9:00 a.m.

Breakfast Available

9:30 a.m.

Welcome and Opening Dialogue
A novel forum begets a novel framework. We’ll begin by introducing the four corners of older Americans’ financial lives: income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Those four corners will guide our conversations today.

• KC Boas, Associate Director, Retirement Initiative, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program
• Karen Biddle Andres, Director, Lifelong Saving and Investing, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program

9:45 a.m.

The Chart I’d Put in Front of Congress
Before we can envision a better future, we need to ground in the realities of today’s system. In quick succession, six experts will share the trend that’s capturing their attention.

• Tricia Neuman, Consultant
• Howard Gleckman, Non-Resident Fellow, Urban Institute
• Mike Croxson, CEO, National Foundation for Consumer Credit
• Steven Brown, Director, Insights and Evidence, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program
• David John, Senior Policy Advisor, AARP
• Shai Akabas, Vice President of Economic Policy, Bipartisan Policy Center
• KC Boas, Associate Director, Retirement Initiative, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (moderator)

10:30 a.m.

Coffee Break

10:45 a.m.

The Trendlines We Can’t Ignore
In this moderator-led discussion, we’ll evaluate the state of each of the four corners, asking: What is at stake if current trends persist? 

• David Blanchett, Head of Retirement Research, Prudential Financial; Portfolio Manager, PGIM
• Caitlyn Coyle, Director, Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging, University of Massachusetts
• Gopi Shah Goda, Senior Fellow & Director, Retirement Security Project, Brookings Institution
• Karen Biddle Andres, Director, Lifelong Saving and Investing, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (moderator)

11:30 a.m.

Table Talks
Let’s reflect on what we’ve heard so far. We want to know: What’s causing the most pain for households? Where do you feel the most urgency to act? What’s the first step we can take?

12:00 p.m.

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

What Is Income in Retirement For? Double-Clicking on Solutions to Push Down the “Expense Stack”
To build strong retirement income solutions, we have to understand retirement consumption across the income spectrum. We dive into the details on expenses: the essential vs. non-essential and the predictable vs. unpredictable. 

• Jessica Johnston, Senior Strategist, Economic Well-Being, National Council on Aging
• Nicole Jorwic, Chief Program Officer, Caring Across Gernerations
• Kathleen McGarry, Professor, University of California, Los Angeles
• Tim Shaw, Director, Benefits Transformation Initiative, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (moderator)

1:45 p.m.

The Tools in Our Retirement Income Toolbox: What Do We Have, What Do We Need?
Now it’s time to look forward. Here, we’re envisioning the best possible version of the tools in the retirement income toolbox. In doing so, we’ll also identify the gaps. Where are we falling short, and for whom? 

• Kathryn Anne Edwards, Economist, Policy Consultant
• Stacey Tovrov, Head of Investment Strategy, Retirement Solutions, BlackRock
• Gareth Turner, Head of Business Strategy & Change, Nest Invest
• Fraser Stark, President, Longevity Retirement Platform, Purpose Investments
• KC Boas, Associate Director, Retirement Initiative, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (moderator)

2:30 p.m.

Break

3:00 p.m.

Design Lab Breakouts
These breakout sessions will dial in to the balance sheet, or the income statement, with a series of five questions:

1. What is working well for retirees?
2. What solutions are scalable?
3. What gaps can we fill?
4. What don’t we know?
5. What deserves more attention?

3:45 p.m.

How a National Strategy on Affordable Longevity Becomes Personal
We’ve discussed the realities of aging in America, but how does that reality differ from person to person? In this full-room, facilitated discussion, we’re centering the human experience. What must we include in a national strategy on affordable longevity, and how can we be sure that it will work well for everyone?

• Raymond Jetson, Vision and Advancement Catalyst, Aging While Black
• Julie Miller, Senior Director of Thought Leadership, Financial Resilience, AARP
• Laura Valle-Gutierrez, Fellow, The Century Foundation
• Joanna Smith-Ramani, Co-Executive Director, Aspen Institute Financial Security Program (moderator)

4:15 p.m.

Closing Reception
Light refreshments and hors d’oeuvres.