Employee Benefits Research Institute 

An Employee Benefits and Retirement Research Organization

EBRI (Employee Benefit Research Institute) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization focused on employee benefits, retirement security, healthcare benefits, and financial wellbeing. Founded in 1978, the organization conducts independent, data-driven research designed to help employers, policymakers, financial institutions, and workers better understand benefits-related issues and long-term financial security.

The organization is widely known for:

• Retirement and savings research
• 401(k) and workplace benefits analysis
• Healthcare and insurance studies
• Financial wellbeing surveys and forecasting.

Core Areas of Focus

EBRI focuses on:

• Retirement savings and income security
• Employee health and insurance benefits
• Financial wellbeing and workplace wellness
• 401(k), IRA, and pension research
• Healthcare affordability and policy analysis
• Benefits-related economic and workforce trends.

Its work includes:

• Research reports and issue briefs
• Surveys and forecasting models
• Policy analysis and testimony
• Industry benchmarking and data visualization.

Retirement and Financial Wellbeing Research

A defining feature of EBRI is its extensive research into:

• Retirement readiness and financial security.

The organization is especially known for:

• The Retirement Confidence Survey
• Workplace wellness research
• 401(k) and IRA database analysis
• Retirement healthcare cost projections.

Its research helps organizations:

• Evaluate benefits programs
• Understand workforce financial stress
• Improve retirement and healthcare planning.

Healthcare and Employee Benefits Analysis

EBRI also conducts research related to:

• Employer-sponsored healthcare
• Health savings accounts (HSAs)
• Healthcare affordability
• Insurance plan design and utilization.

The organization frequently analyzes:

• Medical cost trends
• Consumer healthcare behavior
• Wellness and benefits engagement
• Long-term healthcare costs in retirement.

Position Within the Benefits and Policy Landscape

EBRI operates within the broader ecosystem of:

• Employee benefits research organizations
• Retirement policy institutes
• Healthcare and financial wellbeing think tanks.

Its positioning emphasizes:

• Independent and objective research
  rather than:
• Advocacy, lobbying, or consulting.

The organization combines elements of:

• Research institute
• Policy analysis organization
• Benefits think tank
• Financial wellbeing research center.

Organizational Philosophy and Messaging

EBRI consistently emphasizes:

• Objective, fact-based research
• Long-term financial security
• Evidence-based policy analysis
• Employee wellbeing and retirement readiness.

Its broader philosophy reflects the idea that:

• Better research and data help organizations and individuals make stronger decisions about retirement, healthcare, and employee benefits.