilarducci.bsky.social !! @nssrnews.bsky.social
So honored to receive the Visionary Award from @harkininstitute.bsky.social this morning. You can stream live here: harkininstitute.drake.edu/2026/03/06/1...
April 14 | Harkin Retirement Security Symposium 2026: Understanding and Navigating the US Retirement System | The Harkin Institute
harkininstitute.drake.edu
Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis@scepa-economics.bsky.social · 4mo agoOur Executive Director, @tghilarducci.bsky.social will receive the Visionary Award from the @harkininstitute.bsky.social this morning. You can watch both her award acceptance and her keynote live here: harkininstitute.drake.edu/2026/03/06/1...
Available now! All-new #EconomicUpdate! I had the pleasure of discussing the U.S. #Pension Crisis with Richard Wolff. Watch it here: tinyurl.com/4v7npffa @thenewschool.bsky.social @nssrnews.bsky.social
Economic Update: The Great U.S. Pension Crisis
Enjoying this ad-free episode of Economic Update? Please consider supporting our work by signing up as a monthly subscriber on our website at https://www.democracyatwork.info/donate, joining our Patreon community at https://www.patreon.com/democracyatwork, or becoming a paid subscriber on Substack at https://democracyatwork.substack.com. On this week’s episode of Economic Update, Professor Wolff presents updates on European turmoil that include how the French municipal elections are revealing Macron’s weaknesses, Germany’s opposition of the war on Iran, the UK waffling on Iran and helping the U.S., and Europe's deepening subordination to the U.S. and China as economic giants in today's world economy—especially in advanced technological areas. The show’s second half features an interview with Professor Teresa Ghilarducci on the crisis of pensions in the U.S., the "reforms" being proposed, and the grim realities to be faced if pensions continue to decline. We hope you enjoy this discussion and look forward to joining you next week for another all-new episode of Economic Update. Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff is a production of Democracy at Work, Inc., and any reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited without written permission. We make it a point to keep the show ad-free and rely solely on viewer support to continue doing so. Every donation counts and helps us reach a larger audience with the information they need to better understand the events around the world that they won't find anywhere else. We want to thank our devoted community of supporters who help make this show and the others we produce possible each week. We kindly ask you to also support the work we do by encouraging others to subscribe to our YouTube channel and website: www.democracyatwork.info Professor Wolff's latest book, "Understanding Capitalism," is available now for purchase: https://linktr.ee/understandingcapitalism © 2026 Democracy at Work, Inc. All Rights Reserved
tinyurl.com
Work, Retire, Repeat's review in @nybooks.com is not gentle & not wrong about the coming humanitarian & political crisis. Chappel’s Golden Years brings the history into focus, while the present crisis speaks for itself. www.nybooks.com/articles/202...
The Aging Class | Trevor Jackson
Retirement, like so much of the American economy, is a broken system that benefits private interests and exploits the most vulnerable people.
nybooks.com
I’m deeply honored to receive the Visionary Award from the @harkininstitute.bsky.social. This recognition reflects the urgency of closing the retirement savings gap & building universal, equitable security for all. I hope you’ll join us at the 2026 Retirement Security Symposium on April 14!
For the record: decades of research show billionaire “flight” is rare & often overstated -- more about accounting than actual relocation. Glad to see this point included in this @commondreams.org piece on wealth taxes & inequality: commondreams.org/news/sanders...
'Let Me Clear Things Up': Bernie Sanders Explains Wealth Tax to Wall Street Overlord Jamie Dimon | Common Dreams
"If my 5% wealth tax on billionaires was enacted, you’d owe $135 million more in taxes, and a family of four making $150,000 or less would receive a $12,000 payment. Oh, and you’d still be worth more...
commondreams.org
Too many workers don’t have a reliable way to save, but there’s growing momentum for change. I look at Trump’s proposal and how building on the RSAA could expand coverage. I also engage with concerns raised by the AEI & explain why I see the evidence differently. www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Trump’s Plan On Right Track: 69 Million Workers Need Retirement Plans
Trump’s retirement plan and the RSAA aim to fix the coverage gap for 69 million workers, countering AEI’s concerns about Medicaid, SSI and low-income retirement security.
forbes.com
In my latest for @Forbes, I examine the President’s executive action on federal retirement accounts. Expanding access is a serious step forward in addressing the coverage gap -- but adequacy, equity, and Social Security reform remain essential. www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Trump’s Federal Retirement Account Is A Serious Step Forward
President Trump announces a federal retirement savings plan with a $1,000 match. Will it close the coverage gap?
forbes.com
I joined CBS News to discuss the President’s proposed retirement plan, including a federal match of up to $1,000 for workers without employer-sponsored savings plans. Here’s the conversation. www.cbsnews.com/video/trump-...
Trump announces new retirement plan with federal match of up to $1,000
President Trump said he wants to fix what he called the "gross disparity" within the U.S. retirement system during Tuesday night's State of the Union address. He plans to do that with the creation of ...
cbsnews.com
Bloomberg covers the President’s proposed retirement savings plan for workers without 401(k)s and references my earlier work on expanding access to well-designed, low-cost plans like the federal Thrift Savings Plan. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Trump Targets 401(k) Gap With Savings Plan for Uncovered Workers
Millions of private-sector workers without employer-sponsored retirement savings plans could gain access to new tax-advantaged plans similar to one in place for federal workers, President Donald Trump...
bloomberg.com
AARP reports on the President’s retirement proposal. “Expanding access is a meaningful step,” says Teresa Ghilarducci of the Wealth Equity Lab. Nearly half of full- and part-time workers still lack a workplace plan. www.aarp.org/advocacy/sta...
Trump Outlines New Retirement Plan With Federal Match
Workers without employer-sponsored plans could have an additional way to save
aarp.org
New from @yahoofinance.com on the President’s proposal to create federal retirement accounts for workers without 401(k)s. Expanding coverage is an important policy question as nearly half of workers lack access to a workplace plan. Here’s what’s being proposed: finance.yahoo.com/news/trump-p...
Trump proposes new retirement accounts for workers without 401(k)s
President Trump pledges to give private-sector workers without an employer-sponsored retirement plan access to new tax-advantaged accounts similar to those for federal employees.
finance.yahoo.com
The Wealth Equity Lab responds to the President’s executive action creating federal retirement accounts for workers without employer plans. Nearly half lack access to a plan. Access alone isn’t adequacy, but closing that gap is a necessary first step. www.economicpolicyresearch.org/all-press/we...
Wealth Equity Lab Responds to President Trump's Executive Action on Federal Retirement Accounts — ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH
NEW YORK, NY —The Wealth Equity Lab ( formerly Retirement Equity Lab ) at The New School for Social Research issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s announced executive action to cr...
economicpolicyresearch.org
Saying Americans should “work a year longer to help the economy” ignores the truth: most can’t choose to work longer. Jobs, health, caregiving & a weak retirement system shape real outcomes. We need stronger retirement security & policies that match lived realities. www.msn.com/en-us/money/...
MSN
msn.com
The California billionaire tax isn’t just about revenue. It’s about belonging — and recognizing that giving back strengthens community, not just budgets. www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
California Billionaire Tax Debate Centers on Inequality and Belonging
The California Billionaire Tax debate highlights inequality, low effective tax rates for the ultra‑rich, and the human impact of proposed cuts
forbes.com
www.forbes.com/sites/teresa... Some said my Forbes essay on taxes and neurotransmitters was a fresh new angle on the old topic of wealth taxes? Is it?
California Billionaire Tax Debate Centers on Inequality and Belonging
The California Billionaire Tax debate highlights inequality, low effective tax rates for the ultra‑rich, and the human impact of proposed cuts to health care and education.
forbes.com
For many Americans, “retirement” accounts aren’t for retirement -- they’re emergency lifelines. Evidence shows workers are draining 401(k)s to cover basic needs, sacrificing future security. We need retirement reform. @forbes.com www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Thrilled that my latest piece was selected as today’s Forbes Editor’s Pick! My new piece is about the Dells’ $6.25B pledge to expand Trump’s child accounts — and why design flaws still leave many kids behind. Read the article here: www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Trump Accounts vs. Baby Bonds: Who Truly Benefits?
Explore how Trump accounts compare to baby bonds, why tax policy favors wealthy families, and what economists propose to close the racial wealth gap.
forbes.com
Call for Papers! Early-career economists & social scientists: Submit your research for our Spring 2026 conference, Reimagining the Economics of Late Life. We welcome work on aging, disability, equity & policy. Deadline: Dec 31, 2025 More info & submit: www.economicpolicyresearch.org/center-annou...
Call for Papers — ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH
Reimagining the Economics of Late Life Institutions, Systems, and Investments Spring 2026 Conference – May 1, 2026 | The New School, New York City
economicpolicyresearch.org
🚨A good surprise for a change!🚨 www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Social Security scraps plan to limit disability benefits after uproar
The policy would have fundamentally altered who qualifies for the two federal disability programs by eliminating or limiting a person’s age as a factor to consider.
washingtonpost.com
Honored to join Bloomberg TV Wall Street Week to discuss the urgent need to strengthen America’s retirement system. Other countries are taking meaningful steps - and there is a lot we can learn to ensure workers retire with dignity and security. Full segment: www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/...
Can the World Afford to Retire? How One Country is Addressing the Crisis
Around the world, market forces – low interest rates, longer lives, workers changing jobs – are testing underfunded pension plans. We explore how the world should rethink financial security for aging ...
bloomberg.com
New analysis: 50-year mortgages offer lower monthly payments — but at what cost? In my latest @Forbes piece, I dive into how stretching the term to 50 years may slow equity building and amplify lifetime interest burdens. www.forbes.com/sites/teresa...
Trump’s 50-Year Mortgage: Lower Payments, Higher Lifetime Cost
A 50-year mortgage is a re-timing device: it improves near-term liquidity but increases lifetime interest, slows equity, and extends leverage later into the life cycle.
forbes.com
Precarious work in midlife doesn’t just affect today’s paycheck - it shapes when people can retire. Read The Precarity Trap in Generations Journal: by Duygu Başaran Şahin, Frank W. Heiland & Na Yin generations.asaging.org/the-precarit...
The Precarity Trap - ASA Generations
Employment instability in midlife and the challenge of working full-time past age 62.
generations.asaging.org
Join us 12/2 for a Heilbroner Center event celebrating "The Contested Domain: Selected Writings on Marxism & Feminism" by Lise Vogel, edited by Kirstin Munro, Asst. Prof. of Economics, NSSR. The work spans five decades of Vogel’s work in Marxist & feminist theory. event.newschool.edu/marxistfemin...
